As I headed down the path to the river, I thought of what to do next. Right now, I still had little control over the system and I didn't really know how the skill worked.
I had been a bit skeptical about leaving the man there. Even though he had been using a concealment skill, I had trained my senses enough to detect him. Before the system had come, humans beings could reach a near transcendent level of strength through rigorous training. Although I was probably nowhere near transcendent, I was still strong as I had been training for the greater part of my life. I had hoped he wouldn't follow me and luckily it seemed he didn't. If he did, I wasn't sure I could use the skill again.
After sometime, I reached the place I was heading to. It was a river that was well known as it was one of the clearest rivers in the world. River Tano. It was said that it was incapable of becoming unclean. I guess this was the perfect opportunity to test it out.
I removed my clothes leaving only my underwear on and jumped into the river. The cold water felt rejuvenating. it was still night but it was a bit hot. It seemed all my wounds had also. I wondered if that was an effect of 'Final Act'. I didn't know anything about this skill but it seemed it was merely a means to an end. After about thirty minutes in the water I decided on my next course of action. I was going to apply to be a 'caller'.
***
First of all, a caller was a person who made a living by confronting criminals who previously had systems. Before the system disappeared, they were called watchers because they prevented people with systems from flaunting their abilities or picking unnecessary fights with civilians.
I had no idea why they called them callers now but after that day the name just changed. Right now, people were just waiting for the remnants of the system to pass away. There is a desire to get to the time before it started. Perhaps it would start again...
I put on my clothes and made a plan. I was still sort of a fugitive so there was no way I could just enter the city like this. There were three divisions of every country: the city, towns and villages. There existed only one city as it made it easier to distinguish people.
The city contained mostly people who were rich and powerful, that is in literal context. The towns and villages were inhabited by the rest.
It became necessary to maintain the boundaries as people were being killed when they tried to attack someone with a system. It was not considered a crime if you fought someone with a system or when someone with a system defended themselves when attacked. That's why I wasn't worried of facing any punishment. Because it was purely self defense. I had even left one of them alive which was practically more than he deserved.
So far, I had been leaving in this forest in isolation. But those bastards had been unto me and now they were dead.
Dead... It was then a thought struck me.
"Hey, Inherent talent!" I said hoping there would be a response. Everything about this just felt weird.
['Inherent talent is staring at you]
Yes! It worked.
"Is there any chance you could change the way I looked?"
['Inherent talent' is sighing.]
['Inherent talent' wishes to make you less ugly]
[Will you accept skill's wish]
Ouch! Was I really ugly?
I nodded my head in response.
[Skill 'Fresh start' (temporary) is now in use]
I began to feel weird on my face as if it had turned soft and someone was moving it around. After sometime it stopped.
[Your fresh start has begun]
I was taken aback as I stared at my reflection in the river. It was now the early hours of day and the slowly rising sun together with the falling moon cast a sort of spell binding effect on the water surface.
I was the definition of handsome. I even felt jealous. I had grown a bit darker like in a tan sort of way and my previously blue eyes were now hazel. My hair had changed from blonde to black and grew a bit shorter. Not only that it appeared the rest of my body had changed. I had gotten a little muscular and my voice seemed to have become a little more chill inducing.
"Wow, I have a cool skill!" I exclaimed.
['Inherent talent' is telling you to praise him more]
I shook my head and set of on my journey. With luck, I would reach the city with two days. There were not a lot of modern stuff in the towns and villages and since I wanted to keep a low profile I had to walk.
I wondered what lay ahead of me in my journey. For now I had only one goal, become a caller.
***
"Damn it, what do you mean he escaped?" A man shouted hitting his fist on a table. The person he was talking to was obviously scared to death.
"It's as I s-said." the person stammered. It was the same person who had used the concealment skill. "He killed everyone in less than five seconds. I barely escaped."
The man sighed and slowly walked to where the other man was shivering away. His face suddenly changed to a sinister look.
"And how do I know you are not keeping it for yourself?"
The other man looked hurt. "But my f- family?"
"Don't worry, I doubt they will miss you."
With a swift movement, the man sliced through the air. The next moment, a lifeless body dropped to the ground as it's head rolled away.
The man stared at the rolling head with a smile on his face.
"Your skin was a bit, tough." he said staring at his bloodied fingers.
"It seems you were telling the truth though, what a pity."
He slowly walked out the room without looking back even once