Weakened?
"You won't like what I'm about to tell you, Aiden," Landon warned, the gravity of his words mirrored in his tone.
"What Is it?" Aiden asked, feeling a bit nervous.
Landon was quiet for a bit before saying, "You are severely weakened Aiden, I anticipated it since you have yet to fully adapt to the rapid changes in your body, but I didn't think it would be so serious."
Aiden suddenly had a bad feeling about this, he willed it and his book appeared in front of him, the pages shuffled continuously before stopping at a random page; here his current abilities could be seen.
Name: Aiden
Race: Human (Advanced) (preparing for evolution)
Level: First Gate (96%) (preparing for breakthrough)
Strength: 100 (adapting) (usable: 4)
Speed: 100 (adapting) (usable: 2)
Stamina: 100 (adapting) (usable: 4)
Agility: 100 (adapting) (usable: 6)
Perception: 100 (adapting) (usable: 13)
Soul energy: 100 (100%) (adapting) (usable: 2)
Temporary points: (Stealth: 2) (unusable)
Innate skills: (Semi Immortality)
(Soulless)
(Soul body)
(Soul gaze: First gate)
(Soul armor: First gate: 16% weakened)
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
(Soul control: First gate)
(Soul Grace)
(Infect: 1/1)
(Soul tongue)
(Soul storage 3/3)
Skills: (Dagger mastery: Advanced)
(Blade mastery: Novice)
(Crafting: Terrible)
(Adaptive combat: proficient)
Notice: all abilities are weakened.
Looking at his abilities Aiden paled, and his body visibly shook a bit, "how did this change happen so suddenly?" Aiden thought.
Not too long ago he checked it and his body was just adapting.
Landon remained silent as if letting Aiden digest the situation, before saying, "Your rapid consumption of souls caused more damage than we thought." He said before adding.
"I was foolish, even though your resistance had increased your body is still too frail to handle the violent energies contained in so many souls. From your condition, it seems that your body has locked itself up in an attempt to handle the defect, but this is just making it worse."
Trying to calm himself Aiden asked, "Then how do we fix this?"
Landon didn't reply for up to a minute but he eventually said, "I'd have to think for a while, I'll examine your body condition and get back to you."
After that Landon didn't speak anymore, Instead he let Aiden process what was happening to him.
Meanwhile, Ethan who was sitting next to Aiden noticed his gloomy mood, and asked, "Are you ok?"
Hearing this Aiden who was a little absent-minded snapped out of it and replied, "I'm fine just a little tired."
But as he sulked Landon's voice sounded out abruptly, "There is a way out of it-"
"What's that?" Aiden asked not even allowing Landon to finish.
With a pause, Landon continued talking, "Your problem stems from the fact that you are unable to discharge your soul energy instead your body is locking it up and stopping it from moving, if we find a way to create internal injuries your soul energy could reduce."
Thinking about it Aiden didn't quite understand. "Internal injuries?" He echoed.
With a sigh, Landon said, "Though you've lost control of your soul energy it's still within your body, the intense energy is causing damage to your body, if this escalates you'll slowly die."
"Then what do internal injuries have to do with this?" Aiden asked feeling skeptical.
Ignoring Aiden's thoughts Landon continued, "You need internal injuries for your soul energy to heal and reduce, if you could cause enough damage internally your excess soul energy would reduce, and since this injury is caused by you instead of your soul energy it's easier to heal."
"Once your soul energy has reduced it will stop causing damage, allowing your body to adapt. The injury on your shoulder is an example, the soul energy can't flow as freely so it can't reach your external wounds but you can feel it can't you?"
Closing his eyes Aiden tried to feel his own body, "Yes I can, so that's what this feeling is," Aiden thought.
Aside from the pain on his shoulder, he could feel a hot and tingly sensation in the depth of his wound, he thought it was just his body's reaction to being stabbed but no.
"My wounds are slowly healing, from the inside out," Aiden said, but before he could say anymore someone attracted his attention.
The room suddenly fell into a heavy silence as a tall, black-skinned man strode in, his footsteps echoing against the cold, polished floor.
He wore a meticulously tailored black army uniform, its deep ebony fabric adorned with silver insignias and polished brass buttons that gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights.
His uniform bore the insignia of the Silence, the black beret atop his head displaying a silver emblem that spoke of authority.
Every seam on his uniform was perfectly aligned, accentuating the sculpted physique beneath.
