Chereads / Growth&Boost / Chapter 24 - Chapter 24 - Neither Lie nor Truth

Chapter 24 - Chapter 24 - Neither Lie nor Truth

"Jericho, I have a question," Lex said as we leaned back. Lex had run off and come back with two fruit smoothies that tasted amazing.

"What sort of question?"

"Well, what's your sense at?"

I paused and realized my mistake. I had risen rather quickly in this training session, and of course, he'd notice. I needed to come up with something fast. "It's at eleven right now, but I do have an ability that helps me with growth."

"I remember," Lex said. "Is that how you did what you did just now?"

"Partially, but It's… complicated," I said, realizing I couldn't lie. His sense was high, and all it would take is a feeling, and trust would be strained. "I can't tell you, Lex. But I won't lie to you either."

He nodded. "I'm not looking to know your secrets. You don't have to worry about that with us, but… Where are you from, Jericho? Your name, I've never heard it before, your accent is strange, and sometimes you seem…"

"Like I don't belong?"

"Exactly."

"It's complicated," I said. "But—"

He raised a hand to stop me. "Like I said, I'm not looking to know your secrets. If you don't wanna answer that's fine. Don't think you need to. We all have things we keep to ourselves, that's normal. It's not like I've told the others everything about me, definitely not. I was just curious. Although… don't get yourself alone with Eloria. She likes knowing, and even when you don't say anything, she can piece things together."

He laughed. "You know, she thinks you're some sort of runaway noble or bastard son."

"What!"

"It's the way you talk," Lex said. "Your manner, the way you hold yourself sometimes, and well, your ability. It's dangerous but strong. Very strong."

"I'm not either."

"Oh, the rest of us know." He finished off his drink. "She just likes guessing. She makes a guess and then tries to find pieces to put the puzzle together. If she can't she starts again. Dangerous, dangerous woman."

"Is that why she leads?"

"Partially, but she also has the highest intelligence and wisdom, so I mean… yeah." He got to his feet and offered me a hand. "Let me finish by saying one thing. You got lucky with us, but someone else might have tried to use you, or something just as unsavory."

"I know." I sighed. "I'll be careful."

"See to it that you do." He pulled me to my feet. "Don't like losing friends."

After our break, we did some more training which was basically him swinging a stick at me, and me trying to dodge. It hurt, but not as bad as the balls, well when he wasn't aiming for my ass or groin. I would get him back, high sense or not.

After a few hours, we left, and as we made it back to the main training hall, I opened up my stats.

Jericho Law

Name: Jericho Law

Titles: Interdimensional Traveller(+)

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 22

- Attributes -

Strength: 4

Endurance: 3

Constitution: 25

Dexterity: 5

Agility: 2

Intelligence: 7

Perception: 5

Sense: 14

Willpower: 3

Wisdom: 4

Luck: 3

- Skills -

Weaponry(Swords)(13)[Novice]

Persuasion(10)[Novice]

Hunting(5)

Foraging(5)

Crafting(General)(5)

- Abilities -

-----

Growth(?)[?]

Growth:

Time: 1 Week

Cooldown: 1 Day

Type: Active

-----

Boost(?)[?]

Boost:

Time: Varied

Cooldown: Varied

Type: Active

-----

Language Comprehension(60)[E]

Language Comprehension: The Ability to understand and comprehend languages.

Time: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Type: Passive

-----

- Magic -

Magical Skills:

Spell List:

I was moving up fast, but I also knew it would slow, and I would have to do a lot more to get to twenty. I would have to go into the dungeon and use what I'd learned and now had.

"You done for the day?" Lex stopped to ask Rashid who was covered in sweat. The orc looked exhausted but happy. His smile was the sort you get after knowing you killed at what you did and accomplished what you set out to do.

"Aye, he's done," Tenna said, walking over. "And so I am."

Together we left, but as we were heading out, there was a shout, and we turned to see a beastkin staring at the door, or more accurately a figure coming closer.

"Oh shit," Lex said as a tall man entered.

Everyone went quiet and stopped. The beastkin hurriedly backed away as the man entered. He was older with brown hair and dressed in expensive yet plain-looking clothes. Around his neck and proudly showing was some sort of necklace.

"Who is that?"

"Branch Head," Tenna muttered. "He runs things for this branch of the guild. He's a town head, below a region or city head, but above us."

"Don't allow me to stop you," the man said. "Back to work. Things must move, jobs fulfilled, loot taken, and sold." His voice was emotionless, though his tone was arrogant. The way he looked down his nose made it seem like he was looking down on us.

"Well, back to it."

Everyone unpaused, and began to move again, keeping well out of the man's way.

"He seems nice," I said.

"The nicest," Tenna said, her voice oozing sarcasm. "I've been in other cities, and I don't think I've met one as bad as him. He's only head of a town branch but acts like a king. He even has some guild staff whose only purpose is to bring him food and such."

"That's normal," Lex said. "It's how he treats them that's bad. I heard he once used one of them as a footstool." He shot me a look and shook his head. "Keep away from him. There are no rules about having to be in the guild to use its facilities. I mean you pay, but he'll force you to join or leave or ban you from the town and anywhere nearby as well."

"He'd blacklist me?"

"Is that a term for it?" Rashid asked.

"Yes," I said. Of course, some terms would go over their head. "Don't worry, I'll keep away."