Namimi smiled at me. I was again in this same old dark void. But it didn't feel lonely at all.

"Namimi..." I walked towards her and hugged her between my arms. I can feel the brush of her hair by my cheek. She started sobbing and rubbed her eyes.

"Hey... What's the problem Namimi?"

"I... I thought I was going to lose you... Nii-san... I thought you'd die... I thought the black flame will engulf you..." She pointed a black fire burning afar. I can hear its voice but not its words.

"Promise me, brother... That you'll never let yourself lose to that evil fire... It'll take you away from me..." She started hugging me closer and her tears were falling down to my chest. In this void, we were naked.

I patted her head then rubbed it. With my metallic arm, I wiped her tears away.

I noticed my arm. This metallic arm felt like a real arm. And deep within, I feel a menacing power. Namimi held my metallic arm with both of her hands. She pushed her lips against it.

"Na... Namimi!"

After her kiss by my metallic hand, a sign emitted a faint light with a magic circle forming on it.

"What... was that?"

"I sealed the evil aura within that arm. Brother, you should take care of yourself." She carelessly smiled at me.

"...Kill..." A dark demonic voice echoed within the void.

"Brother! Cover your ears!" Namimi jumped on me as she covered my ear.

"What is that? I kept hearing that voice."

"That's your hatred, Brother. You must promise me you'll never accept it!"

"N"

"PROMISE ME!"

She screamed with a teary eye. She's worried about me. She held my ears with care as she tries to protect me from my deep seething hatred. The hatred I had for this world.

"I promise."

She smiled and kissed me by the cheek.

"Namimi!"

"Good." She smiled. She flicked out her finger and the octagonal panel appeared. Its name was -Alheria: Azeath Octagon-.

"What are you doing this time, Namimi?" I held her head.

"Oh, I'm going to borrow your points brother!" She grinned. Suddenly an icon appeared.

-Southwest Edge Upgraded-

Dexterity +

Dexterity Boost +

-Special Skill Obtained-

Shooting Star: Summons two golden orbs then forms into a sword. Choose a target and the swords will shoot at your target or chosen destination. Deals damage and stays for 20 seconds.

-Southeast Edge Upgrade-

"H-hey! Don't use it all!" I reached out but she had already used all my remaining points that I was saving out.

Luck +

Luck Boost +

Huh? Luck plus? Luck boost plus? But my luck is already maxed out. I opened my statistic panel and was surprised to find something changing. It was wavering and blurring like it forcefully tried to change the stat.

Luck: SSS+ {LevelUp} Luck:X

Huh? My SSS+ rating changed into an X. Come to think of it, my Azeath Octagon already looks like an "X". Each blade pointing out has its own unique design. Each end looks like the head of a sword and on the pointy-edge just below it had different gems embedded on each blade.

-Special Skill Obtained-

Jackpot Pa.s.sive Skill: When the enemy is within ten meters range of the user and their health points are below 30%, a weak spot will appear emitting a red light. Hitting a weak spot will deal a critical strike.

Hey! That's amazing! The new skills I obtained are actually great!

Suddenly the four gems embedded on each gem radiated and sparkled iridescently. From the core of the gem, the light began to curve down like a river, filling up the gaps of the design with light and reached the center of the octagon. The octagon suddenly quivered and the center octagon of the octagon fell. A bright white octagonal gem radiated a pure white light.

Suddenly a maiden's voice spoke out. Like what you hear in tutorials in games.

"Azeath Octagon Quad Upgrade"

"Initiating Sequence"

"Choose a cla.s.s to offer on the gem. The cla.s.s will immediately be consumed and all the skills in that cla.s.s will be available even unequipped."

Cla.s.s? What should I offer? Hero Cla.s.s or Apothecary Cla.s.s?

"I guess, Hero Cla.s.s then."

"Confirmed"

"Hero Cla.s.s Consumed"

"Resiliency Skill Obtained Permanently"

My Hero Cla.s.s suddenly disappeared from my cla.s.s lists, leaving only the Apothecary Cla.s.s. It seemed that it consumed the data and it registered inside the gem.

The octagon suddenly disappeared.

"Alheira X Obtained"

The girl said with a maiden soft voice. Alheira X? Isn't that the game?

Suddenly a large skill tree appeared. It had many unlockable icons but mostly they were a status boost. Larger icons are unlockable skills. Some skills are just pa.s.sive skills like poison resistance and stuff. But what caught my attention was the first icon that appeared seemed to be open. It had a sword symbol and the icon was colored silvery white.

"Calibur... Huh? Is this a skill?"

"Yes." Namimi replied.

"What did you do?"

"I used your skill points, are you angry brother?"

I rubbed her head and she replied with a joyful smile.

"No, I'm not. In fact, I'm shocked."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Namimi."

"Remember our promise, Yakiro nii-chan!"

"Yes yes."

"If you forget, I'll haunt you!"

