Gratitude

"He's an... old friend of mine so I would appreciate it if you gave us some space."

'Old friend, my ass, we only met two times before.'

"Oh, uh, understood!" said the nurse before shooing everyone in the reception room away.

The two stared more.

"So are you gonna speak? Cuz this is weird' Aster commented.

"Are you the one who paid my hospital fees? If so then I appreciate it, a lot"

"I just wanted to thank you" Blake suddenly said, "If you weren't there to take the full force of that cosmic storm then I wouldn't be standing here today."

"What do you mean?"

"When the energy storm came, you absorbed most of it and gave the president and his bodyguards enough time to raise another barrier." He says.

"So I just wanted to thank you."

"Oh"

Aster certainly did not expect that. He even sort of felt bad that he yelled at him.

"Uhh, you're welcome" He replied back.

"So, uhh, you are a big shot now huh? Solar lord, that's a pretty cool-sounding title, do you have the title in your system or did the public assign you that title?" Aster asked since he was curious. he obtained his only title, [Benefactor of Gaia] by accident so he wanted to know how Blake obtained his.

"Oh, that title? No, I didn't get it, the military gave that title to me, to raise morale and stuff. But Alexandra obtained her 'Hellstorm' title via the system. Oh, my bad, she goes by Noelle now." Blake said.

"Huh, Alexandra is Noelle?" Aster was surprised.

Alexandra always strived to be at the top. She always scored 100% in every subject that she chose but Aster always felt like she never could reach her goal. He could bet that his classmates also felt that way since they never took her seriously. Who knew that she would reach her goal, only in a different world?

"Good for her." He remarked.

"Hey, you slayed a Titan right? What's your level? What magic did you use?" Aster asked enthusiastically

"My level is at currently 1222 and magic? No I don't use magic" He says while chuckling. "I use my fists"

"Hah!? But you have so much mana though"

"Well that's the result of being exposed to the energy storm. Everyone who survived that got a huge boost in their mana and starting attributes. Some of us even acquired a trait called [Soul striker] though, the effects vary from person to person." He stated.

"Some of us even acquired unique skills after that. Well, only me and Noelle got it."

"Ho, care to tell me what are they?"

"Noelle has [Absolute Mana Sense] and [Absolute Mana control]. [Absolute Mana Sense] allows her to sense any mana within 100km radius, [Absolute Mana Control] allows her total mana control in that radius while reducing magic damage and mana consumption by 50%"

"What the fuck? Isn't that just OP?"

"I don't know what OP means but if you mean it's strong as fuck then yes, it is."

"So what does yours do?"

"I have [Solar absorption], [Fiery aura] and [Divine body]. [Solar absorption] allows me to convert sunlight into destructive or supportive energy. I can use it to heal or destroy. [Fiery aura] adds fire and light attributes to my body and [Divine body] permanently triples my strength, agility, endurance, vitality and dexterity. It also doubles all of my passive regeneration." He said without any particular emotion but Aster was speechless.

'What the fuck is wrong with me? Why did I get my skills?'

[It was gained when the system was restoring your memories and skills.] a voice was heard.

'Hey, you're back! I was getting lonely you know?'

'...'

'And it's gone.'

Aster sighed.

Blake was staring at him with piercing intensity, trying to gauge his reaction except that Aster was staring at him like a lost puppy, there was nothing to gauge.

"So, tell me about yourself. You were the most excited about this whole thing so I'm curious about your current life. Did you acquire an unique skill?" Blake said hopefully.

"Ah, Oh, I do have unique skills but it's weird, to say the least. One of them is an appraisal skill but with unnecessary steps and a ridiculous requirement. I don't even understand the other 4 at all."

"Enough with skills, can you do me a favor?" He asked

"Sure, I will see what I can."

"I want to find my family"

"Ah, that's quite easy then. Your family is safe and sound, they are currently living in the Capital. I made sure of that."

"Thank you man, seriously thank you" For the first time, Aster was able to take a deep breath and relax.

"But how can they afford living in the capital? I heard everything was expensive there."

"I paid for their expenses so they have been living pretty good."

Aster's eyes teared up in an instant.

"Thank you man, for everything" he quietly said

"It's nothing, you saved my life after all." Blake added.

They sat down and chatted for a while. It was mostly Aster asking questions and Blake answering them but it was enough.

"Now, I will be leaving soon, I deposited some money to help you out a bit after you get out of this hospital. Whether or not if you want to join the military and work alongside me and her or do your own thing, it's up to you."

"Thank you, again" Aster said but as he watched Blake leave the hospital, greed overcame him.

"Hey" He shouted "Can you get me into a dungeon?"

***

After talking about the details of which dungeon Aster wanted to visit, Blake left the hospital and got into a car.

Inside, there was a beautiful woman with white hair and emerald eyes were sitting next to him.

"Hey Noelle, didn't expect you to leave the headquarters." He cheerfully said.

"Did you visit him?" she said.

"I don't know who you're talking about"

"Cut the bullshit, I have my connections, I know he woke up." She says as she stares at him with a stern and serious expression

"Why did you lie to him? What do you hope to accomplish by lying to him?"

"I know you hired the mercenaries to make his families' life hell and I know you didn't pay his hospital fee either." She hissed.

"Why do you want to get him involved? I thought you would be the last person to involve someone else in this business."

"I just want to be free, Alexandra"

"DON"T CALL ME THAT" she shouted.

"I'm not Alexandra anymore, I'm not her, I'm not weak" she murmured.

"Hey, you are strong, stronger than anyone I know"

"Stronger than him?" she nodded in the hospitals direction.

Blake stayed silent for a while and then said

"He acquired unique skills on his own... 5 it seems."

Noelle eyes widened.

"He can free us from HIM, Noelle! He just needs the general direction and he can free us" he pleaded.

"Don't tell his existence to him, please I beg you"

"Fi-, fine, I won't tell him but you owe me" she pouted.

"Thank you, thank you" Blake cried.

The strong man from before was nowhere to be found. Instead of him, a broken desperate man, a man who's ashamed of his actions remained.

***

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