"Damn you, bustard!!" a person in black coat kicked him over and over again, "This is what you deserve."
In a dark lane, between two huge building, a group of people punched and kicked him so hard that he was in the brink of death.
The shape of his face was beyond recognisable, stains of blood all over his body due to the wounds they gave him. His body couldn't move even to take the air in for breathing. He was just praying for his own death.
Even the sky cried out and showered rain seeing him suffer like that. Only death could be a salvation for him.
"Sir. It's getting late." A bodyguard informed his boss while opening an umbrella, "You should just kill him and let him rot here in Terra."
"You're right. He doesn't even deserve to rot in Aether. Let's finish him." He pointed his gun at the miserable person praying for death, "So long, brother. Mother and father will be pleased to hear your death."
With three shots, two at heart, one at head, they left the place. The rain just kept falling on him; splashing his blood around.
[Initiating..….] even after death he heard a voice.
[Initiating passive skill: Death Resurrection. Attempt: Success.]
He started get his vision back. It was blur yet he could see the dark sky crying for his misery. On further notice, he saw a bluish screen, similar to a computer screen just above his chest.
[Notice: Zeon, please choose your name]
Even if he was alive, the shock of death and all the pain, made a haze in his mind. The only word he spoke, the thing he saw.
"Sky….ler.." He started loosing consciousness again.
[Understood Skyler, initiating pain nullifier. Attempt: Success.]
His mind started feeling warm. The warm he never felt before. As if he was in heaven. The surrounding and the rough weather didn't disturb his slumber.
[Notice: Side effect of activating passive skill, Ascension Point(AP) maxed out]
[Notice: Side effect of activating passive skill, Mana Point(MP) maxed out]
[Notice: Side effect of activating passive skill, Active Skill 'Gravity Implosion' unlocked. However the remaining two active skills' unlocking criteria is not fulfilled.]
[Notice: Skyler's body functions now will start to regain its former condition. Three… Two…. One..]
***************
"BOOM!!" Anna screamed at Skyler's ear, who was sleeping peacefully on a bench at the park; under the low tempered sun and gentle wind.
He got startled and jumped from the bench. Sudden fear yet with little angry face, he turned towards Anna. She was laughing hard as the gentle wind waved her shiny blond hair across her face.
"Com'on sis, why the hell you did that for?" Skyler's irritated look made her laughing again with a smug face.
"Sorry, Sorry." She wept the laughing tear smilingly, "When I saw you drooling like a child in the middle of noon, I can't help myself. HAAA HAAA"
"And whose fault is that. You were supposed to be here at 11 but it's already around 1. I was tired waiting for you." He replied showing the time on his phone.
Anna put her hands in a sorry manner. Winking an eye, she said, "Forgive me, dear little brother. I finished the request you made very early. But on the way I came across with my boyfriend. After that I got busy and nearly forgot that I was supposed to meet you here."
"Wow! So, your boyfriend has higher priority than your little brother! I'm impressed." He teased, "Anyway. Did you bring the thing I asked you to?"
"Absolutely." She showed him a small glass bottle of potion, "Here's the 'Tear of Racoon' as you requested."
"Cool! Now let's head towards the guild. I need to register as a Zeon." His eyes became serious taking that potion.
"By the way, I know you're already twenty-one and eligible to join a guild. But why did you need 'Tear of Racoon'? isn't this meant to hide your appearance while investigating the unexplored dungeons? Tell me you didn't plan to join the guild with a disguise. They can identify you at once if you use it on you."
"I know." He smiled, "It's for some other job. Now let's hurry. I'm already too much late."
They got up in Anna's car. While she drove, sitting next to her, Skyler put the potion on his palm.
The blue screen appeared. The logs started showing while Skyler heard the system telling him that.
[Notice: 'Tear of Racoon' has been applied. Merging it with formerly acquired 'Feather of Raven'. Attempt: success. Initiate pseudo AP output, Yes/No]
"Yes." He told the system in his mind.
[Attempt: Success. Now the Zeon, Skyler's AP is 225. Valid for 24 hours.]
'Sweet!' Skyler smiled.
In this world, where people were evaluated based on the constant number of AP output, required Zeon to fight the menacing monsters in the dungeons which appears out of nowhere.
Based on the AP, a Zeon's rank is determined. As Skyler's AP got a huge boost during his Death Resurrection process three years ago. He needed some specific elements to make a pseudo AP output to keep his profile low.
"See you then, Skyler." Dropping him in the front of the Guild Anna said, "I hope you'll be late home today. Knowing you, you'll definitely go for a dungeon hunting quest."
"Maybe?" He gave an uncertain impression, "And don't even think to call you boyfriend over in our house."
"Yare Yare.. When will my little brother grow up? I'll pray that you find a sweet girl during your raids." In a teasing manner she smiled and drove her car away.
Skyler, by the way before entering the Guild, looked at the Aether Cities; the five cities that was floating naturally above the Terra Region.
Those were the places where, high profile people, Noble Families and the Rulers lived. Each one of the people in Aether Cities, was whether rank S, S+, SS, or SS+. Meaning the lowest AP of those people was greater than 800.
And the highest rank in Terra Region Guild was A+ containing the AP around 800. As the AP was constant number during first evaluation at age eighteen, no one from Terra Region could possibly promote to Aether City.
Their strict law bounded the humans in the classes they were divided. Discrimination was at its peak in both places.
"Just wait you guys." Skyler said to himself looking at one of the Aether Cities, "Very soon, I'll unlock my remaining locked skills. And come for you. That day, this world will known as the 'Complete Destruction of Aether.'" He closed his right fist marking the Aether City.