Dawn in Dandelion Street is as peaceful as always. No loud vehicles pass through this one-way semi-public road and the scenery of the vast farmlands gives off a fresh breeze, making it better for the morning sprint.
The neighborhood is friendly enough and nothing out of usual usually happens.
Usually.
"T-thief!" a woman shouted from behind then a motorcycle scooted, driving past me with the lady's handbag in their hands. And by instinct, my feet dashed for the chase.
My physical condition was way better than usual. I could run faster, tire less, and move objects with much ease compared to before.
But my speed could only keep with the motorcycle's pace.
"T-the fuck's wrong with this kid!? Hey, speed this thing up!" the passenger thief scolded and the motorcycle started accelerating. "Ha-ha, so long, brat!"
In annoyance, I gasped as much oxygen as possible then jumped with as much force as I could, catapulting me just right above them.
** Active skill activated **
Leap
Jump forward at a short distance in an instant. Increase damage by 20% upon leap. Increase fatigue by 20%.
Skill cooldown: 20 seconds
**********************
"Who you calling a brat!?" With all of my strength, I released a swift blow and caused the riders to get knocked off the vehicle.
The noise of the crashing motorcycle alerted the houses nearby, and not wanting attention, I fled the scene in haste while hiding my face in the shade of my jacket's hood.
Huffing, I stopped for a while to catch my breath and found myself just a few blocks away from the mansion.
"Abyss…"
** Abyssal Dragon System **
Name: Cipher "No surname"
Rank: C
HP: 100/100 MP: 0/0
Str: 10/10 Agi: 10/10 Vit: 4/10 Int: 10/10 Magi: 0
*************************
"It stopped increasing…" I huffed, scratching my head as the limit indicator for my agility hindered its growth.
Running around the streets and doing muscle exercises for days, my physical status increased until it had reached its limits two days ago and only today I had come to the conclusion that there was no increasing it any more.
<<< swipe <<<
** Weapon Mastery **
Blade [A-]
Bow [B]
Spear [C-]
Knife [C]
Ax [C-]
Hatchet[D-]
{Empty}
*******************
"At least these can still be improved…"
There was nothing I could do about it and just ran back into the mansion, catching Ruri opening the front door with a loaf of sliced bread bitten in her mouth.
"Oh, good morning, Cipher!" Ruri greeted.
"Good morning. Where are you headed?"
"It's my first day at work at the restaurant. You know I don't want to be a burden and keep relying on you anymore." She replied.
"Oh, no! You were never a burden to us. You've been helping around the house all the time."
"Still, I must work for my son's sake. It's not forever that we'll stay here" she claimed. "Well then, I better get going. I shouldn't be late on my first day."
"But what about Sam?"
"He's under Gabby's care. I really have to go now, bye Cipher" she waved, dashing into the streets and boarding a tricycle.
"... I guess I picked up the right people..." I sighed in relief, knowing many slum people only have greed in them.
I looked at the building and the status window of it showed itself once again.
******* Building info **********
Name: House of Abyss
Members: 13
Fame: 15
Status: 100% Repaired
Barrier: 0%
Def: 1
*********************************
It's already been a year since we settled in our new home and everything has been peaceful since then. But we still live together, sticking out for each other and helping one another.
We've grown fond of one another as if we were already a family.
"Oh, Cipher! Good morning!" Gabby claimed, dining with the others at the table while Carl dashed outside in panic, opposite from his usual attitude.
Most people are in a rush today, even hurrying through breakfast. Josie choked from eating in the rush.
"Ha-ha-ha! Lol, you look stupid" Roy's last words before getting a smack from Josie off his chair.
"Ugh, I'm done. I'll be heading out." Josie claimed, grabbing a box of milk from the fridge before leaving.
"Everyone seems busy"
"Well, Josie is working at a convenience store in the shopping district and Carl has a business of his own somewhere in the city," Roy claimed, fixing his seat before continuing to eat.
"How about you?" Gabby asked.
"Nah, ain't gonna get one in another year. I'm still underage and Josie's lucky on getting the job," he replied. "But It's not like I care. I'm busy preparing for my own."
"You mean reading magazines about vehicles and machines?" Gabby asked.
"That's right." he grinned as he replied. "How about you guys? Aren't you going to enroll? Even the kids are attending elementary and Ellie is already in High school."
"School, huh? What does it have to do with me? I already learned what I needed to learn."
"Is that so? How about you, Gab?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine as well. Someone has to watch over Sam and the house while Nate and Tatty are out schooling." Gabby claimed.
"Girl, you're not a housewife yet. Enjoy school life while you still can. You two" Roy insisted, finishing his meal. "I'll head back to studying. Remember what I said. You only get to be a teen just once."
I almost chuckled at the thought as this was my second time being a teen but he was right.
"He does have a point, Gabby. We better get you enrolled somewhere."
"I already said I'm fine. Just those two is enough." she insisted as she babysat our brave little Sam. On the days of a child should be crying, he was barely giving off any tears.
No matter how much I convinced her, her answer was still the same. If I don't go, she won't. And it stayed that way, even after breakfast.
There was really nothing much I wanted in a school. I already learned all I need from an instructor, and going to school is just gonna be a waste of time.
