Chapter 10: Hidden BOSS?
Suspicious.
Definitely suspicious!
The world is too quiet...how come nothing’s happening at all!
Has the world leaders already been silenced? Replaced with clones!?
No no no, if that was the case, then it would be easy for them to catch me. Yet how come nothing’s happening!?
It was as if nothing happened at all!
!? Nothing...happened…? N-no way...it can’t be...have I fallen in an illusion!? Maybe this is all a dream and in truth, I had already been kidnapped and stored in some kind of capsule!
Everything I may be seeing right now is just an illusion! Or a virtual reality programmed to make me think this is all real!
Gh, I didn’t expect for the dark forces to be this advanced already!
This isn’t good, I need to find a way to wake up!
However, it might also be true that this is the real world...but why is everything so...normal?
…………..!!!???
M-maybe...everyone has already been replaced with clones!? Or aliens with shapeshifting ability!? Or robots!!!
Tch, the dark forces had really hid themselves too deep! Unknowingly, they had already taken over the world!
“...Say, Lucas. Just what the hell are you thinking? You look like it’s already the end of the world.”
Turning my head over, I saw El lazily lying on the couch wearing a loose casual shirt and hot pants, revealing her slender long legs.
Whenever she turns, I would see the two peaks on her chest sway on the gaps of her shirt.
I was already used to such sights so I wasn’t tempted too much...though I would still swallow a mouthful of saliva to restrain myself.
Right now, we’re inside the [World Home] so El was pretty lazy and slack, not minding anyone seeing her appearance. Moreover, the lack of anything to do made her pretty bored.
“Isn’t it suspicious? I made such a huge announcement yet nothing’s happening! I already even reached Peak Martial Emperor and the [Water of Origin] pool is already nearly depleted. A month has passed yet nothing’s happening!”
It’s true, the pool in [Water of Origin] pool is already nearly gone after I reached the peak of Martial Emperor stage.
At first, I thought such a large pool can make me reach the True God realm El talked about before. Yet the reality was that the amount of qi needed to reach my current stage is enormous! 100 000 000 000!!!
The peak Martial Emperor stage is already the highest in the Immortal Realm, and next to that would be the False God Realm. As for the stages in that realm...it’s just Low, Middle, High, and Peak False God.
Since to cross the Immortal Realm needed me to form my qi into a liquid state, I figured that this time, all I need to do is turn it into a solid state like a qi core or something. However, El told me that the way to cross the False God Realm is to not cultivate qi…
No matter how I asked her to just tell me the way, she wouldn’t budge at all, saying I need to understand it myself for it to work. As a result, I’m still stuck at my level.
Though, I think she’s just too lazy to explain...
“Geez, you worry too much. They were all probably intimidated right? Never would they expect that you would announce such a thing so openly so they would think that you had some kind of plan. After all, they know that you can cross different worlds. Who knows what kind of trump cards are you hiding? Also, if they force you into a corner too much, then you can just flee to a completely unknown world to them, never to return, and they would no longer get their hands on the [World Key]. Therefore, they’re all laying low, looking for a better chance to arrive.”
“...” I was shocked at hearing her explanation and couldn’t help but blankly look at the lazy girl in front of me.
Sensing my gaze, El looked at me in wonder. “...What?”
“...You...thought of all that? Really? Mei didn’t tell you all that?”
“Hey! This queen is a genius! Little Mei didn’t tell me anything!” Like a cat whose tail was stepped on, the lady queen sat up and glared at me.
I already knew that she’s a genius but that didn’t stop me from making fun of her.
“If you say so.”
“Y-you! Hmph!”
“Haha, master, even though she looks like this, you shouldn’t underestimate miss Elena’s genius mind. Oh, the food is ready.” Laughing, Mei walked over to us and placed some food on the coffee table
“Little Mei! What do you mean ‘even though I look like this’!?”
“What else? Dressed like that, you might as well walk around naked.” While drinking some water, I glanced at her body from head to toe as I said this.
Seeing me look at her body like that, El hurriedly covered her chest and with a red face, she shouted. “L-Lucas you pervert! You want to see this queen naked that much!?”
“Hey, I’m not the one dressed so loosely.”
“Miss Elena, you need to dress up properly. You might catch a cold.” Mei advised with a smiling and worried face.
“Hmph! You two are simply bullying this queen!” El pouted and decided to just ignore us by focusing on eating.
Seeing this, I chuckled and no longer teased her.
A month spending time with her and my resolve back then had already changed me greatly. It was to the point that even I was aware of it.
I was no longer that shy boy who’s afraid to even look at beautiful girls and would stutter at every sentence.
Thinking about this now. It was suffice to say that the [World Key] had changed my life. Only, whether it was for the better or worse, I still have no idea.
