Milo took a deep breath and looked to the cyan above thinking about the goblins he killed. Was his pacifist title going to leave, or did it stay because his actions were justified. They attacked first, not him. As Milo sat boredly on the bench, it almost felt like a normal Tuesday morning. But it wasn't, it would never be a normal Tuesday. In fact, there wasn't ever going to be a normal day again. Not after this.
Milo trembled, he went out on a whim of over coming his fears, which he in fact did. But at what cost? What is he even talking about? Milo sighed over how melodramatic his disorganised thoughts were. Trying to pity himself over his actions when he didn't feel anything, absolutely nothing when he killed them. Tortured them. How childish on him, to try and see yourself as the hero when you were the killer. When did he become like this?
All he knew was that there was no turning back now. He had blood on his hands now. Was it necessary? He didn't know. Was killing monsters ok? They didn't have consciousnesses, did they? No one was going to punish him if he killed them in the same manner again, perhaps he may even be praised. That scared Milo, a world where killing is demanded and the new norm. What kind of world was that? Now he was apart of them now, killing and not caring. Even enjoying it... this brought Milo to a specific corpse in his mind.
That fateful day when his phone rang. How a corpse pasted a bridge where it had fallen from and into the almost still river causing a huge ripple in the water and in many hearts. How Milo got off a normal work day and walked his usual route home. Taking a bus to his apartment and arriving home in his humble home. How as soon as he entered his apartment got called. How he answered the phone call and heard the news from the cops. How his distant friend called him once more to talk about the girl, even saying their condolences.
Milo excessively started scratching his neck, unknowingly spreading the blood all over himself. Milo was too distracted to notice the name tags of the goblins he had killed. Scouts of the goblin king lvl 8. He had indirectly alerted the goblin king of their presence in the area.
Looking at his paths which appeared to him somehow, he looked directly at the path he avoided for the trainee path. There's was that word that loomed over him, making him look at himself with disdain. How did it even come to this? Pitifully chuckling to himself, he completed the cowardice path with 10 PP.
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Agility.
Congratulations! You have earned +4 Stamina.
Congratulations! You have earned +4 Stamina.
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Stamina Regeneration.
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Stat point(s).
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Agility.
Congratulations! You have earned +4 Stamina.
Congratulations! You have earned +4 Stamina.
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Stamina Regeneration.
Congratulations! You have earned +1 Stat point(s).
Congratulations! You have completed the Cowardice Path! +10 Stamina +2 Agility, +4 Stamina per level.
Milo sighed, while he felt rejuvenated and fresh, he still felt sloppy with almost no mana. His 'fight' with the goblins had cost him more mana than he had hoped for. Activating calm mind, he felt a nice numbing feeling in his mind that almost stopped all thought. It felt like a massage that could reach into his head and release the built up stress.
Milo didn't know how long he stayed still enjoying the skill, but he was suddenly awoken by a powerful force striking him knocking the breath out of him. His whole vision became black and his body went limp. Despite the sudden impact, through the pain he saw a group of kids? Looking at what they were wearing it looked like the same uniform as Anna's brother, Jacob and his friend.
******
Waking up in an unfamiliar environment, it reminded Milo of a certain time he had jumped out his own balcony. What a dumbass.
Looking around him, his neck felt restrained. Looking below him, he found his entire body wrapped in rope. What was happening? Around him was a classroom that looked very familiar, was this at his old highschool? Seeing more and more similarities, the chairs, whiteboard and the style of the classroom, Milo was certain. As Milo was studying his surroundings, he wondered how long he had been unconscious.
Looking at how much mana he had regenerated, he had only regenerated about 24 mana. So he's been asleep for about 2 and a half hours. What happened in those 2 hour and a half? Why was he even attacked in the first place...
Then something hit him, both literally and figuratively. Milo silently cursed his monster aura and looked at whoever hit him in the head. Trying to look behind him was quite hard, but he guessed that object that hit him came from the door, or near there. What hit him felt solid and hard, cancelling out any possible hit from a person.
