13 New Weapon
After a long bout of silence, the one to talk first was James. "Ahem, Adam, are you interested in joining a task force? " He said with a look full of expectation.
"A task force? " Adam asked back in ignorance. He heard about guilds forming in the past years, but he never heard about task forces.
"It's a special force I started. We conduct individual raids and take part in tournaments. A business that is backed by my father's company, " Darius explained with a smile. "Joining us would be very profitable for you in terms of money and growth as a High Human. Bladeworks incorporated provides top equipment for our members, too," He continued.
'Equipment from Bladeworks would help me with my growth... ' Adam silently thought about the benefits of joining. 'And if the other members are as good as James, it would provide a suitable environment to increase my skills. '
"The captain is amazing, too! He is A-rank and uses a sword, just like you! " James said with an excited expression. "You can learn a lot from him when you join. "
"But before we delve into that matter, I would like to ask you a question, Adam. " Darius stopped James and said in a serious tone.
"What is it? " Adam snapped out of his train of thought and asked.
"I already deduced that you have a physical strength enhancement ability from your fight with James and the ranking test," Darius spoke as a spark flashed in his hazel eyes. "I want to know what other abilities you have. "
"Darius! I don't think that's necessary! We already know he's strong enough. " James said as he grit his teeth. He already knew that Adam wanted to keep his ability a secret and didn't want to force him into a tough situation.
"James, he already knows both of our abilities. " Darius spoke casually. "If we're going to work together, I need to know his abilities as well. "
"But things like these should be personal information and he clearly wants to keep it to himself. " James said in an anxious tone.
"It's okay, you both helped me so much. I think I can trust you. "Adam finally spoke to diffuse the tense situation.
"Adam... " James said while looking at Adam with an apologetic expression.
"What is it, Adam? " Darius asked. He already had a vague idea in his mind, but wanted to hear the answer from Adam.
"My other ability is called sub-space. " Adam replied with a blatant lie. He knew that they both saw him take out swords from his inventory and pretended that it was his unique ability. "I can only store weapons, though. "
"You have a sub-space? " Darius asked with a shocked expression. Sub-space abilities were extremely rare. Even if Adam could only store weapons, it was still an impressive ability. 'No wonder he wanted to keep it a secret... ' Darius thought with a smirk.
"Yes, I can store weapons and take them out whenever I want. " Adam calmly lied again.
"Well, that explains your secrecy. " James spoke with a smile. He was quite happy with Adam's trust in them.
"I apologize for forcing you to tell us your ability, but the team manager needs to know the squad's abilities. " Darius spoke before stretching out his hand. "I hope we can still work together. "
"I hope so, too. " Adam shook Darius's hand with a smile. 'I feel bad about this, but I can't tell anyone about the system. ' He had no choice but to lie in this situation.
"Great! Now, Darius! Give him the thing we got last night! " James said with a cheerful expression.
"Ah! Yes, I almost forgot. " Darius spoke before pulling out a black box from underneath the seat. "We noticed your almost broken sword after the fight with James. This is a gift I brought from the company's warehouse as an apology. " He handed the box over to Adam and urged him to open it.
'I can feel a significant amount of magical power... ' Adam thought as he slowly opened the box with a gulp and his eyes glittered at the contents.
Inside the box was a pitch-black, one-handed sword and a sleek black scabbard engraved with golden lines on the side. The sword had two extremely sharp edges that glowed in the dark area and a smooth, black leather handle.
"It's a sword made from the scales of a wyvern and made by one of the finest blacksmiths in the company. I guarantee its quality. " Darius spoke with a puffed chest.
'This must have cost a fortune. ' Adam thought before silently putting the sword back in the box. "I can't accept this. It looks too expensive. Besides, I already forgive James for everything. "
"Refusing this gift would mean refusing my friendship, I insist. " Darius said with a serious expression while James nodded vigorously.
'This makes me look like a douche. ' Adam thought with a bitter smile.
"In that case, I'll use it well. " He reluctantly placed the sword in his inventory with a thankful smile.
_______________
After a small chat, the car finally reached Adam's apartment complex, and he bid the two farewells before entering the building.
Adam walked into his apartment, had a quick shower, and changed into a clean tracksuit before sitting on the couch.
'I never imagined myself using such an expensive weapon so soon... ' He thought while taking the sword out of his inventory.
[Wyvern Blade
-Attack: 120-150
-Durability: 300/300
-Special effects:
+15 STR]
"This is much better than my last sword! " Adam exclaimed when he saw the vast difference in quality. "The increase in stats is an amazing bonus as well. "
The young man held the sword and jumped off the sofa before giving it a few swings to get a feel of using his new weapon. 'This is amazing! It feels like I'm cutting through the air with no pressure! '
'Unveil. ' He wanted to check the increase in stats.
[Name: Adam King]
[Sex: Male]
[Age: 17]
[Height: 190 cm]
[Class: None]
[Akashic connection: Low (medium)]
[Level: 10]
Stats:
[HP: 250/250] [MP: 180/180]
[STR: 54] [AGI: 31]
[INT: 18] [VIT: 25]
[END: 20] [DEX: 28]
[ASP:0]
Skills:
[Basic Sword Mastery] Lv.3
"With this, I won't have a problem going against a bunch of Orcs. " Adam said with a smile while looking at the sword like a precious family heirloom.
"I need to get much stronger to protect my friends and exact my revenge on that bastard. But, let's eat first. I'm starving. " He said before putting the sword in his inventory and ordering a giant serving of chicken wings from the local fast-food joint.
After finishing his meal, Adam stepped out of the building wearing a simple black hoodie, black pants, and running sneakers while heading towards the bus station.
"It's time to go back. " He said as he looked toward his usual hunting spot.
________________
Meanwhile, in Manhattan
A middle-aged man with smooth grey hair and wise blue eyes, wearing an expensive-looking suit, enjoyed a glass of top-quality wine in a luxurious office overlooking New York City, several kilometers off the ground.
*Knock*
*Knock*
"Come in. " The man spoke in a gruff voice before putting down the wineglass.
"Hello, father. " The one who entered the luxurious office was none other than Darius.
"Darius! What's the reason for such a delightful surprise? " The man's voice turned fruity at the sight of his only son. This was Darius's father, Graham Morris, the owner of one of the biggest conglomerates in today's world, Bladworks Inc.
"I came to tell you about a fresh addition to the task force. " Darius spoke flatly before presenting a file, "his name is Adam King, and I think he's going to be an excellent addition to the team. "
"Hmm, I'll have Shinji arrange the trial test for him at a later time. " Graham said while pushing the file to the side.
"But I already invited him to the task force, father! " Darius protested. "I gave him a promise, as a friend. "
"That is preferential treatment. I will not tolerate it. " The man replied calmly before picking the glass back up.
"I understand. " Darius dropped his protest with a crestfallen expression. "When will the test be? " He asked while matching his father's gaze.
"A month. " Graham said after taking a sip of his wine, "tell him to be ready by then. "
"Understood. I will excuse myself now. " Darius got up off the seat and turned to the door.
'Such a cold child... ' Graham thought as he looked at his son, leaving through the office door.