Well, since my luck’s bad, there’s a high chance it’s for the worst...
However...it’s really boring nowadays…hmm? Is this my bad luck at work? Or my good luck?
Even El had been affected and look at her now, so lazy to move out of her couch. These days, she would always occupy that couch as if her life is connected to it and wouldn’t let me or Mei sit on it.
She would spend her days watching anime or movies and eventually, became a shut-in...this reminded me of a certain anime where an angel descended to the human world but upon discovering net games, she became a fallen angel hikikomori. I had her watch that but she just laughed all throughout the episodes and didn’t bother changing herself...
Not that I don’t like seeing her laugh...un, especially when her breast jiggle from laughing. It was the best!
*Cough* On to the matter at hand. I don’t think anything’s going to happen at this rate so I might as well go back to Harus and start my adventure.
Though I already reached the Peak Martial Emperor, I still feel that I’m weak. Maybe it’s because I have the status window and seeing the vast difference of my mana, stamina, and spirit energy to my qi, it makes me feel that I’m still lacking a lot.
Or that I have high qi and didn’t know what to do with it. It’s like winning a lottery all of a sudden and didn’t know where to spend it...
I feel uneasy and unsettled so I should just raise my stats up by levelling up.
Still, I would only spend my stat points to increase LUK. Because from how I see it, that’s the one stat that I cannot change through other means.
You see, push ups can increase STR. running a lot can increase SPD, reading increases INT, precision activities increases DEX, and practicing a healthy lifestyle increases VIT.
But I can’t think of any way to increase LUK at all. Should I gamble a lot? Roll a lot of dice? I have no idea. Hence, the stat points from levelling up all go to LUK. Anyway, my overall stats increases for every level I have so it wouldn’t matter much for now.
My stats are all in the 100s already while I’m still a Level 9. Frankly, I have no idea if that’s normal or not. Now that I think about it, I haven’t really interacted much to other players until now…
Well then, I guess I really should do that adventure.
...I feel like I’m forgetting something though?
…...Whatever, if I can forget it, then it shouldn’t be anything too important.
+ + +
Back in [Earth], Rimmer household.
Arlo Rimmer’s face has been twitching a lot for the past month.
At some times, he will be smiling, then his face would twitch, sigh, and become depressed.
Sometimes, he could be seen pacing a lot, seemingly muttering something.
Whenever his men would say that he has a guest, he would be excited and rush to the gates, but after seeing the guest, his mood would reach rock bottom immediately.
Inside his office room, Arlo finally gave up and called a number in his phone.
The phone connected.
[[Oh, hello. Who is this?]] A familiar voice sounded from the other side of the phone.
“...Mr. Lucas. It’s me, Arlo Rimmer.”
[[Eh?...Ah! Right! My money! I actually forgot about it! Hehe, do you still have it?]]
On the other side, Lucas smacked his forehead with his palm as he suddenly remembered about the Rimmer Corp incident a month ago.
Arlo’s face twitched again.
Sure enough, he was forgotten!
At the moment, he had an urge to slam the phone and hung up but he resisted.
“I still have it...”
[[Good, good. Hold on, I’ll go there now.]]
“Wa-”
*Toot* *toot*
Arlo’s voice was cut with the phone’s tone ending.
His face twitched again and his hand was now even shaking!
In the end, he sighed and slumped back to his chair.
Unbelievable, to think that his mind was exhausted like that after a few words!?
Arlo sighed again and started thinking that he’s getting old for this…
A month ago, after hearing those words left by that vigilante Mr. Knight, he had already suspected that that man was actually the boy he met before. Lucas Lauwers!
Since then, he has been waiting for him to come visit him to get his money so he can talk business with him and offer him a few things.
Yet he hasn’t come for the past month at all!
He thought he had an accident but from the news, it could be seen that Mr. Knight has been appearing from time to time to stop a few crimes so it can’t be that he was dead.
After some time, he figured that there was a chance he was forgotten and finally mustered the courage to call him.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
His mysterious powers fascinated him but also made him very wary against him which was why he hadn’t initiated the call yet.
He can only blame his mouth by telling his daughter that he knew who Mr. Knight was and that he will come visit soon.
A month passed and with his daughter’s constant pressuring, he gave up and called Lucas.
“...But what if I’m wrong? No no, it’s impossible. I already saw that instant movement move he always do right in front of my eyes. If it’s not him, then who can it be?”
Arlo muttered to himself in order to calm and convince himself.
After about two hours, a guard knocked into his office informing him that a Lucas Lauwers has arrived.
“Finally here... call him in...No, actually, I’ll go myself.” He wondered for a bit if he should have him come to his office or would it be impolite? Finally, he decided that he should come greet him first since he was the one who called for him in the first place.