His broad shoulders bore the weight of years of experience, and his boots echoed with the confidence of countless missions. His presence was imposing, an embodiment of discipline and control.
The ten students seated in the room shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, their eyes fixed on the captain.
He commanded attention effortlessly, and when he spoke, it was with a voice that held the power to quell any unrest. "I'm Agent 16, but you can call me Captain," he commanded with a steely tone, his gaze sweeping over each student in turn.
Suddenly his gaze stopped at someone in the back, Aiden who was on the receiving end of this stern gaze felt the weight of the captain's gaze settle on him like a leaden shroud.
His heart pounded in his chest as he met the captain's intense stare, his body tensed up as if responding to a threat "What's up with that look?" Aiden thought this guy was looking at him as if he'd murdered his entire family.
The Captain's expression remained stern as he addressed Aiden directly. "Aiden," he said, his voice carrying a note of disappointment that hung heavily in the air.
"I'm very disappointed in you." The words cut through the room like a knife, leaving Aiden confused.
It was clear that Aiden's actions had not met the captain's high standards, and the weight of that disappointment was palpable to everyone present.
"Ppft," Felix stopped himself from laughing as he looked towards Aiden with a smile.
Ignoring Felix the captain continued, "You did so well in the second selection, and I for one thought I'd gotten an excellent student, but I was disappointed at the way you struggled with the first test, it seems your healing abilities are gone as well, care to explain?"
Hearing the captain's words Aiden didn't know what to say, he stayed silent as he fumbled with his words giving the illusion of nervous when in reality he struggled to find a suitable excuse.
But the Captain didn't seem to be expecting a reply though as he continued, "How is it possible for your ability to decrease so much? The way you defeated that demon at the semifinals is not something that could be faked."
With a strange pause, the Captain continued, "It seems that you're relying on an external source that you can no longer use, either that or the blackish from your Contract still lingers."
"If it's the blackish from your Contract then it's fine, but if it's an external source." The Captain said while walking around, he left a strange pause in the air creating a bit of tension before adding.
"Then it means you cheated."
As the word cheated resonated from the Captain's lips, all eyes turned sharply toward Aiden, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
In that charged silence, Felix's voice emerged with a calculated confidence, "I do believe that this dick engaged in subterfuge, Just think about it, the inexplicable surge in speed we saw when he fled from that demonic entity back at the selections." He said letting his words sink in before adding.
"If this fucker dared to manipulate the tournament, one can only imagine what he's capable of in future challenges, simply put he can't be trusted."
Some of the other participants like David, Kevin, and even the four unknown extras could be seen nodding their heads at what Felix said.
While Aiden briefly thought, "Who the fuck uses the word subterfuge?"
The Captain drawn by Felix's words gave the man a long hard glare before saying, "First of all, Mr. Felix you don't speak here or else you're spoken to, but since this is your first time I'll let it slide, second of all."
The Captain said as he looked towards Aiden taking a dramatic pause.
"If Aiden managed to cheat under the watchful eyes of Mrs. Lotus and the rest of the Seventh shelter then that means he's formidable, which also means he's got game, that's exactly what the Silence is looking for, you don't just need strength, you need wit no matter the kind after all, game is game."
Felix: -_-
Aiden: -_-
Everyone Else: -_-
"Does this guy even know what the slang word game means?" Everyone thought.
Aiden on the other hand was relieved that he wouldn't be kicked out of the Silence because of this mess, "I have to watch out for Felix," Aiden thought.
As far as Aiden knew he bore no conflict with Felix, the guy just seemed to hate him.
Meanwhile, the Captain had moved on from Aiden's topic, instead, he brought out a remote from his pocket and turned on the large projector screen behind him.
As the screen silently turned on everyone could see pictures of ten people, these ten people were the ten candidates that passed the selection.
Staring at the information on the screen everyone narrowed their eyes in confusion, while Aiden's eyes narrowed in shock.
The Captain on the other hand didn't seem to care if the ten candidates read it, with a stren expression he said calmly.
"You ten are a team, you will work, eat, and survive together, because of that fact knowing the difference in strength between you all is important."
Hearing the Captain's words the Candidates all nodded their heads in understanding, but strangely their casual response incited a stren glare from the Captain, "I asked do you all understand?" He said as an intimidating aura leaked out of him.
"We understand," the candidates said simultaneously, as they studied the contents of the projector screen.
