"Now that Rodd's issue has been dealt with, what should we do with Lucas?" Roger asked.
Sen smiled when his big brother looked at him, "Why not let the kid decide? He did an excellent job earlier."
Peter nodded and looked at Aaron who's been smiling widely ever since Sera placed her hand on Rodd's and Camila's heads before closing her eyes then muttering the vague and cryptic words for her spell.
Meanwhile Aaron was excited because not only was the main story-line quest completed, the optional quest is also completed as well as an unexpected surprise got revealed by the system notification that followed the first two notifications!
System : Main Story-Line Quest Completed. Inventory Space Unlocked.
This notification window was the same like the one he received when Aaron climbed the ancient-well.
System : Optional Quest Completed. Completion Rate : 100%. Completion Rank : S+. Host is rewarded Beginner-Title [Hope in Justice]. Additional Reward : Fame +5, Likeability +8 within Pine-Breeze Village.
Aaron didn't mind the additional reward despite not knowing what use fame and likeability could give him in this village, he still noticed the gazes this crowd of strangers were giving him.
'Worship me more, favor me above the rest... my head is growing bigger! Ptooey, I'm not that vain, I'm not that vain, I'm not that vain.' He almost got intoxicated by the addictive feeling of being desired and favored by the masses but Aaron quickly shook his head to get rid of these unhealthy thoughts before looking at the notification.
Quest Available.
Aaron immediately willed the details of the new quest to appear and that brought a smile on his face before looking at Lucas while thinking : 'I really thought that vest was the only treasure you've got! Looks like you're doing like me and not keeping all eggs in a single basket, too bad mate. This system already has its eyes firmly locked on your stash of treasures.'
Hidden Quest : Lucas's Greed. Quest Requirement : Seize the item Lucas and Betty's husband found. Quest Reward : Unknown. Quest Difficulty : Epic-Rank. Quest Availability : Until the truth about what Lucas did to keep that item to himself is revealed to the public.
Aaron understood that Lucas was trying to do everything in his power to survive this situation because he's still got a trump card up his sleeve, 'No wonder he didn't seem to mind losing the vest that much! Now I'm curious to know what exactly is the item that he stole.' He thought.
Roger grunted once he noticed his father and his little brother wait for the boy to decide Lucas's fate, "That damned Lucas. I shouldn't have accepted him in my squad back then, Bruce wouldn't have died back then. Betty still blames me for what happened until now." He sounded like he really hates the gang-leader.
When Aaron heard what Roger just said his smile widened and he walked towards Lucas with his bodyguard following behind him like it's the normal thing to do, "Pio. Go call Betty over, I believe Lucas here has a confession to make before his head goes flying." Despite knowing that this hidden quest is going to become unavailable for him to complete if this secret was revealed, Aaron still said these words in a nonchalant manner while keeping his voice normal but he winked towards Pio when he looked back.
After spending the day with Aaron and going through all these situations together, Pio immediately understood that young master Ron does have his reasons for giving him this gesture and nodded before turning to leave heading towards Betty's house.
but instead of actually calling the woman over like he was ordered, Pio had other plans in mind since his young master intends to manipulate Lucas for some reason.
Right now isn't the right time for Pio to ask unnecessary questions, it'd be better if he goes have some flirting fun with the only lady he's ever spent the night with.
Meanwhile Lucas's brain was a mess of thoughts and kept sending wary looks towards Roger who never attempted to hide his killing intent whenever he looked towards the gang-leader!
"Poor Betty," Aaron murmured as if to talk to himself, "She doesn't even know how her late husband met his end and for whatever reason it was caused." Afterwards he looked towards Roger and waved his hand in a greeting gesture before continuing to say : "I bet that big guy over there would be very excited once he gets a reason to have his way with you, oh boy... that big ass Blade looks really sharp." Aaron looked towards Lucas and smirked.
"Lucky you. I bet it would be over before you get to feel a thing." This time Lucas felt the world spin and could almost feel the toll of death ringing in his ears and calling his Soul to the netherworld.
"W-what do you want? If it's money then I can give you all the Gold me and my men saved, take it all... I only want to buy my life!" Lucas was pale white from fear and on the brink of the abyss of despair.
