Professor Unity took Galen with her as she started to walk towards the lab.
"So what's your full name sir?" She curiously questioned. She watched his face change into slight confusion and surprise, before he composed himself, hiding his thoughts behind a mask of neutrality.
"Galen Verlice, Ms. Unity."
Professor Unity gave him a faint smile.
"Well, Sir, if we want to be successful in our experiment we have to keep everything confidential and keep it as simple as possible. Therefore, we must refrain from any unnecessary talk. Do you understand?" She said sternly.
"Yes ma'am."
"Alright then, follow me." Professor Unity said briskly, motioning with her head for Galen to follow.
They both arrived at the laboratory. Professor Unity knocked politely on the doorframe as the scientist looked up and waved them to come in. The man who was working inside stopped abruptly when he saw her enter.
They both walked over to the nearest computer to start recording Galen's information. While Professor Unity took her seat and placed the device on the desk, Galen remained standing next to her.
"I'd also appreciate it if you could not mention that I told you about this today, alright?" Professor Unity requested while typing away.
"Sure thing ma'am." He replied quietly.
She typed out a few lines of numbers on a screen then placed it on top of the other papers already on the desk.
"There. Your data has been transferred to another data point and your account has been updated" Unity said happily.
"Thank you."
"Galen, please don't call me ma'am..." She said turning in her seat. "My name is Professor Unity!"
"Right. Of course professor...um...?" Galan asked unsurely.
"Just plain old Unity will do. If you'd like a different title you can refer to me as 'professor' or simply'my student' if you wish."
"Okay, fine. Um, Professor?" He trailed off uncertainly.
"That works for me." She grinned, making him chuckle nervously.
"Is something wrong with that?" He asked worriedly.
She instructed gesturing for his phone which he retrieved from his pocket. He passed the device to the professor which she took carefully examining it. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion watching as she quickly opened the app and entered the details. He couldn't help himself and peeked from behind his phone to watch her typing furiously.
A few moments later she handed it back to him and smiled widely.
"Great, now you can add yourself to the store and you can purchase anything you want!"
Examing his phone new messages popped up showing his current amount of data points that Unity had just sent him. He looked at the professor in shock then back at his phone which he quickly returned to his pocket.
"Umm..thanks..." He muttered awkwardly.
"You're welcome Galen. Have a great day!"
"Um..you too."
After thanking the professor, he exited the lab. After he'd shut the door behind him, he leaned against it and let out a sigh.
"I am expected to find out on my own everything else?" He whispered.
He shook his head and took a couple of deep breaths. "This is going to be a long day…" He muttered under his breath.
Indicating he had received an incoming message. Pulling it from his pocket, he unlocked the screen, and noticed a new text conversation.
[Incoming glitch near]
'Shit' He thought immediately.
He glanced around to see if anyone was around and luckily there were none. He swiftly typed on his phone and put it back where he had found it before heading in the direction of the nearest public phone booth.
"Wait...what is a glitch?" He asked.
[Glitch are people who lost their way in humanity]
"Oh right. That makes sense." He mumbled to himself.
In the distance he saw someone stumbling in their step almost like a zombie or drunk. There was a man walking by himself with a cane seemingly holding onto his chest. He was dressed in a dark blue suit and sunglasses covering his eyes.
Galen tried to hide dunking down so that the guy wouldn't notice but he didn't have the chance as he stumbled upon him and tripped backwards. He heard a small thud against the booth and watched with wide eyes as the stranger hit the ground unconscious.
[Don't let that fool you]
"No no no no!" Galen exclaimed.
[Click skill activate on your first attack]
[Fire Bane]
[click]
[Need to equip proper equipment, Galen]
"But...I didn't go to the shop?"
[You cannot fight him without the appropriate equipment]
"Oh come on!" Galen exclaimed exasperated.
[You only have seven days, Galen]
Galan's eyes widened in realization.
[If you wish to progress you must get stronger to find Adam, Galen]
"Adam…" Galen muttered.
[He's in your reality, Galen]
He slowly nodded his head. "I guess I better get to work then," he murmured.
[Prove you are the hero the goddess can feel in you]
"Okay. Let's do this," Galen whispered.
Before he knew it he was surrounded by more people than before stumbling all over themselves, shouting nonsense words and generally behaving like a lunatic.
"There is more of them!" Galen shouted.
[Target acquired, Galen.]
[Mission objective activated. Get through these people]
[Please equip first]
[Holy Cloak]
[Holy shield]
[Holy Helmet]
[Rune shoes]
Galan readied his weapons for combat. Each one equiping automatically as he pushed the custom inventory now imbedded in his phone.
[For now your training weapon is your phone]
He took a deep breath before exiting the phonebooth pointing his phone at the hobbling masses . He clicked on its icon directed displaying a speaker function on its front.
[Speak into the phone to ease the need to press]
"FIRE BANE!" He yelled over the din.
A surge of fire erupted from his hands as he aimed his attacks at each of the people trying their hardest to avoid the fire.
[Health 100/100]
[-5 mana]
[Mana 45/50]
"You are too damn slow!" A voice cried.
