Chereads / C.V.I / Chapter 3 - Thorny path

Chapter 3 - Thorny path

[Status window]

Kayden, LVL - 2 | Exp - 30/100

Health - 92/160

Race: Human

Stats

Strength - 3

Agility - 1

Intelligence - 3

Constitution - 3

Available points - 0

Skills

N/A

"Look's like it still has fight in it," Kayden said while grimacing in pain.

The Saxceler chuckled, taunting Kayden with hand gestures, waving at Kayden to try punching the Saxceler again. Kayden's right hand was unusable at the moment, and he could barely think through the extreme pain coursing throughout his body; Kayden was struggling even to stand straight as the Saxceler kept taunting Kayden.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Kayden thought while desperately fighting his fear. "If I run now, the demon will catch up to me, especially in my weak state."

Kayden desperately tried to rack his brain for ideas to survive when the Saxceler approached Kayden, cackling like a madman with a huge grin. "Hummmmannn diiie nowww!" the Saxceler said as it pounced at Kayden.

Kayden tried to avoid the Saxceler, but he couldn't prevent it in time after the beating he got from the Saxceler.

The Saxceler tackled Kayden to the ground and started beating on him, ensuring Kayden couldn't escape his grasp. Struggling to escape his grasp, Kayden thrashed around but to no avail, wasting his energy as the Saxceler pinned him down.

[-8 HP!]

[-14 HP!]

[-12 HP!]

[-17 HP!]

A warning sign promptly showed up every time the Saxceler got a hit off him as if to tell him that his time on earth was approaching an end. Kayden was on the verge of passing out, and the only thing he could hear was the crunch of the Saxceler's fists connecting with Kayden's face; Kayden had long stopped struggling.

"I think...I think this will be fine; once I die, I won't have to worry about any more of this; I can be free..." Kayden thought while accepting his fate.

[100 EXP OBTAINED, LEVEL UP! DUE TO ASSISTANCE FROM A THIRD PARTY, YOU WILL NOT EARN THE EXTRA 25 EXP]

"W-what happened? I wasn't even paying attention anymore; who...did that?" The beating stopped, and blood was rushing down his forehead and was in his eyes, so Kayden could barely see; however, he saw the slumped body of the Saxceler beside him; the Saxceler was decapitated. The once imposing threat was now a lifeless body with no head.

"Was this the boy you were talking about, Sylvia?" Kayden could hear a sharp voice that demanded respect, but at the same time, it had a particular kindness.

"Yes! Please help him!" A familiar voice shouted in response; Sylvia was always saving Kayden.

Kayden heard the stranger walk up to Kayden, murmuring something and reaching out to Kayden; at that moment, the adrenaline wore off, and Kayden started passing out. Before Kayden could do anything more, the stranger lifted Kayden; Kayden, with his blurred vision, saw a silhouette of a man, then he blacked out.

***

"Come on, Galsour, you know we can't take people in all willy-nilly just because theirs a kid with them!"

"Are you losing your morals and humanity already, Terrence? They'll be nothing worth fighting for if we become monsters too."

"Fine! But if you get betrayed by them, don't say I didn't tell you so!"

Heavy footsteps followed right after the argument; you could practically hear the frustration coming from the footsteps, followed by a loud slam from a door. Kayden's vision was blurry, and he was still disoriented; the pain subsided a decent amount, but Kayden could tell he was still in no condition to walk around freely.

Kayden turned his head slightly; he saw a silhouette looking at him. The figure noticed this and spoke to Kayden, "You are awake? You recover pretty fast, kid." The voice was undeniably the one who saved him when he was about to die from the Saxceler.

Kayden tried to croak a response, but all that came out was a gurgled response. "Don't strain yourself; you took quite the beating with that repulsive beast." The voice was demanding but kind simultaneously, making him seem like someone you could rely on and depend on, even if Kayden knew nothing about him. Kayden squinted, slowly adjusting his eyes to the new environment; he could see the silhouette clearly after a few moments of squinting. What Kayden saw in front of him was a man who looked to be in his forties; he had long gray hair wrapped into a ponytail and bangs covering his forehead; he had green eyes and a stone-cold expression. His physique was not to be underestimated; he was pretty tall, and Kayden could tell the man was muscular due to his muscles popping out of his shirt.

"Status," Kayden said in his head.

