{Name: Aaron Lucian.}
{Realm: Not-Even-A-Beginner.}
{Class:None.}
{Race: Half Elf.}
{Strength: 10.}
{Agility: 5.}
{Defense: 7.}
{Endurance: 10.}
{Affinity Mastered: None.}
{Attack: 0. Critical - 1.}
{Health point: 20.}
{Intellect/ Wisdom: 30.}
{Improvement: You have a lot to Improve in. You are basically useless.}
{Resistance: Poison: 0%. Darkness: 0%. Death: 0%. Light: 0%. Fire: 0%. Water: 0%. Earth: 0%. Wind: 0%. Magic: 0%. Ice: 0%. Lightening: 0%.}
'This is purely an embarrassment,' Aaron thought, his infant mind reeling at the stark assessment of his capabilities. 'I know I'm a baby, barely a few days old. But still... This profile is below Zero! Even the improvement section says I'm useless. I need to get stronger, and quickly!!' The frustration was a tangible thing, a knot in his tiny chest.
[Some Moment later.]
The journey back to their apartment, carried securely in Aurora's arms, had been a blur of new sensations. Now, nestled in the unfamiliar surroundings of their three-bedroom home, Aaron's nascent awareness began to take in the details.
'I have to say, Lilly is really a blessing,' he mused, his gaze following his apparent older sister as she moved with an easy grace around the apartment. 'I wonder where she learned so many skills. Will she teach me if I ask?' The thought sparked a flicker of hope within him.
Aurora, his supposed mother, also surveyed the apartment with a subtly stunned expression. It was far more spacious and well-furnished than he suspected their circumstances would allow. She approached the entrance, just as the door swung open to reveal Lilly, a radiant smile gracing her features.
"What do you think?" Lilly asked, her bright eyes fixed on Aurora, radiating a genuine eagerness for approval.
Aurora walked calmly towards her, her expression carefully neutral. Not a single word escaped her lips.
'This girl is really stubborn, but the house is surely beautiful,' Aurora finally conceded internally, her gaze softening slightly as she took in the tastefully decorated living room.
Knock!
"Ouch!" Lilly exclaimed, rubbing her forehead.
'Oh wow,' Aaron thought, observing the interaction with growing curiosity.
Lilly looked at Aurora, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "Don't you like it, Mom?" she asked, her smile faltering slightly.
Aurora sighed, a weariness flickering across her face. "How many times have I asked you to stop using so much Sid energy? I know you have more in you than normal people, but still..." She stepped past Lilly, entering the apartment.
"You did good," she added, her tone softening as she acknowledged Lilly's efforts.
Lilly's smile returned, brighter than before. She quickly followed Aurora inside, her attention immediately turning to Aaron, who was still cradled in his mother's arms. "Why is my baby brother so quiet? Didn't he enjoy the hunt?" she asked, her voice light and teasing.
"Well..." Aurora's gaze shifted to the infant in her arms. "He absorbed a Core."
"Ok Mom. Wait what?! Did you just say he absorbed a Core?" Lilly's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by wide-eyed shock.
Aurora nodded, her expression serious. "A low-stage one, but it shouldn't be possible for an infant."
"As you said, Mom, this young man is different," Lilly said, a thoughtful smile returning to her face. "What if...?" A spark of an idea seemed to ignite in her eyes. She turned and dashed into one of the other rooms.
Aurora watched her go, then settled down on a plush armchair in the sitting room, cradling Aaron gently. 'This girl is something,' she thought, her gaze sweeping over the elegant furnishings.
Aaron, meanwhile, was silent not because of displeasure, but because his mind was racing, processing the information his All-Seeing Eyes provided.
{Name: Lilly Colin.}
{Realm: Awakened Stage.}
{Class:(Dual) Apprentice-Mage and Novice-priest.}
{Race: Half Elf.}
{Strength: 100.}
{Agility: 200.}
{Defense: 250.}
{Endurance: 300.}
{Affinity known: Fire, Water.}
{Attack: 30. Critical - 60.}
{Health point: 200.}
{Improvement: Eat any Sea plant. Gain an increase in Affinity: Water.}
'She might not be anywhere close to Mom's power level, but she's a lot better than me,' Aaron noted, a pang of inadequacy mixed with admiration. 'Eat a sea plant? With that name, I can probably find it in the sea. Right?' He filed that information away for future consideration.
"This is it!!"
The two in the sitting room turned as Lilly burst back into the room, a vibrant red orb clutched carefully in her hands.
'Is that...?' Aaron's eyes widened, recognizing the tell-tale glow of concentrated energy.
"What are you doing, Lilly?" Aurora asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
"If he can absorb Cores, he should also be able to absorb this one," Lilly declared, her eyes shining with excitement and a fierce protectiveness towards her baby brother.
