Hearing the inquiry, Brigan had already prepared to give the information away. If he were too worried about being deceived, his search for the Old Man's teammates would prolong, extending to a case where it would hinder his goal of finding a government stronghold and returning to earth.
After all, each planet ought to have high tech teleporting devices and controlled by the government. It was only a matter of time before Brigan found one.
"The weapon is a loan from an old man's dying request. Since I feel his death was partially my fault, I want to honor his last will." Elber nodded to the answer as he took his thumb out of his mouth.
"I see... No need to explain further, if there is anything you need my help with don't be hesitant to ask. I will try to help in the best way I can." After the reply, Elber's actions once again disturbed Brigan.
Having a serious conversation, regardless of how numerously he saw a grown man insert a thumb into his mouth, he could never get suited to the sight. "Mr. Elber, what is a God Candidate? The Old Man had mumbled something about it, but I couldn't catch it all during his passing."
"God Candidate? You don't know? Well..., it's no secret so anyone can provide you with the knowledge. There are three kinds of God Candidates. There is the God Child, the Blessed Creation, and the False Demi. Every candidate type has different strengths that set them apart from each other." Brigan watched Elber stop his hand from reaching his mouth as he explained further.
"False Demis are born with 0% god genes and said to be the weakest of the three. They are only able to use God Weapons. Blessed Creations are born with 1% to 10% god genes and the second strongest, using multiple Geno Arts or Demi Arts as some calls it now. Last, are God Children. They can use both at half of its potential, but don't be fooled. Even if the art and weapon are ordinary, a God Child can combine them and use God Arts which many acknowledges as superior techniques."
"How many god genes do they possess?" Elber shook his head in helplessness at the question asked. "I'm told that their genes are 50% at birth. But to be honest, that type of number is hard to believe. Just meeting a Blessed Creation with 1% is talked about only in rumors."
With Elber's knowledge, Brigan also understood he was a Blessed Creation. When arriving, he received a Geno Art, and he couldn't draw any power from the Old Man's God Weapon. Still, there was more he wanted to learn. "What are they? Is it something to be proud of?"
"The details aren't crystal clear, but the myth says they are the chosen ones to be the next Ruler of Mortals. It also says that the current ruler left behind numerous God Trials to augment a candidate's god gene ratio. However, these trials are insanely difficult and hard to find. Even if you manage to find one, the trial won't necessarily give out god genes as rewards."
At this point, Elber asked Brigan to wait a moment before placing down two trays of dinner. Of the two plates, Brigan's tray held the bigger portion. "Here eat up while I finish answering your questions. Hmm, where was I? Ah yes, the trials and god genes. The god gene ratio may increase but never has a False Demi became a Blessed Creation, or a Blessed Creation became a God Child. It's determined at birth is my guess."
Gulp! Swallow! "Are there any here in the village?"
"You asked earlier, is there a reason for being proud. In this village, even just being a False Demi could make you the leader. The reason why the village hasn't succumb to monster intrusions is that the village leader is a False Demi with 1% god genes."
"So I can be the leader or vice leader depending on my strength?" Although being a polite and kind man, Elber burst out in fits of laughter that was hard to contain. "Young Brigan is very ambitious. If you can gain a 1% god gene ratio, anyone can become a False Demi. It's just that it's easier said than done."
The two then continued to enjoy their meal as they asked each other many questions. By the time the dinner and discussion were over, the sun had just begun to change the sky's color. "Since its getting early, Young Brigan should rest for the night."
Once mentioned, Brigan felt the exhaustion from days of starvation and worry inundate him. In fact, during the entire time, he had neglected to rest truly. In consensus, Elber directed him to an extra room and withdrew himself.
Throughout the day, Brigan tossed and turned in his slumber. It was something that had been occurring more frequently as of late. He would relive the time right before the incident of his kidnap.
In the dream, he was going about his daily life. There were chats with the few friends he had, school life, and the solitude of fending for himself. The thing solely left to him by his departed parents were the money expenses that would go to his schooling.