[Felix Anderson (290): Arms Contractor (physical properties) (1th Gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 45
Stamina: 32
Agility: 53
Speed: 25
AS: 115]
-------
[Mai Turner (291): Arms Contractor (elemental properties) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 40
Stamina: 35
Agility: 8
Speed: 28
AS: 111]
----------
[Kevin Lewis (292): Physical Contractor (hardening and body strengthening) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 61
Stamina: 13
Agility: 8
Speed: 15
AS: 97]
-------------
[Evelyn Thornfield (294) Summon Contractor (Flora Type) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 11
Stamina: 55
Agility: 12
Speed: 13
AS: 91]
---------
[Adrian Nightshade (295): Possessed Contractor (unpredictable) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 46
Stamina: 13
Agility: 13
Speed: 18
AS: 90]
---------
[Ethan Davis (296): Energy Contractor (force absorption and discharge) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 15
Stamina: 52
Agility: 5
Speed: 16
AS: 88]
-----------
[Aiden Frostfall (297): Physical Contractor (body strengthening and rapid healing) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 4
Stamina: 64
Agility: 6
Speed: 2
AS: 76]
---------------
[Serena Ravenscroft (298): Mental Contractor (mind control, illusion, and hypnosis) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 3
Stamina: 45
Agility: 2
Speed: 2
AS: 52]
--------------
[Lucius Stormrider (299): Mental Contractor (Mind reading and prediction) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 15
Strength: 3
Stamina: 17
Agility: 12
Speed: 18
AS: 50]
--------------
[David Hall (300) Physical Contractor (body strengthening) (1st gen)
Threat Level: 13
Strength: 98
Stamina: 0
Agility: 99
Speed: 100
AS: 0]
The screen was filled with an array of information that left the candidates stunned.
They were all familiar with Contractor strength ratings based on threat levels, but this point system was a revelation to them.
Aiden, however, seemed to be the exception; he was intrigued by the system's surprising accuracy, except for one aspect, stamina.
Suddenly, the Captain's voice boomed once more, commanding everyone's attention. "The information displayed on the screen now represents your current abilities," he declared, his tone carrying a gravitas that sent shivers down the candidates' spines.
His steely gaze locked onto Felix, singling him out. "And from what I see, most of you were holding back, especially you," he pointed at Felix, who narrowed his eyes in shock.
The Captain took a deep breath, his voice resolute as he continued, "Your suits are specifically designed to monitor your physical condition, with the slightest of movements, they can accurately calculate your body's strength, speed, and more."
"So that's how it is," Aiden thought feeling surprised, at the same time he felt a bit excited, if the Silence had this kind of tech they might have something that would help him find his sister.
As the candidates digested the Captain didn't stop speaking, "Each ability tab corresponds to its name, except one stamina." He said before adding.
"You see, when it comes to stamina, it takes into account multiple factors. It measures the energy radiating off your body, your endurance in battle, and your ability to persist even when injured. The stamina tab is precisely why we conducted this second test - to push you a bit so you reveal more of your strength."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, before concluding, "I'm answering three questions, so ask away."
The Captain's imposing presence left no doubt that he meant business, and the candidates couldn't help but feel the intensity of the moment.
The room was silent for a moment, and nobody seemed to want to ask any questions until a man raised his hands after a short moment of hesitation, it was David, the guy with unnaturally large muscles.
"Captain, if I may ask why wasn't I tested?" He said in a slightly hesitant tone.
Looking towards him the Captain narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't be hesitant when you speak, you're a big guy, and doing that just makes you sound gay," taking a pause the Captain continued.
"The reason you were not tested is that you're too weak, the threshold is threat level 14 and you're still at threat level 13, that's sad." The Captain said before adding.
"Honestly if Lily hadn't turned out to be a terrorist from the holy gate you would never have made it here, and frankly, I hope you can survive the second test because it's mandatory, and weak people like you are destined to die."
The Captain's words incited a strange silence until Aiden raised his hands.
Looking towards Aiden the Captain nodded urging him to go ahead, and Aiden didn't hesitate, "What's the second test about?" He asked.
Hearing Aiden's question the Captain raised his brows in surprise, he didn't expect anyone to ask about the second test so soon.
He didn't answer for some time but he suddenly spoke when everyone least expected it, "The second test is brutal, an initiation of sorts to test your medal, pass and you get the privilege of joining the higher echelons of the Silence, that's what I'm here for, right now you have a five percent chance survival, I'm here to turn that five percent into a six."