"No, Lilly," Aurora said firmly. "If you're planning on giving it to him, you need to wait until he's at least one month old. I won't let him absorb the core of an Omega-stage Monster in his current state. You should keep it for yourself."
Lilly looked down at the glowing red orb in her palm, then shook her head resolutely. "I don't need it. My baby brother is still weak; he'll need it more than me."
"I know you want him to get stronger, Lilly, but you can't just overload his system with something that contains so much energy. I'm not saying you shouldn't give it to him eventually, but you need to hold on until he's at least one month old and his body is more developed." Aurora's voice was firm but laced with concern.
"Ok, Mom," Lilly conceded, her eagerness tempered by her mother's wisdom. She carefully walked back to one of the other rooms to secure the powerful Core.
'She is just a sweet elder sister,' Aaron thought, a warmth spreading through him despite his infant helplessness. 'But I'm wondering why her surname is Colin, not Lucian like mine. And she is also a half-elf, yet her ears are shorter than what I'd expect. Now I know her other parent wasn't an elf. But if my Mom isn't her mother, who is? And it looks like my father is also not an elf; there is a lot I need to know about this family.'
Aurora stood up and gently placed Aaron in a beautifully crafted crib. "Stay here, love. Let me prepare some food." She gave him a warm smile and walked out of the room.
'Time to think,' Aaron decided, his tiny limbs twitching slightly. 'Firstly; what are these eyes I got?' He focused his gaze on the bars of the crib.
{All Seeing Eyes.}
{Name: Crib. Class: Rare. Info: Suitable for a child who has overgrown a cradle. Benefit: Comfortable, gives the baby a relaxing Slumber.}
'Rare-class, and even a benefit. That's understandable, it shows the spell she used to create it is a high-class spell. I wonder if she has any high-class attack spells,' he mused, recalling Lilly's profile and the raw power it hinted at.
'She is also a dual class, a mage and a priest. That must be the reason for her high amount of Sid energy. She is also an apprentice in Mage. I don't really understand what that means, but it sounds like she's still learning.'
Squeak!
He turned his head to the side, his All-Seeing Eyes instantly focusing on a small lizard scuttling along the wall.
{All Seeing Eyes.}
{Name: Climbing Lizard. Class: Common class. Info: Not harmful, it's completely useless; Powerless and defenseless.}
'Powerless and defenseless? I'll start practicing with you then. I just got my first practice dummy,' he thought with a flicker of something akin to determination in his infant mind.
If only he could actually do anything.
"Hey, baby brother."
Aaron turned his head, seeing Lilly standing in the doorway, a soft smile on her face.
"Shhhh," she whispered, tiptoeing towards his crib. He saw the red Core nestled carefully in her hands once more.
'Oh wow, what a sister. Wait... What if what Mom said is the truth? What if I'll die if I absorb it now? For god's sake, I don't even know how I absorbed the first one,' he thought, his gaze fixed on the pulsating red energy.
{All Seeing Eyes.}
{Name: Omega-Stage Ogre's Core. Class: Omega Core. Info: Has the power to move a beginner-realm being to the Awakened-realm. Note: You won't be able to Absorb it with your current Physique. Solution: Wait for approximately one week.}
'Wow, it gave even more information than I thought, even telling me when I might be able to absorb it,' Aaron realized, a sense of relief washing over him.
"Come on, baby brother, you should have it; it's my first gift to you," Lilly murmured, holding the Core closer to the crib.
"Nayyy," Aaron mumbled, shaking his head as much as his still-developing neck muscles would allow.
'I would like to use it, but I can't. I should follow Mom's advice and let Lilly keep it for me. When I'm ready, I'll let her know.'
Lilly couldn't understand his infant babbling, but seeing him shake his head, she sighed softly. "I see you don't want it right now. Don't worry, little brother. I'll keep it safe for you." With that, she carefully tucked the Core away in a pouch at her waist.
Aaron stared at her for a while, a deep affection blossoming in his tiny heart. 'Don't worry, sis, even if you aren't my real sister by blood, I'll see you as one. And I'll look after you—'
Sniff, Sniff, Sniff...
'Oh wow! What has such a heavenly smell?' His head tilted to the side, his tiny nose twitching as he tried to follow the source of the incredibly enticing aroma.
"What are you doing, baby brother?" Lilly asked, noticing his curious movements as she turned to leave the room. When she inhaled deeply, her eyes widened and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "Food is ready!!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with cheerful anticipation.
'Why is she so happy? Hey you!! Don't even think about eating everything!!!' Aaron mentally yelled, his frustration at his physical limitations bubbling to the surface once more.