Chương 52: Affinities?

Chime The level-up hits quickly, making my muscles coil and tighten. This time, I get to enjoy the sensation, closing my eyes for the brief few seconds it lasts.

"Ooh yeah."

"I'll never get tired of that," I say, stretching with renewed strength. [You have slain (II) Hobgoblin Baron lv. 24] [Partial experience granted x2] [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 24) > (lv. 25)] [Class skill selection available] [(II) High Human(lv. 9) > (lv. 10)] [High Human's Musculature(lv. 0) > (lv. 1)] That was a lot less exciting than I thought it would be. I stand casually over the dead body of the baron. Right then, I really wished I had seen my inclination for rogue or assassin.

A feeling tells me it was really high. A small part of me feels a bit bad for ambushing it and not letting it have a real fight. But there's no reason to risk injury. Especially when I'm on a timer. [4. 34 cycles until next phase] I stand with a sigh and dust my hands off. On one side of the room, a single chest stands that reaches up to my stomach. All signs of wood are missing, replaced by a silvery metal that screams wealth. I pull the latch up and toss it open.

[You have discovered a reward] [Accept(144) / Bank / Consolidate] Every chest counts as one, so I'll just have to trust the system when it says that rewards increase the farther I go into the cavern. There's no other reason the system would make a chest out of pure silver other than to display its value. On the other side of the room, the second reward waits for me. Carefully hewn and carved, a bed frame holds a supple mattress. Oh yeah, you're coming with me. Smiling, I lift the bed up awkwardly with one hand.

It takes some positioning, but I'm eventually able to fit the entire thing through the doorway. Another leap takes me over the wall, almost dropping the bed on landing. Massive strength is amazing, but it's hard to balance the bed like a pizza box on one hand. Especially while sprinting. Thankfully, my class skills help me pilot my body well, preventing any mishaps. The farther I push into the cavern, the longer the run back to base becomes. Might have to shift bases soon.

Hobgoblins seem to mostly stay in the encampments. The only situation I've seen them try to exit is when I directly threatened them. It should be mostly safe even if Brax comes with me. The rest of the run is uneventful, as usual. Eventually, I slow to a stop and step to the door. With both hands full, I lift my foot and awkwardly fiddle with the handle on the door. It takes a few tries, but a smile grows on my face when I'm able to pull it open. When it's open, I pull the other open to fit the bed through.

"Honey! I'm home!"

"GAH! Can you not do that?!" Brax puts down the staff and stands up in annoyance. His eyes go wide as he watches me walk in with a bed over my head and a battleaxe meant for someone a head taller than me. The reaction makes me chuckle as I step in and lower the bed onto the ground where my old mattress is. Setting my axe against the wall next to it makes the whole place feel a little more like home. Dang, I should've put a giant battle axe in my room at home. Would've spruced the place up a bit.

"Why do you call me honey? Is that some cultural thing?" I turn to see Brax with arms crossed and a slight frown.

"Nah, I'm just messing with you," I say casually while shrugging.

"You! I knew it!" He points at me with indignation. The reaction makes me bark with laughter.

"It's just a joke," I say with joy. My mood must be infecting him, because his frown fades. I go to clap him on the shoulder, but he smoothly leans backward to avoid my hand. My eyebrow raises at the motion.

"Could you uh… wash your hands before doing that?" He looks with slight disgust at me. My eye scans my body, seeing splatters of blood from head to toe. The toe part, literally. Having to ditch shoes caused a buildup of… something between them. Mostly blood, but there's something solid in there as well. Now that it's been brought to my attention, I can't get it out of my mind. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. My face copies Brax's.

"Ugh. Yeah, you have a point." I make my way to the fountain and sit, placing all four limbs in at the same time. Losing my gauntlets due to physical changes was sad enough, but losing shoes because of the same reason is just as bad. Brax walks up to my side while I scrub.

"Soooo… strength must be your highest stat, right? I saw you lifting the bed pretty effortlessly." A bit of nervousness is written on his face.

"Isn't it rude to ask things like that?" I ask with a grin.

"Shut up. You've only had the system for a few cycles. You don't know what rude is." The brashness of his words surprises me. I turn, and his face tells me he's worried he might have pushed too far.

"Hah! I guess you're right." Relief floods his face at my reaction. Huh, I didn't know perception was this good for reading expressions. But, should I tell him about my stats? Speaking of, what are my stats? [Vitality: 73 > 77] [Strength: 58 > 75] [Agility: 55 > 63] [Endurance: 87 > 94] [Fortitude: 68 > 74] [Intelligence: 30] [Wisdom: 57 > 59] [Perception: 63 > 71] I sputter at the numbers.

It took me so long to build up stats at tier one, but an epic tier two class and a legendary tier two species pack a massive punch. A few seconds go by as I think over the numbers. Yeah, I think I can trust him.

"Right now? My strength is at seventy-five." I peek to the side, watching his reaction. He crosses his arms again, with an expression that says he doesn't believe me.

