Time and his new skill worked in tandem, keeping Alex calm as he walked through the streets of Endor. Rather than be laser focused on running from one destination to the next, he moved at a leisurely pace, taking the time to make better note of his surroundings. Still, no matter how authentic the environment felt, Alex couldn’t shake how odd the entire situation was. He knew he was from the “real world,” whatever that meant. This tutorial, however it worked, was unlikely to be a real place. He truly believed if he looked hard enough, he could poke holes in this world's story, yet everything felt real. The people he talked to, the food he ate, the battle he’d fought; it scared Alex to think what type of power the system, or potential being behind it, held.
***
Your skill [Fear Resistance] has advanced to Level Two.
***
With a strained laugh to banish the contemplative thoughts, Alex switched his introspection back to extrospection. Mendel appeared to be the ideal middle class city district. The streets were well sized, easily able to accommodate the droves of people that moved about; and while the buildings were nothing special, there was an obvious difference in quality compared to those closer to the arena. As he continued walking Alex found the city’s well-planned layout to be the most interesting aspect, with every street seeming to point toward the city center.
While plenty of the people looked to be labors or other common jobs, Alex observed the ones who sported armor and weapons more closely. It seemed even with the commonality of spatial devices; many felt the need to carry their weapons visibly. He wondered if it was a practical reason, or something vainer. For his part, Alex kept all his weapons stored, since he doubted a small dagger would have been much of a deterrent with the level six aura he emitted. Still, he didn’t waste the slow walk, instead using the time and massive crowd as a training ground. Though he was quickly made aware that he’d need to be careful with how he used his abilities.
Up until that point, Alex had mainly targeted mundane looking people, most who ended up feeling weaker than Anise, somewhere around level twenty. When he’d spotted a stereotypical warrior, full polished plate armor with a great sword as long as he was tall, Alex readied to analyze them. He’d been using the skill along with Sixth Sense to get more accurate level readings, though this time something odd happened as he tried. Extending his awareness as if reaching out a hand out Alex’s skill brushed against the person’s presence. This was normally when his skill would send back information about their energy, something akin to its density, but here Alex felt nothing. The concept reminded him of the absence Janet’s ability had caused him to feel, though not entirely.
During the lulls in their training, Janet had explained her energy didn’t disappear, when she used her skill, more it was held so tight within herself that it seemed to be removed entirely. His skill could mimic that effect, though Alex lacked proficiency anywhere close to hers. For the armored figure, their presence was clearly there, it just felt… weak. The thought made Alex grimace, it was almost exactly how he felt around level one, though he had a harder time believing this massive warrior was anywhere close to him in level.
Seeing the encounter as a chance to experiment at solving his skill’s weakness, Alex pushed more energy into Sixth Sense, his mana dropping as the regeneration rate failed to keep up. With ten mana having no impact, and the person getting further away Alex poured twenty, then thirty, and finally fifty mana into the skill. That level mana discharge was unsustainable, and Alex planned to cut the flow after three seconds, but he need not worried as he felt something give within the first.
The person stopped walking, pivoting to look around as a hand went up to grab the hilt of their sword. Instantly, as if he’d triggered a trap, Alex felt another’s aura try to grab hold of his while questions of concern emerged from their companions. Hurriedly, using instincts he didn’t know he had Alex withdrew his Sixth Sense and his aura. The sensation was slimy, like a wet frog slipping through grasping hands, but as he moved bumping into a few people as walking lost its priority in his split focus, Alex barely noticed.
Moving at a near run, heart pounding from the event and speed of retreat, Alex cursed his stupidity as he felt the buzz of new notifications. He didn’t risk pausing to open them for another few blocks, doing his best to make sure he hadn't been spotted or followed; though he knew what they were likely to be. It seemed the system agreed with his recklessness.
***
Your skill [Aura Control] has advanced to Level Four.
Your skill [Sixth Sense] has advanced to Level Eight.
***
Deciding to stick to a middle ground for training, Alex used his skill only on those who were making no attempt to hide their power. Experimenting as he recovered mana Alex learned Sixth Sense could directly be affected by Aura Control. The more powerful his aura appeared the greater distance and clarity Sixth Sense provided, even without the addition of mana. It was a benefit as the normal way to increase the skill's range was with mana, still it wasn’t perfect as he needed to make himself seem more powerful to use it. Though Alex wasn’t as averse to the action as he’d initially been.
The majority of people he’d examined had felt somewhere near level twenty. Not all, but baring a few kids he could count the people below naturally below level ten on one hand. That made him the outlier, though he didn’t know how others around him would perceive it. Anise hadn’t been stunned at his level one aura, so was it really that uncommon. Shelving the idea with the hopes of getting another’s opinion later Alex left his aura where it was.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Getting closer to what his map marked as Cindel’s border, the two districts overlapping slightly on the enchanter paper, Alex began to feel more auras similar to Anise when she had fought on the first night. Scenes of the battle and blindness flashed through his mind and Alex found himself less scarred by them. The woman’s methodical slaying of the three had been horrible to watch, but they’d been there to attack her, she just ended them first instead. His interactions after the fight had Alex relatively certain she wasn’t a raging murderer, though he couldn’t be so sure about the woman’s aunt.
Alex’s obvious manipulation of his aura hadn’t gone unnoticed as he’d felt multiple people brush up against his skills, though none overtly hostile. It had been slightly worrying but as the skill levels continued to rise, he couldn’t get himself too worked up about it.
***
Your skill [Fear Resistance] has advanced to Level Three.
Your skill [Aura Control] has advanced to Level Five.
