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==CHARACTER STATUS==
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NAME: Cainne le Mort (Vlack Lindon)
LEVEL: 1
RACE: 70% Demon — 15% Human — 15% Elf
AWAKENED ELEMENT: N/A
STRENGTH: 2 (Increases physical power output)
DEXTERITY: 5 (Increases agility, reaction time, and speed)
PERCEPTION: 3 (Increases basic senses, position awareness, and instinct)
CONSTITUTION: 17 (Increases endurance, durability, and speed of recovery)
FORTITUDE: 11 (Increases mental fortitude and resistance to mental attacks)
MANA: 2 (Increases mana pool and magical output)
AURA: 3 (Enhances both strength and dexterity by 3% when using aura. However, the user consumes more stamina over time)
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ABILITIES
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Hyper Regeneration (1 Star) (Passive)
-A considerable amount of blood of the ancient demon runs in your veins, which possess the fastest rate of recovery among all races. +5 in constitution. All light wounds can be healed immediately. Regeneration consumes stamina and it will not work if the person expended their entire energy.
Iron Body (1 Star) (Passive)
-A considerable amount of blood of the ancient demon runs in your veins, the bloodline that possess the toughest body among all races. All body composition is enhanced greatly. +10 in constitution. Additionally, every time you level up, an additional 1 point is given to constitution for free.
Nimble Limbs (1 Star Maxed) (Passive)
-A small amount of elven blood runs in your veins, which are known to develop agile movements. +1 in dexterity.
Ethereal Veil (1 Star Maxed) (Passive)
-By consuming a Lucid Sterling elixir at a young age, you developed a body that could combat curses up to 4 stars.
Arcane Protection (1 Star Maxed) (Passive)
-By consuming a Silver Moon Night Lily elixir at a young age, you developed a physique that could combat ailments and poisons up to 4 stars.
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The young lad is spaced out from a distance. He wore a face with no expression except for the twitching of his eyebrows from time to time. Then he heaved once and exhaled through his nose before finally letting out his thoughts.
"Alright. My constitution really stands out the most. By a lot. I guess father was right about their lineage," uttered the young boy who was leaning on a tree at the top of a hill while the other kids of his age, except for a certain individual who stood with arms crossed, played merrily nearby. They seem to enjoy lying down then roll their bodies down the hill while the person who has his arms crossed closely watched over them. Laughter would burst out whenever someone falls hard with a thud.
It has been 5 years since I was born into this world, Cainne thought. The first few years did not let me see the status screen I am now currently staring at. But in my fifth birthday, which was yesterday 21st of the month Luna, the game system-like feature suddenly flashed itself in front of me and my parents who were celebrating in our kitchen. Luckily, I seem to be the only one who can see it. I would not have believe such thing exist but knowing and accepting this past few years the fact that I just got reincarnated into this world made me quickly grasped the proposition of this game-like system feature. _Except when I asked the elder about a phenomenon if they could see something in front of them like a projection when they demand it, he just gave me a quizzical look_.
But it did not matter, Cainne kept the train of thoughts he has. I know it'll be advantageous sooner or later.
Cainne was full of questions at a young age as any child should be, except for the mind part. Over the past years he kept on nagging not only his parents but also the elder most of the time. He was glad that both parties were eager to answer all his queries but sometimes when he goes overboard, they would raise a hint of suspicion out of him or maybe admiration considering his age. He could never tell, especially for elder Kaur. The elder was hard to read. But Cainne did not pay any heed as he seemed to be loved by everyone in the village including his parents. The elder would sometimes invite Cainne to come over his house. Mostly to voluntarily teach him language, basic knowledge in this world, and of course, to answer his questions in mind. And Cainne enjoyed it. He needed every little thing he could get at a young age. Sometimes he would sneak out some books to learn the world's history if Kaur failed to satisfy his questions. The elder's diaries were also not spared from Cainne's curiosity. The books were similar to that of the ones in their own house. It's just that Reom and Fiona still forbids him from reading them. The book sometimes depict the history of other races except the demon's but mostly, it encompasses the passage of time within the empire they are currently in. Apparently, they are under the jurisdiction of the 12th emperor named as Marcus de Von Bonefarte II. The emperor is vicious and arrogant but he rose to power because of his ambition, commitment, and status of control over the military force.