Activating calm mind, he cleared his thoughts and focused on the rope around him. Using his unrestrained finger, he gathered mana around it and released it from his body. Controlling it with the movement of his finger, Milo felt around for a knot or lock to untie himself. As soon as his telekinesis felt a large knot at his back, the mana he controlled started uniting the retrains. Feeling the rope loosen, Milo freed his arm and untied the rest of his body.
Looking around the empty classroom, at the door was a very cautious boy holding a long ruler that seemed to somehow glow. Sighing at the nervous boy at the door, Milo caught the ruler with his telekinesis and pulled it from the kid's grasp which brought a small yelp to the boys mouth. Catching the ruler which returned to its bleak normal looks, Milo gazed at the boy who sprinted from the doorway and into the hallway.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Looking out into the corridor, Milo saw a bunch more kids who adopted the same tactic of enhancing a ruler and using it as a weapon. They definitely not that bright, what can a ruler do? Sighing, a strong force pulled all of the rulers out of the kids hands and near the feet of Milo. Milo yawned while the students started panicking frantically. He shouldn've tried talking to them first, now they're scared of him. Bringing the rulers back to the confused kids, Milo wanted them to have a sense of security so they could negotiate.
"EEHUM! Hello there, I don't think we have met before, my name is Milo. Can you tell me your names?"
"We won't listen to you, monster! You can't deceive us with your disguise, we already know your a monster by your aura!"
"You know I'm a monster? Then prove it"
"Uhhh... WE JUST KNOW IT! When you can't see us your real aura appears, but when you can see us you conceal your aura"
Looking at the determined boys face, Milo chuckled. Although they definitely weren't the brightest kids, they sure were some of the bravest. But what they said concerned Milo, was what they said true? Did his skill description lie? Checking it once more, Milo saw nothing changed. Did he have to be awake to have a human aura? What kind of skill is this?
"Then why don't you kill me? You already know I'm a monster, but why keep me here at your school? Aren't I a threat if I'm a monster?"
"Why should we tell you! Your a monster, your going to die anyways"
"Well, why don't I take your weapons once more"
Nothing changed as Milo took ahold of 7 rulers once more. There was a weird atmosphere as soon as they didn't have any weapons. Milo swore he could see a girl about to burst in tears. Having a stare off with the very bold kid, Milo tilted his head confused. Where's this confidence coming from? Was there a powerful person in this school, was that why he's like this.
"Kid, hate to brake it to you, but I'm not a monster"
"LIES! Too many have already died, you can't deny your kind did this"
"Kind?"
A thought came into his mind as he opened his notifications. Confirming his guess, Milo sighed exhaustingly. This was a shapeshifter's territory, they obviously won't listen to anything he would say.
"Ah, alright then. Don't believe anything I say, what now?"
"Uh ahhh, hmmm" Seeing the kid in deep thought brought a small grin to Milo's face.
"You see, I'm not one of them. I'm strong enough to kill you and yet I don't, does that say anything?"
"Prove it! Prove you can kill us and we'll believe you"
"How can I prove that? You want me to kill someone just for a demonstration? That's kinda extreme don't you think?" Clearly getting my words, the boy went back into his thoughts which made the other 6 students sigh. They were clearly getting nowhere, which the 6 other students caught on. They eventually dropped their guard but a few girls remained vigilant.
"Can you guys tell me what's happening? Why I was captured and tied up?" From the crowd of 3 girls and 3 boys besides the other kid, no one talked. It seemed only the kid in deep thought had enough courage to talk.
"Hey brat, wanna tell me what's happening?"
"Hmm? What?" In the corridor, several instantaneous face palms could be heard.
"Why am I tied up?"
"Oh ah, umm. Hey! Why should I tell you?"
"Ugh, fine then. Could you guys lead me to the rest of the kids? I'm loosing brain cells talking to this guy"
Hesitantly agreeing, they brought him through his old school to where the others were much to the annoying kid's reluctance. Plus, he couldn't do much as Milo restricted his movements each time with his powers. Finally arriving near the food court, the group stopped.
"Why are you guys stopping?"