Your skill [Sixth Sense] has advanced to Level Nine.
***
Alex hoped Fear Resistance wasn’t messing with his mind too much.
Standing at the border between Mendel and Cindel Alex marveled at the difference between the districts. The streets were all numbered, lower meaning closer to the city center, and while there was no wall or other obvious split, as one looked further down the aptly named “Royal Road,” the difference in wealth was obvious.
The sidewalks were even wider though they accommodated much fewer people. The architecture was a blend of classic and modern styles, with intricate details and vibrant colors. Every building was a grand affair with towering facades surrounded by statues, fountains, and other ornate decorations. While vehicles had been present in other parts of the city, now they littered the streets. Everything from beast drawn carriages to cars moved about and Alex marveled as he took it all in.
“A real fantasy city,” Alex whispered, making to walk in before pausing once more. Looking at the clothing of the district's residents, then down at his own, Alex decided to make one more stop before entering. He hadn’t been told anyone would deny him entry, nor had the guards seemed to stop anyone from going in, but as the quote went: “The clothes maketh the man,” and Alex planned to maketh a good impression. Plus, who didn’t like a little shopping.
Stopping at a nearby clothing store he hadn’t even needed to use his map to find, Alex entered, only to be greeted by something flying straight for his face.
“Hello welcome to Grace Kerone’s, I’m Laney how may I help you today.” The person stopped on a dime a foot away from his face. Their voice was as high-pitched as their body was small and Alex took a step back, hand coming up to protect his face, with the other ready to react. Through his fingers he saw them move back a pace, unrestrained excitement apparent. “Sorry, too close for ya. It’s my first day, please don’t tell my boss, she’ll kill me if I scare the first customer of the day away.”
The small fairy continued to speak and Alex found himself struggling to keep up with their verbal tirade. Eventually he stopped them, scared he’d be stuck with another Freddie for the next hour.
“I just wanted to get some nicer clothes, I… planned to visit my uncle in Cindel, and he doesn’t like when I wear just anything.” He didn’t really need to lie but after getting Fear Resistance Alex figured there could be a skill for anything, being a better liar in a place like this seemed like it would come in handy.
Laney led him further into the shop, fluttering from side to side as she tried to access Alex’s size, taste, and budget.
He’d started looking for just one outfit to wear out, but Alex found himself purchasing five, along with a satchel bag that served no real use due to his inventory, and two sets of sneakers. Flighty as she seemed, that fairy was on hell of a saleswoman. She’d made a show of each outfit change, tiny little claps ringing out as she oohed and awed at him.
He’d doubted the clothing at first, most of it looking similar to something he could find on Earth, when Laney had gone in depth about the difference between them and mundane clothing. She spoke of enchanted fabrics and Grace’s extremely rare class ability to manipulate it to the point he had to cut her off. Everything she said could have been a lie for all he knew, but Alex swore he could feel the difference once the clothes were on.
Deciding to wear his favorite of the clothes out: a pair of black jeans, with a white turtleneck, black and yellow jacket, and sneakers of the same colors; Alex walked to the register.
“That will be 187 gold and thirty-one silver would you like to make it an even 188 gold with the silver going to children in need.”
“Umm, no?” Alex said unsure how to feel. As real as this place seemed he drew the line at throwing away money in fake donations, he wasn’t a Fortune 500 company.’
“Ok, then. Will you be paying with coin or card?”
He’d been mentally separating money when the question drew him up short. Alex had seen the cards the bookies had used the day prior, but those had all been one time use, though he supposed they could just be programmed that way.
“Like a bank.”
“Duh, obviously.”
Ignoring her amusement Alex asked a follow-up. “Can anyone open an account?”
“At the ones in town? Sure. If you have an I.D. Though you can use an out of city bank if it’s national, or international.”
Alex’s hopes rose and fell on her words, though his inkling of a plan had potential if not immediate.
“City, or Country I.D. and what’s the best bank in town?” Alex pulled out the money as he asked, three platinum and thirty-eight gold appearing counter in front of him.
“Not from here are you?”
“Nope, just visiting like I said. Wanted to explore the world outside the kingdom,” Alex lied smoothly.
“Figures, no wonder your aura is so well held.” Alex laughed awkwardly at the comment, but Laney didn’t notice as she barreled on. “Any work really. IBA works if you travel a lot and want a kingdom affiliated bank. Since I’m guessing you just want a city account ECU is the favorite of the common folk and-” she paused as she began to count the gold. “The upper class prefer RTB, since it’s directly backed by the big man himself.” She whispered the last part and Alex replied before he could think better of it.
“God?”
Luckily, she only laughed in his face. “The monarch, obviously.”
Taking his nineteen silvers worth of change, Alex wanted to ask more. No one seemed to talk about the king, and when they did, it was never by name; that seemed like a huge clue. Moving to leave instead Alex said his goodbyes, Laney telling him to come again if he wanted new clothes, though his thoughts were already on his future goals. He’d need to get an I.D. if the process wasn’t too demanding, though what he had planned could wait a few days. For now the library would still be his main priority.
As he left the store Alex felt a bit of foreign energy pass over him. He was still new to his skill, and doubted he could have sensed it without the recent rise in levels, though he was still unable to figure out its purpose. It passed him as he reentered the street and Alex was tempted to go back in to figure out what it was. Giving his body a spiritual once over Alex decided it wasn’t worth it. Whatever had happened didn’t seem to be hostile or linger, but better not to push his luck and gain another tracking mark. Passing the guards in armor almost to that Anise wore, Alex entered Cindel.