He took a quick glance to his friends and noticed them all at the foot of the hill cackling with each other but he ignored them nonetheless and continued to wander off with his mind.
Unlike in my previous world, in here there were only seven months. It comprises the seven great races that lives here in this continent. The first month is Luna for the race of demons who are now publicly known to be extinct except for the existence of my father and I. Next is Muna for the humans, Huntra for the vampires who are rarely seen. Their numbers are even more scarce than the dark elves. Followed by Kessir for the elven race, Uropa for the dwarves in the western mountain, Titana for the beastmen, and Sol for the unknown race called angels that has only been mentioned from urban legends. _Time here sure flies fast_. But I also learned that in average, humans here can live over 300 years of age but none had lived more than 400 years according to the elder. Hence, I was flabbergasted when I found out that elder Kaur is already 178 years old. _He would have been more than 80 years six feet underground if he was in my world_. More shocking fact is when I overheard the elder's joke about my father's age. Man, I'm not sure if I should believe what I heard but he did mention his age being at, "If my age is considered old then yours is probably prehistoric already Reom,". And yes, my father is actually a thousand-year-old demon living his life here in the outskirts of the empire.
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I once asked father about the demon race and why he is alone in this village excluding me but he brushed it off with a laugh saying I'm too young to hearing the full story of it. I wanted to push him on telling me but I had to act according to my age so I acted as a good boy and did what he said.
My mother is a half elf-half human. She was a noble, daughter of an earl from a distant land but history fiddled and lead her strings here with the other villagers. I tried prying into her life but just like father, she said the story can come after I'm ripe of age.
A voice suddenly shouted at my direction from a distance, breaking my train of thoughts. I turned my head to look who it was and saw a young man walking towards me, waving his hands for my attention. It was the person standing on guard earlier for the other children. "Woyy! Cainne! Don't just space out your face out there, come here and play!"
I smiled in response and pushed myself up. "Yes yes, coming right up Monte."
Monte was the son of our neighbor next door, Dowin and Meressa. He is twice my age and he leads our group every time we decide to play tags and hide n' seek. To me, or maybe to all of us kids here, he is like a big brother that makes sure everybody does not get left out when playing or when voicing out their complaints if the kids can't settle small fights among them. "Go play with them. You don't get to be a kid for a second time you know?"
_I wonder about that_.
We both approached the other kids and they greeted us, inviting me to play their game. I scratched my head. Since I did not want to play their rolling game, I decided to suggest hide and seek instead which they all agreed. We played for quite awhile not aware of the passing time. When I got bored by the game I went back to the village, leaving them behind while the game is still on. _They didn't set a limit anyway_.
The hill we use to play is only about 200 yards away north from the entrance to the village. A few hundred yards more to the north would be a forest extending at the base of the infamous mountain range. The forest itself don't seem to have a monster resting in it but the mountains after it is a different story.
I saw uncle Benny harvesting some potatoes on my way to the village. We greeted each other before I ran straight to elder Kaur's house. When I knocked on his door, no one answered. I thought maybe he was sleeping so I turned around with a sullen face and strode back home instead. My home was two turns to the right and as I approach our house I noticed that other than uncle Benny outside the village, no one else seems to be present. The village seemed empty.
Finally, I got in front of our door. I knocked four times before opening the wooden door myself. Papa and mama usually would be home at times like these but now they aren't here. I'm finally getting annoyed somehow. _Are they also playing hide and seek? Oh nah c'mon something's wrong when it comes to these kinds of things_. But uncle Benny would have warned me so.
For my last resort, I ran back to elder's house and instead of knocking again, I just barged in. The first room was empty. _At the upper floor maybe_. And so I went.
What greeted me was unusual. _Well, kind of. But not too serious. Oh wait maybe it is serious_.