I felt a s.h.i.+ver ran down my spine.

"Yes yes, I promise sister. Don't scare me like that."

"Then go now, brother."

She flicked my forehead and somehow I was sent flying in this void. The next thing I knew, I woke up.

I checked my panel and stats. It seemed that it wasn't a dream after all. My skills were there and it appeared that my octagonal panel didn't appear anymore.

I checked my help settings and found information regarding my first skill tree. Supposedly, the Azeath Octagon was my third sphere skill tree. Now my Alheira X skill tree is the second sphere skill tree.

There was a lot of combination to be unlocked using Azeath. Like the cross combination where you upgrade north, east, west and south. But I think that If I followed that, I had a feeling that I would be given healing or support skill tree. There are many four-bladed combinations and seemed that combination "X" is an unknown combination.

Knock Knock

I heard a knock on my door.

"Kiddo, it's breakfast time." It was Sir Arthur.

"Oh. Alright."

I was distracted by reading my system. I forgot that we have a mission to take care of. Dealing with Wyverns. I packed my things and wore my metallic arm. I looked at it and it had a magic circle carved out behind the palm. It was not a dream.

I packed my things and ate. As usual, Sir Arthur kept on drinking rum. Geez, my Fat-i mean my teacher is such a drinker.

"Well set out now."

"Yes yes. Thank you, fellow adventurers!"

The whole village came to see us off. We rode a carriage and dropped us off by the mountain trail. Everything was green and there were trees everywhere. I was expecting more like a desert mountain or a rocky mountain.

We encountered different types of monsters, however, Sir Arthur still treated this as training. I was forced to fight using a wooden stick that he snapped off from a tree just now.

"Keep your stance!" Sir Arthur smacked my leg and arm with a stick, telling me that I was stiff. "You need to relax, Yakiro kiddo."

"Y-yes!"

We continued to climb the mountain and took several breaks. The mountain was filled with monsters with edible meat. Like Dearus and Hogsmort, deer and hog. The meat was tender and felt delicious.

Suddenly the trees quivered. The leaves started to brush and shake. A wing flapping was audible. A shadow fell on us as it moves from side to side.

"Get ready Yakiro!"

"What is it?"

"It's the wyvern!"

"Wy-"

I was about to say wyvern when it swooped by my side. The wings were sharp and it got my left arm.

"Ahhhh! Ahh! Frick! It hurts!"

"Get down!"

The wound didn't heal. My resiliency didn't work. I used my search skill and found that the wound was inflicted with corrosion. A type of debuff which stops regenerative properties.

"It hurts!"

d.a.m.n, it stings! Good thing my Adamantine bones skill protected my bones from breaking apart. I don't want to lose another arm.

"Shooti-" I was about to try out my new skill when I suddenly felt a hard smack behind my head.

Smack!

"No skill rule!"

"But!"

"This is training! If you're afraid then leave the party and run!"

I clenched my fists.

"No! I'll do it!"

"Kreeeeee!"

The Wyvern swooped but I was able to dodge it this time. As usual, Sir Arthur climbed up a tree and started drinking, only this time it was different. He was drinking sake. He looked tipsy and his face was red now.

I, surrounded by trees, made a stance. It swooped left and right, continuing to hover at me. I raised my sword right above my head and waited for it to swoop. I felt the wind change and I struck down as hard as I could.

As I expected, it dived right in front of me but before my stick touched its head, it spread its wings and pushed a huge gust sending its body ascending upwards making my attack miss.

For a moment I lost my cool and it found a chance to swoop countless times at me. The wings are unbelievably sharp and the pain is just excruciating as it is. My vision started to waver but I don't want to embarra.s.s myself especially in front of Sir Arthur who saved me and believed in me.

My blood came spraying to the ground as several of the Wyvern's attack was successful. It got my back, legs, arm, neck, shoulder and the side of my body. I kneeled down but I stood up again. This time I breathed in and exhaled slowly.

There!

Smack!

The stick vibrated as it got the wyvern by its head. It was going to attack me head on but I was able to finally land a hit. It fell to the ground and shook its head.

I started batting its head like a baseball with consecutive strikes.

"Kreeee! Kreee!" the Wyvern shrieked.

Suddenly a red glow appeared on its forehead. It was my Jackpot skill that indicates a weak spot when the enemy's HP reaches below 30% of their max HP.

I was just about to smack it again when a ball of dark magic exploded on its face. I was blown away and fell on my back. My ears and eyes wavered. I tried to get up but as soon as I opened my eyes.

"A.. Ayumi!" She was there standing in front of me, pointing her sharpened Igneous Lava Dagger. This time they were ready to finish me off.

"Hahaha! To think we wouldn't recognize you behind that mask, Yakiro."

A girl walked out from behind the tree.

It's her! The Witch came again! Every time! Every time that I was finally able to achieve things! She would appear and shamelessly steal it!

"ELENA!"

My heart started to quench in anger.