A girl with jet black hair dressed in a slick pink suit and two large daggers zoomed past Galen slamming into another group of people. Her blades pierced through three people in one hit and she continued on without giving a second thought.
Galan gritted his teeth as he charged ahead. He felt a chill go down his spine as he approached the other enemies, but the girl was too fast for him to dodge. She slashed and sliced his targets effortlessly.
[EXP 200]
[EXP 400]
"What a fucking waste of time!!" He screamed frustrated.
He turned around to continue forward and bumped into someone, the impact making him fall on the ground.
The girl was adamant in stealing every single one of his kills . She moved so quickly it seemed as though she disappeared whenever he managed to get close to her. And every once in awhile she would take another person, leaving nothing left for him.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Galen shouted.
"You are too damn slow you little beta bitch!" She called out.
"Fuck off!!" Galen shouted angrily.
He shot her with his spell.
"Fire bane!" He yelled.
The swirl of fire struck the ground in front of her but did not hurt her. Instead, it only made her angrier.
"Fucking annoying! This won't even kill them. You're useless, Beta!" She laughed.
"How about I send you back to your universe and have you join all those losers!" Galen said snidely.
"I am from Earth you dumbass!" She spouted.
She flew through the air again towards him. As soon as they met face to face, she swung her blade downwards aiming straight at his throat. With a sharp jerk the sword cut straight through his shirt and into his shoulder. His vision went blurry and he stumbled backwards falling backwards into a nearby picnic table.
He stared dazedly up at the girl as blood pooled beneath him from the wound.
"[Blood Drop: 1]..." The girl's voice echoed throughout his head.
He closed his eyes waiting for the pain to begin but when it finally did it was unlike any pain he had ever felt before. It was hot, burning hot, and painful beyond comprehension. He felt tears running down his cheeks as the pain overwhelmed him. The pain seemed to intensify even more.
"Stop whining and just die!" The girl snarled kicking his body repeatedly.
Galan clenched his hands tightly, attempting to stop them shaking but it was difficult. His breathing became faster and heavier as the pain increased. All he could think of was escape, anything would do just leave this horrible pain behind.
He knew this wasn't going to end well. He was dying. He was sure of it. As much as he struggled the feeling of death was becoming more apparent to him.
"Damnit, I should've just killed you when I had the chance!" The girl spat as she pulled out her dagger and stood up.
"I...I am..." Galen sputtered.
"What was that?" She asked.
He could feel something building up in his chest as he tried to speak. "I am....not...." he gasped.
Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "Are you stupid? Of course you are!"
Galan clenched his fists trying to hold himself together. He took a moment to calm himself before speaking again.
"Please...don't..." he panted, "...do this..."
"You will only get my damn way! Killing you like this is kinder!" She growled kicking him again.
He coughed blood and wheezed painfully taking the blows till he heard something inside of his mind snap. He couldn't help but scream as the pain intensified. It was unbearable but he held himself together, desperately wishing that this pain would end.
[Defensive skill activated: Echo of Needles]
A loud scream from his mouth and daggers of white as his pupils changed colors smashed into the assassin classed girl trying her best to dodge the attacks. She stumbled back but quickly regained her footing and came at him with full force.
Her blade swung towards him with such speed that he barely had enough time to move out of the way. The blow knocked the wind right out of him sending him flying several meters away. He slammed into a wall and slid to the floor nearly unconscious.
"I thought I heard something out here!" A voice chimed.
Galen groaned as his eyes cracked open and blinked rapidly trying to focus on who had spoken.
"Ouch...fuck..." he grumbled.
As his vision cleared he noticed the woman from earlier standing over him. She glared at him and the girl with disgust on her face before raising her hand.
"A-Aunty Unity?" She asked in shock.
"Well hello dear niece," Unity replied with an annoyed tone, "it is nice to see that you are still alive." Galan rubbed his forehead as the events from yesterday returned to him.
"I'm sorry auntie. I shouldn't have used our abilities like that..it was unfair,"
She spit out her cigerete before answering. "And what were you thinking? You can't expect me to save you when you do whatever the fuck you want!"
"I know but--"
"You don't understand Galen! We need to make sure this world doesn't fall! That's why we're fighting. We're supposed to be protecting this world!" Unity declared furiously, "and if we don't you're going to end up being a murderer! A damn murderer!!"
"Aunty Unity…"
She paused for a few moments and took a long drag of her cigarette. "But since there's nothing else that we can do I might as well kill more glitches today. Come along dear niece."
"What is your name? You fought so crazy back there!" Galen questioned.
She turned and smiled at him with a small giggle. "I suppose you can call me 'Karma'. What about you?"
He chuckled nervously. "Galen."
"Nice to meet you Galan. You look terrible by the way," she teased.
Galan laughed awkwardly, "Thanks I guess..."
Unity tossed a blue glass bottle to Galen who caught it reflexively. "It should have been effective enough for your wounds to heal. Drink a bit. It will help you with the fatigue."
Galen hesitated but eventually gulped down the contents of the bottle. He immediately felt a wave of relief wash over him.
"But I still haven't leveled up yet…" Galen sighed.