Aaron squatted in front of the gang-leader and shook his head before saying : "Since you're still trying to fool around despite being in this situation, then... I still want your head." Afterwards he shrugged carelessly and continued to say : "No hard feelings man. After all you left me to die in that ancient-well with a cracked skull, a dozen broken ribs, a twisted ankle, a dislocated shoulder, and poison to eat me up from the inside! Not to mention that I was really, really exhausted and hungry."
'Yet you survived the fall and climbed out from the ancient-well all alone! Only a freaking monster such as yourself can do that shit.' Lucas thought to himself while cursing at the smirking little boy who seems to enjoy putting the gang-leader in a checkmate situation.
Lucas felt like fainting from anger after getting emotionally manipulated by this kid over and over, yet once he opened his mouth to vent these nasty feelings... Lucas immediately closed his mouth shut once Aaron opened a palm and pointed it at his face!
Only now was the gang-leader reminded of the horror that he witnessed and suffered earlier, the internal wounds still keep him restrained and unable to do anything to this monster of a little boy.
Lucas is aware that there's no need for restraints on his body right now, he's been struggling to keep himself conscious ever since he met this kid Ron in the forest.
Now Lucas doesn't have any other options put to try and bargain with Aaron, "Wait!" The gang-leader gestured for the kid to come closer and continued to say : "I... might have something to wet your interest."
Aaron shrugged while faking a disinterested attitude, "If this is about the "item" you found with Bruce, then I already know that you schemed against Betty's husband to keep it to yourself! Didn't you hear me talking to Pio just earlier?" He enjoyed seeing the expression of complete and utter loss on Lucas's face once Aaron gave him that retorting answer.
"H-how did yo-"
"After all you've seen me do... you still question my methods? Humph. You're the first person I've met in this life who keeps insisting on testing my patience." Aaron faked annoyance.
Lucas was at the end of his rope and finally broke, "I swear that's all, I wouldn't dare hide anything from you young master Ron. All I ask is for you to keep my life, don't kill me and I'm forever yours!"
"Eww! That's one of the nastiest lines to say to me, don't you have any shame at all? I'd fucking end you myself if any sort of weird rumors began to circulate about me after what you just said." Aaron was disgusted and kicked Lucas on the hip.
Lucas grunted from pain but felt the weight of mountains drop from his shoulders, finally he could breathe again.
Aaron nodded inwardly once he succeeded in putting a psychological-leash around Lucas's neck, especially once he saw the absolute fear and timidity within the eyes of the gang-leader.
Clearly from his subdued gesture, the spirit of this Lucas was thoroughly vanquished and conquered by Aaron's tyrannical personality.
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"Good. As much as it annoys me to have another lackey following me wherever I go, I can allow you to serve me as long as you don't mess up when given orders." Aaron said before walking away towards his home, he ignored Lucas and everyone else.
'For now I need to keep him in the delusion of me being disinterested in that item, the quest wouldn't vanish until the truth is out anyway.' He thought.
Once the crowd parted for him, Aaron saw Pio struggling to escape Betty's squid-like arms before running towards him with a smug but slightly awkward expression on his face when the amused laughter of the middle-aged woman followed his comical escape.
Aaron acted like he saw nothing despite holding back a smile from surfacing on his mouth, "Go and lead Lucas to old man Sid to receive his treatment and make sure that he knows that I can make him explode with a single thought no matter how far he runs, so he can try and test if it's true or not. It's up to him." Afterwards he continued to walk away while continuing to say : "After tossing him to old Sid, go buy the things on the list and make sure to bring me some food before going back home to get some sleep."
Pio sighed once he was released and quickly went to complete his orders while thinking : 'Finally I'm off to bed soon.'
Peter nodded once he saw Aaron leave without trying to carry favor with him and his sons or showing unnecessary care towards Camila after her case was closed thanks to the help of a Honorable Whispering Sister.
The village Chief wasn't offended when the boy ignored his presence and left after handling his business, on the contrary both Peter and Sen admired the objective thinking of this kid Ron and how he never let his emotions cloud his judgement.
Instead of killing his enemies this Ron recruits them, the first they could understand how Sera's help made it happen but the Lucas's case this village's Chief and both of his sons still couldn't wrap their heads around how this kid clearly managed to subdue the notoriously-infamous Lucas for being wild, sly, and devious!