Why am I saying that? Well, five years from now, the second incoming rift will punch a hole in the sky and it will be the last day everyone gets to have as much freedom as they want.
And rather than spend those days enjoying it, I'd rather prepare.
"Simon, you here?" Down the basement, the steaming heat forces my skin to sweat and my throat dries.
Crates of stone ores and metal junks pile up on the corners while the big furnace blazes. The sound of banging metal led me to where Simon was, crafting yet another blade.
"Oh, didn't see you there, kid. Here to get your request?" He asked, dropping his hammer down. I just nodded in response, then amongst the pile of long rectangular wooden boxes, he tossed one to me. "That one's a bit special."
It was a guardless sword. Its blade was like made of smaller ones stacked and connected to form a long sword with its hilt's bottom containing a mana gem.
"I said another type. I already have a sword!"
"That's not a sword. At least, not only a sword. If you imbued magic in it, you'll have a new type of weapon!" he smirked, giving a thumbs up.
"What do you mean, imbue it with magic!? I don't have even mana in me!"
His words were voided as he couldn't reply for a moment and he began scratching his head. "Oh, forgot about that. Return it then, I'll just make you another one."
"No. It's fine…" I claimed, sliding the sword into the storage. "I'll just request another one and try to figure out how I could use this."
"Fine, kid. I'll work on something," he replied. "By the way, aren't you going to tell the others about what's gonna happen in five years?"
"That's… something they shouldn't know. At least not yet. They just got their new normal life and how could I take them away."
"Still, keeping it to yourself again won't do you any good. And it's already been a year" he claimed.
"That's why I told you and Carl. Only adults should know about this…" I was serious about what I said yet he burst into laughter. "What?"
"N-nothing. I really can't get used to you saying being old-looking like that." he laughed.
"Urgh, why are you guys always treating me like a kid!?" I shouted, leaving the basement frustrated and bumping into Kate, also heading into the backyard.
She had her own garden at the back, flourishing and abundant. Sometimes, the old ladies next door would visit to talk to her about her ways of gardening and trade crops with them.
But even in hot weather and indoors, she loves to cover her entire head aside from her face and never tells why for some reason. And only Archie could converse with her as she was too shy to talk to any of us.
"Ah… good morning!" As usual, she didn't respond but she always gestured to state she was listening and not being rude.
I went to Ellie's room, thinking she might be able to help me with my current problem since she was a spell caster but she wasn't home. The door of her chamber was completely shut and no response was given when I called out.
"Are you looking for Ellie?" Gabby appeared from the entrance of her quarters, carrying Sam in her arms.
"Yeah, know where she went?"
"I think she's at school by now. I saw her rushing footsteps as she left and said she was late for something. Sorry, I was busy attending to Sam." She replied.
"Nah, it's fine. I'll just talk to her when she gets- hold on, is that the fish you caught that day? You're still keeping it?" In an aquarium, the fish grew larger than it used to, barely having space for it to swim. "I think it's time you let it go. It'll die at this rate."
"No!" she shuts her door with a loud bang, further ruining my mood.
"Fine! Just call me when that thing floats upside down!"
I just don't get why she was even keeping it in the first place. She wasn't even a fan of fish to begin with.
My mind was going all tangled from annoyance, I had to let myself out for a walk to unravel my thoughts. Magic and mana were the things I lacked and were a crucial part of surviving the next rift.
"Young man, come here a sec" the old lady next door called as I left through the front door. Within her grasp, she holds a tray of cake slices. "Here, young man. Some cake for you and your friends."
"And don't keep it for yourself. Share it to the others" she sermon.
"O-okay?"
"Oh, by the way, young man. I haven't seen you go out much. Aren't you attending school?" she asked.
"I'm okay. I don't need to go to such places."
"Oh, no-no-no. A child like you should attend school. You'll need it someday to get to work. I suggest attending my granddaughter's Academy of Saint Andrea. Many popular youngsters attend it…" The old lady was starting to get nosy and my mood wasn't settling in.
"Look, I sa—" A large hand covered my head, cutting off my words.
"My nephew will be going. I'll assure you that, madam. So thank you for your kind suggestion." Simon replied. "Can my niece go as well? She's the same age as him."
"Oh, sure! I'll talk to my granddaughter about it," she replied.
"Thank you, madam."
"It's for the children's sake so don't worry. And everyone in the mansion has been friendly to these old bones since you came. This much isn't trouble," she claimed.
"Still, thank you, madam. We'll be returning back inside now." Simon claimed, dragging me back into the mansion.
"Heck, you're saying, Simon!? I don't have time for such a thing."
"You weren't really listening to the old lady, weren't you?" he asked. "She's talking about THE Saint Andrea's Academy."
"Saint what?"
"This is why I told you to stop training all the time and start exploring the city at least once." Simon shook his head in disbelief. "It is a prestigious school for talented kids and one of the top 3 schools in this country."
"And what am I ever gonna do in that place?"
"What else? Learn magic," he claimed. "It used to be an academic school until five years ago. Now, they teach things like swordsmanship and magic. I know this because some of my clients are parents of children who go into the academy so I've heard good things about the place."
"... if that's the case, this changes everything. "