"Are you lying again?"

"No," I say with conviction.

"You seem pretty nice, so I've decided to trust you a bit." His eyes go wide.

"Your strength really is at seventy-five!?" He says in disbelief. Shit, maybe I should've lied just a little bit.

"You idiot! You can't put all of your points into one stat!"

"Huh?" Confusion slips onto my face.

"If your strength is too high above fortitude, it'll rip your body apart! And if your endurance is too low, you'll get tired getting out of bed!" I go to speak, but he interrupts me.

"Crap, this is why you had that seizure, isn't it?" Concern grows on his face.

"I know you just got the system, but you have to think these things through, Kevin!" Ah, he thinks I have a normal class and stats. I sit quietly with all limbs under the fountain as Brax talks to me like a parent who just saw their kid kick another kid's sandcastle at the park. How do I get out of this one?

"Don't worry, I have skills that help. And my other stats aren't too low." I say sheepishly.

"Skills, plural?" He asks with suspicion.

"Weren't your other skills about healing and status blocking?" Well, shit. Not sure what to say now. After a little more scolding, I make a decision.

"Alright," I interrupt. He stops, noticing my tone.

"I have been lying to you about a lot." A few seconds pass as I debate telling him the entire truth.

"And I-""That's enough." His expression is serious.

"That title, Cosmic novelty. Do you actually have it?" I go back to my status and review the title. [Cosmic Novelty] [Awarded to users who have attracted the attention of 10 apotheosized individuals simultaneously at tier 3 or below.] [Grants slight resistance to presence suppression]"Uh, yeah?"

"Then don't tell me. If it's amazing enough to attract the attention of the gods, then it's best to keep it to yourself." Again, he brings things to the gods. Like last time, he treats them as if they shouldn't be touched with a ten-foot pole. He's lived in the system his entire life, so I probably shouldn't dismiss his attitude.

"Okay", I nod slowly. He nods quickly in return.

"Good. I'll refrain from asking about your status anymore. I don't know what you're hiding, but the better it is, the less you want 'them' to know."

"Got it." Both of us bathe in the tension for a moment before Brax lets out a sigh.

"Sorry for being stern. Just don't want you to suffer at their hands." Dang, this guy really hates gods.

"Don't worry about it. It sounds like something I needed to hear. Anyways, is seventy-five strength really that good? You moved the rock covering the doorway." I point at the doorway that leads into the darkness that stands between here and the free roam area.

"Hah! You think I lifted that thing?" He says with a smile.

"Based on your expression, I'm guessing not." He adopts a smug expression, and I know whatever he says next will make him sound extremely punchable.

"Kevin, I'm an engraver. I just tore that baby apart."

"Tore it apart?" I ask in confusion.

"Yup! My highest affinity is earth for a reason."

"Wow", I sit back in awe. That genuinely surprises me. Brax's face lights up in realization.

"Wait, you've only entered the tutorial a little while ago. You don't know your affinities, do you?"

"Affinities?" He turns and jogs to his satchel, digging around inside.

"Ah, here it is." He runs back, holding the largest rock I've seen from his pack. Instead of a single carving, there are a multitude of smaller ones dotted around, not connected at all.

"Honestly, I don't know why I grabbed this thing when I left. It's useless utility-wise."

"And what is that 'thing'?" I ask with concern.

"Oh", He waves off my concern.

"It's just a bunch of half-done formations that twist back in on themselves. Each of them is a spell from a different affinity. They don't have any active components, but it'll tell me how attuned you are to certain affinities."

"Affinites, like elements?" I ask with growing excitement. He nods.

"Yes, the four basic elements are among them." He begins to hold the rock up to me, but pulls it back slightly.

"Wait, the secrets in your status aren't related to affinities, are they?"

"No."

"Good, hold out your hands." Sheesh, he doesn't hold back when he goes into teacher mode. I hold my hands out, and he positions them, placing my fingers on different carvings along the surface. When he's done, there's a single spot on top with no carvings, where he places his hand. He closes his eyes before speaking.

"Alright, now push your mana evenly into all of the formations. Once they fill up, don't push any more into them. Keep in mind that this is made for those who just received access to the system. if you push too much, the whole thing might shatter in your hands." He pauses for a moment.

"Or explode." The words make me hesitant.

"Explode?" He opens his eyes only to roll them.

"Relax, just don't force too much. It'll be fine." He closes his eyes without another word, waiting. With a sigh, I do the same. It's been a little while since I healed, so I'm running on more than half a tank. It's an art, controlling mana. It must never remain stagnant. That is something I learned the hard way. Wisps of mana flow from my finger, leaving the central flow circling my entire body. I push the mana out wherever there is a texture different from normal rock. It's difficult. This is true multitasking.

Controlling mana in three or four different places is the best I can do, even when forcing my mind to its limits. The corners of my lips pull upward. One Mind/Two Bodies My mind compounds, then splits to assist with the process.

"Kevin, control your mana well," I say under my breath.