Everyone saw the powder and looked at the unfolding scene with new interest. The priest averted his gaze as if the powder had not come from his sleeves.
"Could you mind explaining what the powder is priest?" The chief asked. He was hit by sudden realization. Marx was not possessed.
"This powder is called Demon Chaser. It only has effect on someone who has been possessed by a demon. It is usually put into the purifying water during prayer," the priest said. He did not dare look at the chief.
" Marx, don't try to harm the priest. You will by cursed by JahGod if you do so," his grandmother said.
" God would be glad if I uproot these weeds from his alter. If I could, I'd kill him," Marx said. The priest looked at him in disbelief. The fact that Marx was lifting him like he was a piece of paper alarmed him. The fact he knew that there was nothing as being possessed shook him to the core.
"I just have one more question to those who have undergone the ritual. Were you possessed?" Marx asked and the few who had undergone the ritual stood forward and testified that they had not been possessed.
The priest felt his world turn around. How easy it was to lose the people's trust. He regretted playing them for fools. Never had he thought that his tricks would be exposed by a teenager.
Marx explained the priests schemes. He explained that there was nothing as being possessed and it was all made up by the priest. He explained that the holy liquid was a mixture of various herbs which were used in making soap.
When everyone heard of the torture the priest put the victims in, they felt mortified. They were even shocked by how far he would go in hurting the victims with the powder so that he could feign exorcism.
"Old man Jairus, I want you sniff the powder and tell us its content," Marx said handing the powder to the chief .
The chief sniffed the powder and explained that it had been made from herbs that were known to bring itch. He also explained the presence of chilly. There were other pain inducing herbs in the mixture and the priest had his eyes closed in shame.
All this time, Marx had not let him go. Marx then let go of the priest who fell on his butt. The people wanted to rash the priest but the chief stopped them. He explained that he was going to find a suitable punishment for him.
The priest was forced to apologize to all the people he had tortured and everyone agreed to his replacement. Also, exorcism was banned. After everything was settled, Marx's mother cupped his cheeks.
"Sorry my beautiful boy. I should never have doubted you. I will make you your favorite meal everyday so that I can compensate for all the damage I caused you, do you forgive your mom?" She asked.
" I would never hate you for your love. A mother cares for her children with all she has and protects them. Why would I hate you for doing your duties?" Marx asked softly. His words caused his mother to shed tears as she hugged him.
" My beautiful boy has grown up well," she spoke her head resting on his shoulder. " Come on let's go and have breakfast. We were so worried about you that we did not even have breakfast," she said and led him inside the room.
Marx's grandmother was busy sending the people off. Inside the room, Marx was caught up in a comppex situation. He had to explain how he had managed to lift the priest. He tried to figure out a way out but no avail.
"I have just been working out lately." He replied dismissing the topic. Thinking he had gotten a way out, his mother crushed his hopes.
"What was that glow I saw on you last night?" She asked. Marx had his lips open lacking words to explain.
Feeling the glares, he laughed and said playfully.
"You must have imagined what you saw. Just how do you explain something like that. Even I do not know what you are talking about," Marx replied.
Everyone in the room nodded. There was no way something like could have happened. She must have imagined it.
" I guess you are right. There is also no way someone can materialize from thin air," she said as she continued eating.
Marx seeing the situation had cooled down he finished his breakfast quickly and went to his room. He lay on the bed and wanted to test a theory about the System. He had a feeling he could communicate with it without having to speak loudly.
" Entropy," he called in his mind. The voice came and replied.
[User Marx...]
He was overjoyed for now people would not look at him like a fool when they found him talking to himself.
" I want you to stop calling me user. Just Marx is enough." He said in his mind.
[Command received, Marx]
Marx now felt that he did not have to always be bored. With Entropy, he would have a 24/7 speaking partner.
"Does that mean that you can accept commands from me?" He asked expectantly.
[Some command and request I will and others I will reject]
" So I could ask you to tell me all functions you have?"
[Yes. Some functions I can tell you now but others you will have to find on your own. Some funtions are in built while others will be developed with time]
" You mean you have the ability to learn and also create? Thats cool!"
[Entropy Seeker has the ability to adapt to changes in technology and also implement new programs. It has the ability to upgrade from one version to another]
Marx had his lips rounded. Though he did not quite understand the version part. The system seemed to realize that.
[This is the reason you are unable to receive information in full. You lack the basics of the information you want. Its in your best interest that you set out for enlightenment. Maybe I should help you find the location of the required information.
[Side quest acquired. No time limit. Follow the system's help and learn of lost history.]
Marx was delighted when he heard that there was lost history. This could only mean that the system needed maybe some of the ancient technology. He could not help but wonder what that technology was that the system needed and described as lost.
[Your questions might be answered if you unveil the secrets behind the decline in the ancient technology.]
One thing Marx did not shy off was knowledge. He wanted to know as much as he could so that he could one day access the full features of Entropy Seeker. Also, he did not know of something fun he would do before the one year period was over.
Maybe following the system and hunting ancient history was going to be fun.
"When do you think that we should set off for this mission?"
[Even now is not a bad idea]
Marx was more than curious now. Just what was in the ancient history that the system was so eager to find. Just seeing the system that eager made him want to set off immediately.
"Tomorrow sounds good to me. "
[][]
Marx saw the system send him love emojis. Was this sytem feminine?
"Why don't I get a suit like the one Kelly had?"
[To access suit, your stats must be =>2]
Max nodded in understanding. So he was the one holding himself back. If he had access to the suit, maybe he would even fly off the planet.
" With the suit, can I fly across planets?"
[Very possible once your stats are =>7]
Marx realized that it was not going to be as easy as he thought. He still did not have a means of leaving Earth. Maybe even after he reached the stats of =2 he would still be stuck here. Maybe he would have to stay until his stats reached =7 so that he could fly from earth.
"Do you have a way of getting us leave Earth after one year?]
[Once you achieve stats of =>2 you can fly a space ship]
Marx felt on top of the world. Riding a space ship! Just how fun could that be. His resolve to get stronger just kept growing with every second. But where could he get one? Maybe Entropy Seeker could turn into one. His mind jumped with excitement.
" Where is the space ship?" He asked. If he kept guessing he would never get a real answer.
[You will learn when the time comes]
And there goes blank answers. Marx thought. He could not quite understand. How many conversations ended up with hitting such bottlenecks? But he knew the answer at the back of his head. He could not understand with his limited knowledge.