The guard was shocked and didn’t think that the boss would take the initiative to meet the young man but quickly adjusted his expression and bowed slightly. In his mind, he’s wondering what was the young man’s background.
+ + +
Stephanie was in her room, quietly watching out of the window as if reminiscing on something.
Ever since she was saved by that man wearing a knight’s helm, she could be seen sighing a lot while looking into the distance.
Seeing her like this, her mother can only sigh as well and didn’t know what to do.
“Stephie, you will only hurt yourself if you keep thinking about that person.”
Lora went over to her side and patted her back.
“I-I’m not thinking about anyone!”
“Sigh. Look at you. It’s already obvious who you are thinking. Yet you’re still denying it.”
Unable to think of what to do with her love-struck daughter, she looked out of the window in time to see a person approach their gate and talk to the guard outside. She didn’t see his face clearly as there was a tree between him and her vision but she knows that he was a young man from the way he walked and stood. After all, she had seen and met plenty of people in her life and was able to know that much in a glance. Her woman’s intuition also came at play.
At first, she didn’t think much of it. That man could be just asking directions or was handing a letter to someone of their staff.
However, soon, he was asked to come inside their house so her way of thinking was that he was a relative of their staff or something and had wanted to meet someone.
Though it doesn’t have anything to do with her, her eyes lit up and saw an opportunity.
“Stephie, take a look at that man. He’s around your age, why don’t you go talk to him.”
“But mother...”
“No buts. You’ve shut yourself in long enough and you’re even skipping classes! Go talk to him. Who knows, maybe he’s the one for you. Go go!”
Lora laughed and pushed her daughter out of the room.
Stephanie pouted but didn’t argue any further since she knew it would be useless.
Besides, she also know that loving that knight man is only one sided and would never bore fruit. Though her father told her that he knew him, she knows that he was just cheering her up and didn’t expect much from it.
She asked around where that man went and was surprised to know that he’s currently waiting in the guest room and that he was her father’s guest.
Her interest was piqued and was wondering who that man was. Her mother said that he seemed to be around her age. How could he be her father’s guest?
She opened the door a bit and peeked in but as soon as she saw him, a voice rang out from behind her and startled her.
“Stephie? What are you doing?”
“Hya-!?”
Hearing her father’s voice, Stephie panicked, tripped, and fell.
“S-Stephie!? Are you ok?”
Arlo hurriedly pulled her up and asked worriedly.
Then, Lucas approached them and also lent a hand.
“You alright?”
“Eh?”
Stephanie felt that she had an exchange like this before and remembered the time Mr. Knight had come and saved her.
That time, he spoke the same words, and she let out the same confused sounds.
She looked up at this man who had lent her a hand and felt his image overlap with the image of Mr. Knight.
For a while she looked at the man in a daze.
“Stephie? What happened?”
After a while, Lora had also came rushing in.
She was actually secretly following Stephanie to make sure she meet the young man and was also worried. She didn’t think that she would clumsily fall like that.
But as she neared, she saw the dazed expression her daughter had when he looked at the young man.
At this time, she had also finally gotten a good look at the young man. It turned out to be that boy from a month ago! Lucas!
After realizing this, she blinked her eyes for a bit, looked back to her daughter who was looking at Lucas in a daze, then back to Lucas who was looking at Stephanie confused, then looked at her husband who was helping Stephanie up and as if solving a puzzle, all the pieces locked into each other in her mind.
This boy...can’t be that Mr. Knight...right?
She had also remembered the amazing ability he displayed before and was even more convinced.
Her eyes lit up and started to look at Lucas as if a predator was looking at its prey!
+ + +
“Umm...is something wrong?”
Confused why this girl is staring at my face, I asked and also touched my face to make sure there wasn’t anything weird attached.
Who knows if that lazy queen had drawn in my face or stuck something?
“N-nothing...”
The girl’s face went red and looked down shyly.
...Eh? Is she holding back her laughter?
It can’t be...there was really something on my face!?
I looked around the room and saw a mirror so I headed there and made sure my face was normal.
Un, I properly applied the illusion to make my hair and eyes black. Nothing weird is drawn or stuck as well.
Nothing seems to be wrong…
“*Cough* Mr. Lucas. Shall we talk in my office?”
Watching the weird scene unfold in front of him, Arlo coughed and went to business mode.
“Ah, yes.”
I turned around from the mirror but still repeatedly looked back to make sure there’s nothing wrong and even checked if there’s something on my back.
Un, all good I guess?
I can see Arlo’s face twitching. Somehow, why do I feel like he’s really experience in face twitching? He looks like he has done it a lot…
Oh, his face twitched again. Maybe it’s a mannerism?
Following Arlo to his office. I sat down on the couch without waiting for him to say anything.
Arlo’s face twitched...ah, maybe I should’ve asked first?
Thinking of this, I stood up and asked.