"We're not allowed in, the soccer and volleyball club rule this part of the school"
"Soccer and volleyball club? Can I ask, what club are you guys?"
"""Art club...""" Hearing several displeased groans, Milo guessed they were dominated by most of the other clubs.
"Whats the soccer and volleyball club like? I wanna know what I'm getting in"
"They're assholes that's for sure. Beside that, they're very strong and fast. Something expected from both clubs-"
"Ok I think that's enough, I kinda get the gist"
Opening the door to the foot court, Milo was greeted with several roots fired straight at him? Grabbing a nearby table with his telekinesis, he brought up the table to defend from the attacks. Hearing the loud thuds coming from the otherwise of the hard table, Milo reevaluated the power of those roots. Who did that? Looking out the otherside of the table, Milo saw several girls with green glowing hands. Behind them was a group of haughty looking kids, with some wielding knifes or a baseball bat.
"Uhh, could you please not do that? We come in peace, I swear!"
"Pfft, as if we'd listen to you. For all we know, you could be one of them. We'd rather kill you to find out then risk our lives!"
"Sheesh kid, have you truely killed someone? Do you know what it feels like? Do you know the consequences? Have you truely felt despair and regret? Then don't joke about killing..."
Abruptly tossing the table away from himself, Milo dragged the kid who said that over to him. Milo looked deeply into the eyes of the boy, he was still naive and too irrational. Dropping the scared kid to the floor, his knees gave out and he fell to the cold ground. Was he that scary? But as Milo felt the inside of his body whirl with anger and rage, he then knew he unconsciously activated goblin rage. Fuck.
"Sorry about that, I'm a little sensitive to that subject. Now where were we? Ah yes, why that fuck did you capture me?"
Taken back by my response and quick attitude change, both the soccer club and volleyball club fell silent. All the students in the food court were now silent in front of the angry Milo. As Milo waited patiently for their response, a loud bang alerted Milo of a violently opened door. Coming out of the back door to the canteen, a beautiful women came out dressed in professional looking clothing. A teacher possibly?
"May I ask the volleyball club captain, WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?"
The girls flinched and moved to the back of the soccer club who definitely didn't want the attention.
"Mrs Veronica, come here this instant and tell me what happened!"
Her gaze didn't leave Milo's eyes as she called the shivering girl over. It was like being watched like a hawk, or rather a predator. This brought Milo back to his horrible high school days. Days of procrastination, shouting teachers and those terrible deadlines. Oh high school.
"YOU! Come here!"
Pointing to himself, Milo looked over at the furious blonde teacher.
"Yes you, who else could've caused this?"
Wait a minute, he remembered this voice. Was it really? Could it be a coincidence? Moving closer and leaving the scared art club students, he inspected the woman. Black short hair, a head tilting to the left a bit, delicate snow white skin, peach painted nails. It had to be, was it really?
"Its that you Amanda? Or should I say, Miss Honey?"
"Wait a second, Milo?"
"Miss Honey, you know this person?"
"Well, a bit. Not before he rudely left collage and stayed at home brooding about a girl. But to answer your question, I know a lot about him. He could even be called a friend"
"""Friend?!""" A lot of students exclaimed at the statement. It seemed she isn't that friendly with other students, or teachers in fact.
"I would say friend, but wouldn't bully fit better, isn't that right?" Milo folded his arms, she was his senior who bullied him a lot. It wasn't it a physical extent, she merely verbally cursed him and sometimes stole his wallet to pay for her dates or parties.
"Not even a hello to your old friend? Rude"
"You can't blame me, but it truely is nice to see another familiar face"
"Another familiar face?"
"Remember Anna and her boyfriend?"
"Those fuckers? What about them?" For some reason Amanda hated their relationship for some reason. Our group didn't even know why she avoided all contact with them. All we knew was that Amanda despised Anna but never dared to actually do something about her which confused us.
"There's a nearby makeshift shelter by my apartment. It's not far from here, you wanna go?" Milo knew she wouldn't go, there was no reason to. But he wanted to try at least.
"...Milo, where's Milo?"
"What?"
"Why is it when I close my eyes... you feel like a monster?"