Their eyes implies concern. Almost all of villagers are here in the second room. The setting was similar akin to generals having a meeting for a war and they exchanged looks with one another. "Told you it was him," Reom proudly rambled. But he changed his tone quickly. "Go back outside Cainne. Weren't you supposed to be with Monte and the other kids?"
"Why are you all gathered here pa?"
Kaur stepped in. "Discussing some things little one. But now we're quite hungry. Agem didn't prepare food for us. Mind if you could do me a favor?"
_Trying to keep me out of this huh. Well, ok_.
I gave my best shot to smile like a little innocent kid. "Mmhmm. What is it, elder? Are you finally going to let me go south with Monte and fetch some herbs from the books?"
Reom gave the elder a look and raise a brow. Fiona on the other hand, questioned him straight. "What's that supposed to mean?"
The elder glared at me then made a sigh. "Sly fox you have Fiona. And no, he just wants you to think that way. I never promised him a thing about the south." He turned to me once again, "Just go tell Benny prepare some food for us, will you? You can help him prepare, he'll gladly accept the help of someone who can smile like that."
I kept my smiling face and pressed further, resting both of my fists at my waist. "Can I also tell the others you adults are keeping a secret from us? You're bad guys did you know that? I'll tell them you're plotting to feed us to a mons—"
Reom cut me off. "Stop! Calm down, son. This is urgent. We have no time for this. Do as the elder says."
"He's too stubborn for his own good," the elder commented.
Reom let out a sigh. "Just do what the elder says, son. Go enjoy—"
"But I want to know what's happening, papa. Why is everyone looking grim? It must not be good right? I am also part of the village, so I must know!"
The other villagers did not liked how I acted. It was rude for them to object the elder's and Reom's command but I stood firm and received all their glares though my smile was wiped out from my face now.
Dowin, Monte's father, approached me and knelt down. He held my arms and said, "There are things you wouldn't understand as a child. Even if we've told you and you listened, it'll be hard to grasp most of it."
I ignored Dowin and moved my head to the side instead since he obstructed Kaur's view, then I locked gazes with the elder and copied Reom's eyebrow raise. _Are you really going to send me off, elder?_ Is what it's supposed to mean but the elder just shrugged it off. Receiving no reply from the elder, I heaved heavily and exhaled through my nose and announced, "But I did grasp the idea of Marcus the emperor who killed the previous emperor out of pity. He pitied the late emperor because he was a drunkard. He had no qualifying factors fitting to be the emperor so Marcus took the chance to rile up his soldiers, creating a rebellion."
Cainne breathed for a moment, letting the moment sink in then continued to discourse what he had read both from the history books and the elder's diary. "The rebellion did not even last for a day because most soldiers capable of fighting went to Marcus' side and only a few, unskilled men, were loyal to Mendror until the end. I also learned that Marcus, a few months after he rose to power, committed genocide. Eradicating the village of druids which they condemned in fear of getting cursed. They killed every woman, childre—"
"Enough!" Reom growled, the room almost reverberated from his shout. "Where did you learn all this? You're too young for these kinds of things!"
The elder's face was in a shock but he hid it pretty well while the others once again exchanged looks.
"Care to make me one of you now, papa?"
"You haven't answered my question, Cainne. Where did you learn it all from?"
The elder seems to be at edge for a second, nervous that I'll drop his name in front of everyone. _But that would be a loss for me_. I crossed my arms, head turned to one side, mouth pouting and had my eyes closed. "Every night I sneak out of my room to read the books in our shelves. That's where I learned it from."
"We told you not to read those books. Those pages holds dark histories that had happened in this continent. It's not meant for reader's your age."
_Aww come on. Aren't you supposed to be proud a kid is actually a reader?_ "Then you should have burned it all down!"
Reom was taken aback for a second but quickly regained himself and furrowed his brows. "Don't worry. They will be burned down tonight." His face was sullen again. He turned around towards the others and suggested they continue the meeting, even though I am still inside the room. "My son can stay." He turned his gaze towards me, "But you will not interfere any further."
A part of me was relieved. The other half was nervous. Even then, I took my own sit on a stool placed at the corner. And their meeting resumed.
CHAPTER END.