Elias sat slumped on the edge of his bed, still catching his breath from the day's unexpected events. His muscles ached from the training exercise, and his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Despite his best efforts to remain insignificant, he had been dragged into the spotlight by Leon and Aria. Worse yet, they seemed interested in him now.
This isn't how things were supposed to go, he thought, rubbing his temples.
The system chimed softly, breaking through his frustration.
Mission Complete!
Reward: +20 Survival Points.
Bonus: +5 Stealth Points (for avoiding major suspicion).
Skill Progression Unlocked: Basic Barrier Creation (Proficiency: 15%).
A small part of him felt relieved. At least the system had rewarded him for his efforts, even if his performance had put him dangerously close to the center of attention. He opened the skill shop, curious to see if there was anything that could help him avoid future entanglements.
The interface displayed a list of available skills, categorized by their purpose. Most of the offensive and combat-related skills were out of his price range, but one in the utility section caught his eye:
Perfect. He immediately spent his points, feeling a rush of energy as the knowledge of the skill settled into his mind. Shadow Veil wasn't flashy, but it would give him an edge in staying unnoticed.
Just as he closed the interface, a knock sounded at the door. Elias tensed. No one ever visited Kane Elgard unless they had something unpleasant to say.
"Who is it?" he called out, keeping his voice steady.
"It's me," came a familiar voice. Leon.
Elias's stomach dropped. Of all the people he wanted to avoid, Leon Hartwright was at the top of the list. He considered pretending he wasn't there, but the system chimed again.
Of course, Elias thought bitterly. Reluctantly, he stood and opened the door. Leon stood in the hallway, his usual confident smile in place.
"Mind if I come in?" Leon asked, already stepping past Elias without waiting for an answer.
Elias sighed inwardly and shut the door. "What do you need?"
Leon turned to him, crossing his arms. "I wanted to thank you for today. You were a lot more useful than I expected."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
Leon chuckled. "Take it however you want. The point is, I saw potential in you. You've got skills, Elgard, even if you don't realize it yet."
Elias suppressed a groan. The last thing he needed was Leon taking an interest in him. "I'm just trying to get by," he said carefully. "Nothing more."
"Maybe," Leon said, studying him. "But I think you're selling yourself short. Anyway, there's something else I wanted to talk about."
Elias stiffened. "What?"
"There's a group forming," Leon began, his tone serious. "A team to take on some of the Academy's more...challenging missions. I want you on it."
Elias blinked, momentarily stunned. A team? Challenging missions? This sounded like exactly the kind of thing he wanted to avoid.
"Why me?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.
Leon smiled faintly. "Because you're different. You don't act like the others, and that makes you unpredictable. I need someone like that on my side."
Elias hesitated, his mind racing. Joining Leon's team would undoubtedly pull him deeper into the main storyline, but refusing outright might raise suspicion.
"I'll think about it," he said finally.
Leon nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Fair enough. Just don't take too long. Opportunities like this don't come around often."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Elias alone with his thoughts.
Later that night, Elias sat by the small window in his room, staring out at the Academy grounds illuminated by moonlight. The faint glow of the system interface hovered in the corner of his vision, reminding him of the path he had chosen.
Staying invisible isn't going to be easy, he thought. But maybe, just maybe, I can use this to my advantage.
For now, he would play along. He'd join Leon's team, gather strength quietly, and keep his true intentions hidden. If the story insisted on pulling him in, he would rewrite his role on his own terms.
The system chimed softly, almost as if in agreement.
Mission Update:
Objective: Join Leon's team without revealing your true goals.
Reward: Access to Advanced Missions.
Elias smirked. "Let's see where this goes."