With an era all about knowledge, being uneducated was the same as a death sentence. Because of this, the money expenses was also the thing he was most grateful for from his parents.
As he went further in the dream's motion, the day became night, and then the hours almost too late for his school's curfew. Living inside the housing faculties on campus, he made to use an external porter pad that could teleport a short distance of one kilometer to any given residence in range, all for meeting the goal of his curfew.
However, right before he could make it, he was intercepted by a group of twenty boys and two girls. In the middle acting as leader was the younger brother of Drick, Alix Wildspark. Everyone wore the school uniform of white and royal blue.
Standing with his arms around the waist of two girls, Alix gave Brigan a look of contempt. "I don't understand how a failure in life could gain Enha's affections but if you promise to quit the school and never show your face again, I'll let you off the hook."
"Brother Alix sure is generous. If it were me, I'd break both of his legs for trying to steal my girl." One mentioned.
Another sent a few chuckles on the side. "Just that? I would feed this little prick to my dogs. Man, I fill the rush coming just by the thought. Brother Alix, how about we rough him up anyways?"
The entire lot of youths were performing in a depraved demeanor to intimidate Brigan. And sure enough, being the average young man he was, Brigan experienced a dread creep unconsciously.
In his fright, thoughts of causing the most severe damage as possible to his would-be assailants assailed his mind unrelentingly. It was a predicament of 'get them first before they get you' kind of sensation.
With the feeling, he determined if he could hurt some and their leader Alix enough, the rest wouldn't attack. But still, with a thin layer of rationale remaining, he attempted to diffuse the situation.
"I can't leave the school. This learning center is one of the best schools offered in the entire country and my parents wrote in their will to have me attend here."
"That is your problem, not mines! You either do what I told you, or I'll take both of your eyes." The two girls held looked frightened how things were occurring.
Noticing the mood change, Alix reassured his group. "Relax, the Wildspark Family can cover up this incident easily, so don't think I'm bluffing." He said, addressing the last part to Brigan.
"Haha! That's our rich Brother Alix! Let me be the first to get dips!" Growing impatience, one of the school members took a step forward — his intent baring malice.
Consumed in terror, the response Brigan exerted first left the bragging youth entering a coma. Because of the sudden and rapid change in his actions, Alix's entourage was at a loss on how to proceed.
Furthermore, in their flustered state, Brigan incapacitated two more before invading Alix's personal space. The two girls backed away as he then proceeded to blind and beat him until he also visited the lands of dreams.
For the surrounding entourage, the courage of fighting disappeared. Instead, the majority left to call the authorities and the Wildspark Family.
However, since it got discovered of being an attempted lynch and maybe murder cover-up, the charges of assault were dismissed. The Wildspark Family also dropped the issue for image sake, wanting to conceal the news as much as possible.
It might also have been because the youngest son's blindness was curable with the current era's means.
But this dream reality didn't occur.
Instead, after the group ran, Brigan reached the dorm room that he shared with two others. Unlike most dorms, it divided in a way where a large room had four smaller sections, and the rest was the living quarters.
To a dorm room were a chaperone and three students. All rooms would co-exist between genders since it got abolished in the past for gender equality.
Entering, he laid down on his twin size mattress and closed his eyes. The moment he did, he heard sounds outside the room but couldn't move or wake.
"Where is he Enha?!! If you hide him from me, you will join him."
"Stop Drick! Ah! You're hurting me!" Struggling more, he tried waking up. He knew what was about to happen next. And yet, his body stayed still.
"I DON'T CARE!!! Here, take the money to shut your mouth. In the future, you better leave the school. Cheap goods like you aren't good enough for my little brother."
With that last exchange, the conversation quieted. Seconds later, Brigan's door was kick opened, and then he was tied with a bag covering his head.
Unexpectedly with a start, his body came alive in the dream. But his body restrains, and the bag fastened around his neck grew tighter than before.
"DIE FAILURE!!!"