[Status window]

Kayden, LVL - 3 | Exp - 30/200

Health - 70/160

Mana - 75/75

Race: Human

Stats

Strength - 3

Agility - 1

Intelligence - 3

Constitution - 3

Available points - 3

Skills

Stone guard - Reinforce your body with stone, you can condense the stone into one point of the body for a stronger body reinforcement, or you can spread it across your body; the more you spread it out, the less effective the guard will be. It takes no mana to produce the stone that reinforces your body, but the moment you get hit in the part you supported with stone, your mana decreases; mana decreases more for more powerful attacks and vice versa.

[NOTE; DUE TO BEING THE MAIN CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE SAXCELER, YOU HAVE EARNED THE SKILL "Stone guard" AND HAVE UNLOCKED MANA DUE TO UNLOCKING THE SKILL.]

"Looks like I finally learned a skill; my health was definitely worse when the Saxceler attacked me; how come I have so much health after my beating?" Kayden thought.

[That is because you heal quickly as a candidate; just as your potential is significantly accelerated, your body heals fast. Unfortunately, if you lose a limb, you won't be able to regrow it unless you unlock a skill specifically for limb regrowth.]

"Where were you this whole time? I was getting my face caved in by a cyclops-looking fucker!" Kayden said to the system angrily.

[What was I supposed to do? I can't even do anything besides give you supportive words, and I'm sure if I said, "Keep going, you got this!" you would have cursed me out and said I was useless.]

Kayden only scoffed in response because he knew the system was correct. Kayden then diverted his attention back to the older man, who was absent-mindedly caressing a coin in his hand. Kayden attempted to lift his arm to signal the man; with great effort, he raised his arm above his body.

The older man noticed this and walked up to Kayden, standing over him and cracking a slight smile; the older man spoke softly to Kayden.

"Are you alright? What do you need; Water? Food?"

Kayden was taken aback for a moment by the man's hospitality; Kayden quickly recovered and managed to croak a response.

"W....water."

The older man rummaged around his pockets momentarily and pulled out a water bottle as if he had been waiting a while to use it; he quickly opened the water bottle and helped Kayden pour water into his mouth.

Kayden instantly felt better, and after gaining his bearings, he started talking to the man.

"How long was I out for?" Kayden asked sorrowly.

"It's been about a day and a half since you have been out." The man replied with a smile on his face.

Kayden nearly died again after hearing how long he had been out. Not only did he lose out on almost two days of progression, but he had also been sleeping that long in a stranger's place; Kayden wondered if they did anything weird to him at that time.

Almost as if the older man was reading his mind, he said, "Don't worry; we didn't do anything to you or the child you were accompanying; in fact, she has been getting along with most people here."

Kayden thought to himself, "Oh right, I forgot about that kid; maybe I'll get sympathy points if I pretend I'm going out of my way to help the kid."

Kayden took this time to look around the room; it was a small room that looked about ten feet wide and long, and the only furniture present was a small couch, a table stand in front of the couch, and the bed Kayden was lying on.

"What is your name?" Kayden asked.

The man hesitated momentarily, then responded, "My name is Galsour; I and others are occupying this apartment complex right now, and I'm the leader here.

"Appraise," Kayden said to himself.

[APPRAISING.....APPRAISAL COMPLETE]

Galsour, LVL - 17

Race - Human

[NO MORE INFO AVAILABLE]

Galsour's high level took Kayden aback. This is the second-highest level he has seen. "Hey.....Galsour, was it? Where's the kid- I mean Sylvia at?" Kayden inquired.

"She's just in the other room; she's been worried about you this whole time. Shall I fetch her?" Galsour asked.

Kayden nodded in approval, and Galsour quickly walked out to get Sylvia.

"System thing, anything new with the gods?" Kayden asked.

[Nothing has been reported to me; they are still waiting for your growth. At the very least, you leveled up once in nearly two days. Although that's nothing to celebrate, it's still something.]

"If you were my employer, I'd report you for harassment," Kayden said bitterly.

[Anyway! How about you allocate your stat points right now? Nothing better than the present!]

Kayden responded, "Fine then, status."

[Status window]

Kayden, LVL - 3 | Exp - 30/200

Health - 71/160

Mana - 75/75

Race: Human

Stats

Strength - 3

Agility - 1

Intelligence - 3

Constitution - 3

Available points - 3

"Hmm, what do these stats do for me, system?" Kayden asked.

[Strength makes your entire body stronger; you can punch, kick, and even headbutt with more power every time you put points into strength; you can also lift heavier things with more strength. Agility helps you improve your speed and reaction speed, as well as improve stamina. Intelligence gives you more mana, and you also learn things easier. Constitution improves your health and strengthens your body; you can get hit more without being hurt as much.]