“Can I seat?”
“...Yes...” His face twitched again. He really does that a lot huh?
“So, about the money.”
“I have it here with me. But if you’re still thinking of investing in our company, then if you invest these 10 million php, I can directly have you enter the board.”
Arlo’s face stopped twitching and spoke in a business like manner.
“Eh? Is that enough?”
“Not really. But considering you had saved my daughter, I can make an exception and allow you to have 3% of the shares.”
Ehhh...isn’t that too little?
Arlo seemed to see the disappointment in my face and his face twitched again.
“3% isn’t little for someone who hasn’t contributed at all to the business. If you had a project and earned a lot of profit, then I could increase your amount of shares.”
“Oh, let’s do that then. In a few days, I will show you my project.”
“...You have an idea for business?”
“Yep, Rimmer Corp is focused on energy drinks right? I can produce an energy drink that would fill the customer with energy and strength!...I think. Well, I still need to try it. That was also the reason why I chose your company in the first place.”
“I see. So you already have this idea before...then, if you can write up a project proposal, present it to the board and got accepted, we will fund your project and provide manpower until it is completed.”
Arlo’s face relaxed as he found out the reason why I chose his company. Seems like he was dubious at first huh?
Well, it can’t be helped. There seem to be someone who is going against them judging from the previous kidnapping incident.
“No need for that. I can do the project on my own. When it’s done, I will present it to you.”
After all, I’ll be using ingredients from [Harus] so other people can’t know about it until I find a way to explain stuff.
I still don’t know what ingredients I need but searching for energy enhancing ingredients shouldn’t be too hard.
After that, I can just mix it to their previous product and say I simply enhanced it or something.
The problem is providing the ingredients...I can’t be transporting them all the time…
“...Alright. Then I’ll wait for your good news.”
“Ou.”
“...By the way. Are you seriously going to keep my guns?”
“...Fine, here. You can have them back.”
Anyway, I don’t have additional bullets and I could just buy magical guns in [Harus] instead of using these things.
Seeing me take out the guns out of nowhere, Arlo’s eyes went wide and looked at me weirdly.
“...What? I’m telling you, I don’t swing that way.”
“...”
+ + +
After Lucas and Arlo went into the office, Stephanie and Lora was left alone in the guest room.
For a while, they both stayed silent, each thinking of different things.
“So, what do you think of that guy?”
“Fue? Eh? Ah...he-he’s okay...”
Suddenly being questioned by her mother, Stephanie stuttered and looked away in embarrassment.
Lora smiled and giggled.
“Do you think...he’s your Mr. Knight?”
“E-eh!? H-how did you know!?”
“Foolish girl, it’s written all over your face.”
Stephanie hurriedly looked at the mirror to check her face.
“Haha, well, he didn’t seem to notice it though. So you have to fight hard! Conquer him!”
“F-fight!? C-c-c-conquer!!?? Mom! What are you saying!!!???”
Stephanie’s face went bright red again and pouted at her mother.
However, the words ‘fight’ and ‘conquer’ was stuck in her head and didn’t know what to do with it.
“Haha, if you don’t conquer him fast, some other girl might take him away first! Who knows, maybe that girl will be some princess or a goddess! I can feel that he has a lot of potential. Soon, you’ll find that you have a lot of competition!”
“I-I...Mou! I don’t know anymore!!!”
Stephanie’s mind became dizzy and ran back to her room to bury herself in the bed to calm herself down.
Looking at her daughter’s fleeing back, Lora sighed and looked towards Arlo’s office.
A strange light lit in her eyes.
“Lucas hm? He seems a bit dense...it’s better to take the battle to his parents. Fufufufu.”
Back in the office, Lucas’ spine shivered as he felt an intense foreboding.
He looked around and wondered where the feeling came from before tilting his head in confusion.
“Weird...how come I feel like I’ll be facing the Final BOSS immediately? No, since I don’t know where it is coming from, then it’s more of a Hidden BOSS? As I thought...I really have bad luck...”
----------------------------------------
Status
Name
Lucas
Level
9
Race
Human - Dragon
Gender
Male
Class
Wanderer
5
Stamina
7075
Mana
7125
Qi
100000000000
Spirit
1840
Cultivation
Peak Martial Emperor
STR
107
INT
105
SPD
106
DEX
104
VIT
103
LUK
96
Fire
50
Light
216
Water
229
Holy
14
Space
15
Fame
-27000
Rage
0
Sealed
Elena Shenxue
Skills
Concoct
1.04%
Dragon’s Wrath
10.18%
Elemental Manipulation
Passive
Star Convergence
Passive
Spirit Formation
1.27%
Implosion Palm
3.25%
World Eyes
Passive
Smith
32.54%
Blink
3.28%
Stealth
2.56%
Heal
6.34%