Sera didn't like how it felt when Ron left without even looking at her, but she's the only one who's aware about the details of the conversation that happened between the kid and the gang-leader earlier.
'I better keep watching that Lucas closely.' She thought.
Camila was excited once Rodd followed the "Weird" orders that she gave him to test how the Seal binding their two Souls actually work, then she ordered for the young man to piggyback her all the way home.
'Go horsie! This is too much fun, way more than I ever expected it to be. You're definitely going to become my new toy, you dare take me by force you... dummy!' She thought while having an evil smile on her face.
Todd shook his head and smiled when his grandson obediently carried the woman of his child and struggled to walk steadily because he never took care of his physique before.
'At least you're alive. It's not bad to live the rest of your life taking care of the mother of your child, little Camila seems like a gentle woman. I better take care of her and my great-grandchild, who would've known that I'd live to see the fourth-generation of my bloodline.' He thought.
Aaron just returned home and rested until his HP and MP bars were full.
Of course he started going over the notifications that he never cared to check until this whole situation is completely over with.
First is the notifications about the increase of two Proficiency Points to the Skill Energy Bolt, that Aaron gained during the action of killing the gang-members and attacking Lucas.
The Flame Orb Skill also gained an increase of one Proficiency Point when he burned the bodies of the gang-members.
But the surprise of it all was the two notifications that appeared when the two men were gruesomely killed.
System : Host gained 30 Exp.
The other notification was the exact same and now his Experience bar is 60% full.
Next Aaron checked the Inventory Space, what he found made him ball his fists from excitement then grimace from pain when his hands retaliated by sending awakening signals as if to scream the words : "We're still your only weakness you moron!"
But he quickly swallowed his pain and smiled widely once he stored a pebble then another then another until he received a notification from the system to warn him that his storage space is currently full and unable to store more ingredients, unless he upgrades the storage capacity by leveling up then Aaron is only allowed five singular Inventory Spaces to store ingredients and each singular storage space is only capable of storing 99 ingredients.
The rest of the singular spaces of his Inventory Space are unable to store ingredients but fully capable to store Equipment like Armor, Weapons, and Accessories. Or Consumables like Recovery Potions, Food, and Cures. The other Consumables would be Teleportation-Scrolls, Summoning-Tools, Magic-Powder, Crafting-Materials,
Still the number of these free singular spaces isn't infinite, all in all Aaron receives 100 of them and each level up he receives and additional free singular space to his Inventory.
Aaron quickly emptied his Inventory from all the pebbles before turning his attention towards the details of the Beginner-Title [Hope in Justice] that he received from the Optional Quest.
Hope in Justice Title-Rank Beginner-Rank Boosts Health Points +50 Mana Points +80 Primary Attribute +3 Secondary Attribute +2 Agility +1
'The reward from that Optional Quest is really generous! Is it because the Completion Rate was 100%?' Aaron thought while checking his stats which already look completely different compared to the time he received this system.
So far it's been a life-changing experience, he just killed two men with his Skills yet Aaron never experienced the so-called experience when a human intentionally takes the life of another human!
Name Aaron Pratt Race [Half-Blood] Age 4-Y/11-m/29-d Class Magician Title Hope in Justice Profession None Level 1 Experience 60/100 Strength 3 Agility 5 Vitality 5 Intelligence 10 Wisdom 7 Health Points 229/229 Mana Points 578/578 Physical Condition Average burn-wounds on both hands, Hyper-Active. Mental Condition Excited, Extremely Focused, Keen, Acute, Intense, Surgically-Operative. Physical Attack 15 Physical Defense [Average]+1% Stamina [Average]+0.5% HP Regeneration-Speed [Average]+1.5% Stamina Regeneration-Speed [Average]+0.2.5% Magical Attack 100 Magical Defense [Average]+2.8% Concentration [Average]+1.4% MP Regeneration-Speed [Average]+4.2% Concentration Regeneration-Speed [Average]+0.7% Movement Speed [Average]+2.5% Attack Speed [Average]+1.5% Reaction Speed [Average]+1% Luck [Average]+0.5%