"I want to avoid making the stats too balanced since if I get into a tough fight, I'm sure being completely balanced and most likely weak compared to my opponent for certain stats will work against me," Kayden said.

Kayden contemplated his options for a moment; they all seemed enticing.

"Ahh fuck this; I just remembered how hopeless I was against the Saxceler; it moved way too fast for me to see, so I'm going to put all my points into agility."

Kayden tapped on agility three times; he almost immediately felt a difference; he felt he could move his body better, and his eyes improved.

On cue, Galsour knocked on the door, asking if it was alright to come in.

"Come in," Kayden said in response.

The door busted open, and Sylvia ran up to Kayden, stumbling and almost falling; she managed to reach the bed without injuring herself.

"Ah, this kid cares so much about me; it almost makes me feel bad for her." Kayden thought.

"Kayden! You made it; I thought you would have been a goner after seeing your face!"

Kayden felt like an idiot for pitying the child; kids can be ruthless.

"Right; yea, I'm ok now. How have you been adjusting to this place?" Kayden responded half-heartedly.

"It's been fine; everyone is pretty nice; we should stay here for now!" Sylvia said while smiling vibrantly.

"Kayden, I don't mean to seem impatient, but how about we do some basic physical therapy, such as walking around a little bit?" Galsour said demandingly.

"I can try," Kayden responded. Kayden then lifted himself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed; Sylvia held out her arms in case Kayden fell.

Kayden lifted himself; his arms shook with strain, and his legs felt like jelly, but he eventually stood up. After a few moments, he flopped back down on the bed; as if he just went through extreme exercise.

"Amazing! Most people wouldn't have been able to sit up, let alone stand; after your beating, you're one tough person Kayden!" Galsour said while giving him a wide smile.

"Uh…sure, thanks," Kayden responded, slightly weirded out by Galsours sudden mood change.

"Let's get everyone to greet you now that you are awake, Kayden!" Sylvia said gleefully while jumping up and down.

"Great idea Sylvia! Once people see how tough Kayden is, they'll be sure to tolerate him at the very least!" Galsour said.

Kayden sat on the bed, staring at Galsour momentarily before responding. "You know that this is only a temporary stay, right? As soon as I fully recover, the kid and I are leaving."

"You wish to leave? After almost being killed like that? In our group, you and the child are safe; we can protect you; I'm not sure if this is your child or a relative, but since you are protecting her, she must be someone important, right? Galsour said while showing obvious signs of frustration, his veins nearly popping out of his face.

Kayden argued, "I don't know you, people, and even if you are hospitable, I could hear you arguing with someone else about how I should leave; if I am not welcome here, I certainly wouldn't want to stick around long enough to find out how unwelcomed I am here."

Galsour took a few steps toward Kayden; his face was unmoving and emotionless, a stark contrast to his cheery look just a moment ago.

Galsour outstretched his hand and offered it to Kayden and said, "Give us a chance; everyone will come to grow comfortable with you; it is best we stick together in these trying times, and I don't want to have the thought of abandoning a child in the back of mind for the rest of my life."

[If you were to get support right now, it'd be easier to kill demons to grow stronger, especially with this human being so strong. It would be best if you took his offer.]

"That may be true, but how can I even start to trust them?" Kayden said to the system in his mind."

[You can start trusting them because you are still alive.]

Kayden clicked his tongue in annoyance and grabbed Galsours hand.

"You better prove I can trust you all, and there won't be any second chances," Kayden said threateningly.

Galsour immediately broke his stoic face and gave Kayden a wide grin.

"You won't regret it, Kayden," Galsour said confidently.

***

"Status."

[Status window]

Kayden, LVL - 3 | Exp - 30/200

Health - 160/160

Mana - 75/75

Race: Human

Stats

Strength - 3

Agility - 4

Intelligence - 3

Constitution - 3

Available points - 0

"Finally, I've been stuck in this room for three days now doing nothing," Kayden said irritably.

Kayden sprung up from the bed; after the last talk with Galsour, he had been recovering in his room; Kayden didn't try to move around much in case his wounds reopened. But now that he was fully recovered, he knew it was time to work. Kayden stretched his limbs, a heavenly experience after lazing around in bed for three whole days.

The door to Kayden's room flung open, giving a resounding clap as it hit the wall; Kayden jumped back and was fully ready to fight, then Galsour and Sylvia came into view.

"Have you finally recovered, Kayden!" Galsour asked while shouting.

"Can you be any louder!?" Kayden shouted back.

Galsour laughed and slapped Kayden's back, almost hard enough to make him bedridden again. Sylvia came up to Kayden and gave Kayden a tight hug around his waist; it felt like a snake was raveling around his body as she squeezed the life out of him.

Kayden pushed Sylvia back while catching his breath. "Are the both of you trying to kill me now?" Kayden said, annoyed.

Galsour and Sylvia obnoxiously laughed in response. Kayden pushed past them to the door, eager to finally see this place fully.

"Galsour, will you be my guide in this place?" Kayden asked.

"No can do; I've got unfinished work to do; Sylvia has become one of us at this point, and she knows the important places. She can be your guide for today, don't worry; I'll be close by to protect you if things get bad." Galsour said confidently.

"Alright then; let's go, kid; show me the way," Kayden said while stepping outside the room for the first time.

Sylvia ran up to Kayden, excited to be a guide for him. Kayden looked around him; on his right side was a wall and a barricaded window; he saw that his room was at the end of the hallway. To his left was the rest of the hallway and doors to the other apartments strewn evenly along the walls. The hallway was surprisingly clean; besides the peeling paint and marks across the wall, it was well-maintained.

Sylvia went ahead of Kayden to the hallway, waving her arm to signal Kayden to follow. Kayden obliged and followed her.

"This apartment complex only has three floors; we are on the third floor; you know I'm pretty popular now! I'm welcome here now, so I doubt you won't be welcomed." Sylvia said, trying to encourage Kayden to be positive.

Sylvia rambled on while Kayden mostly ignored her; from what Kayden could see, the apartment complex wasn't huge. Kayden's room number was forty-five, and since Sylvia said there were three floors and his room was at the end of the hallway; Kayden assumed there were fifteen units per floor.

Sylvia and Kayden reached the stairwell; they hadn't crossed paths with anyone yet, which relieved Kayden.

Kayden absent-mindedly walked down the stairs, not focusing on anything. He failed to notice the person he bumped into; they screeched out a curse while barely holding onto the stair handle in time.

"Oh, sorry about that," Kayden said stoically.

The stranger replied, with a sprinkle of animosity in their voice. "𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺?.....Sorry!? That's all you have to say? I mean, for fucks sake, I could have split my head open."

Kayden put his hands up, unwilling to fight just as he recovered. "Look, I said I was sorry; I wasn't paying attention; let's just stop fighting now," Kayden said submissively.

The stranger approached Kayden, attempting to look intimidating while clenching his fist and furrowing his brow; the stranger had blond hair with blue eyes, with no other defining features to note.

After looking at Kayden well, the stranger was taken aback, stepping back and softening his face. "You are the new person, right?" he said.

"Yea, who are you?" Kayden asked.

"That's none of your business! Aren't you supposed to be bedridden? Or were you just lying so that we'd have sympathy for you!?" The stranger regained his composure and started shouting baseless claims at Kayden.

"Look, if you keep this up, I'm going-"

π‘»π’‰π’‚π’˜π’„π’Œ!

Suddenly a hand flew down toward the stranger's head, hitting him with a resounding clap that echoed throughout the stairwell.

"Are you a fucking idiot!? Do you just go around picking fights with everyone!?"

π‘»π’‰π’‚π’˜π’„π’Œ!

π‘»π’‰π’‚π’˜π’„π’Œ!

π‘»π’‰π’‚π’˜π’„π’Œ!

The new person kept on smacking the aggressive person's head multiple times; strangely he left quickly after squealing in pain.

Kayden just looked in shock and awe at what just happened. After a few moments, he composed himself enough to get a good look at the new person.

Short red messy hair, and freckles lining their cheeks. They wore a red hoodie and had black shorts on. They looked like they had just left a construction zone with the way they looked.

"Emilia, hi!" Sylvia suddenly greeted the stranger; going up to them and hugging their legs.

Emilia embraced Sylvia back while asking if she was fine and didn't get injured.

"I'm fine! Anyway; you should greet Kayden!"

Emilia looked up and saw Kayden, she went up to Kayden nonchalantly and outstretched her hand as if asking for a handshake.

"Little classic isn't it?" Kayden thought. Kayden decided to accept the handshake and shook her hand back.

Emilia suddenly grabbed Kayden's arm, forcing Kayden to trip forward, Emilia and Kayden were only a few inches apart from each other's face.

"What are you doing-"