Chapter 3

Lewis slowly opened his eyes to another professional ceiling setting. Though this one looked more like a hospital room, the smell of sanitization confirmed the notion. A blue screen hovered in front of Lewis.

[You have killed a total of 69 Cave Imps. Your level has increased by 25. Please look at Status when you are ready.]

'Status…" Lewis slowly began to remember the past day's events.

[Status

Name: Lewis Padova Age: 14

Titles: (3) Level: 26

Soul Rank: EX Health: 100% Mana: 100%

Strength: 35 Charisma: 33

Dexterity: 33 Magic: 34

Intelligence: 35 Constitution: 33

Free SP: 25

Skills: Soul Companions:

Infinite Compatibility(Passive): Rank EX Animal Soul Blessing: 3/?

Soul Sight(Active): Rank EX

Nature's Envoy(Passive): Rank EX Insect Soul Blessing: 2/?

Plant Soul Blessing: 3/?

Mythological Soul Blessing: 2/?

Companion Points (CP): 1325]

Learning from experience, Lewis began to distribute his points, geared towards being able to handle his blessings better.

[STR: 35->35

DEX: 33->40

INT: 35->42

CHA: 33->33

MAG: 34->41

CON: 33->38]

Lewis stared at the ceiling above him, deep in thought. How would he increase his power? How many ways are there available to increase his power? He can level up, but at what rate? How many different ways can he use to level up? How can he get used to using his Blessings? Is it possible to use a blessing constantly to condition himself to that Blessings abilities? Would doing that increase anything? The many questions Lewis had, he couldn't get answers for. It all had to be experimented with personally.

[Leveling up can be done In 4 ways;

Killing Monsters

Completing Hidden Challenges

Completing Daily Objectives

Using Blessings continuously over extended periods of time

Blessings can be Upgraded 2 ways;

Spending CP

Using Blessings continuously over extended periods of time

Stats can be increased 3 ways;

Spending SP

Leveling up

Using Blessings continuously over extended periods of time]

"I didn't ask my questions out loud, so that means I can activate the system through thought, or mentally. I learn something new daily about this system." Lewis mumbled. His answers presented themselves vaguely, but at least he knew he could test out his abilities with guaranteed prizes to his efforts. As the old saying goes, Do nothing for free. As Lewis was contemplating which Blessing would be best to use as a start, the door to his room opened and a burly man dressed in a suit, with short cropped hair and a strong face walked in. Lewis watched him with cautious eyes, distrust obvious in his body language. The man noticed this and gave a friendly smile.

"Good evening Mr. Padova. My name is Joshua, I'm from the Blessed Association. I'd like to ask you a few questions from two weeks ago, during the dungeon outbreak. You were found in a pond with multiple blade inflicted wounds and three arrows in your chest. The place you were found in, had multiple hostiles and corpses surrounding the area. The wounds inflicted upon the corpses were consistent with what has been categorized as a Commander Class Hostile. Are you available to answer these questions today?" Joshua asked politely.

"I suppose I can answer them, but I don't know if I have the answers you seek regarding the Commander Class." Lewis replied with a lie.

"That's fine. Why were you not in school or in a bunker that day?" Joshua began asking.

"I felt like playing hooky." Lewis lied.

"Why were there so many dead Cave Imps following the street up to the pond you were found in?" Joshua continued.

"Maybe somebody killed them while I was running for my life." Lewis lied again.

"Why were you covered in wounds?" Joshua asked another question.

"I was weaker than they were." Lewis replied honestly.

"Okay, now that we've answered the official questions for the Association. Let's begin speaking the truth, off record. I'm not here as an agent from the Association, I'm now here as Joshua from the Hephaestus's Forge Guild. I'm here to get ahead of the game, and recruit you for my guild before your talent is recognized. I honestly saw your fight at the pond's edge, your form was impeccable, but it looked as if you had just awakened your blessing. As such, you looked awkward and inexperienced." Joshua switched his tone and began admitting the truth.

"If I told you I had just gotten my blessings that day, would that make sense to you?" Lewis narrowed his eyes, still distrustful towards the man.

"No, it wouldn't make any sense at all. The latest awakening age is thirteen, the earliest is nine. Any time after is unheard of… did you say blessings? As in plural?" Joshua registered Lewis's statement after a moment's thought.

"No. You must have heard wrong. I have a useless… goldfish blessing." Lewis lied as an afterthought.

"Goldfish? You mean Koi? I don't believe Goldfish is a registered blessing in the international database." Joshua smirked, he obviously knew Lewis was lying.

"Look dude, I don't trust anybody with my personal information. So you saw me fighting, what benefit do I get for sharing anyways?" Lewis scowled in response.

"See, now that's communication. The Hephaestus Guild can provide you with the best training and resources to help you get into the best schools. We're willing to invest in your future, obviously not for nothing in return though." Joshua entered full negotiation mode.

"Tell me the conditions first. I'll hear the benefits after I've decided whether or not to agree to them. Ah, and they better outweigh the conditions, whatever they are." Lewis sat up fully and entered listening mode. Whatever information, if it was beneficial for him, he was likely to take the opportunity.

"Our conditions are simple. We won't restrict your freedom or movements. We will only ask that when you graduate you join our guild and no other, participate in raids and sell the materials you find to us when you do solo raids. We also request you sign a lifetime contract with the guild." Joshua explained the conditions.

"Make it a two year renewable contract, and I'll consider it." Lewis counter proposed.

"Ten year renewable contract and you have to serve two of them as a rescue team member." Joshua negotiated.

"I can do that. What's the benefit?" Lewis inquired after agreeing.

"You will receive free gear up to the rare level and you can rent up to the epic rank. You will receive exclusive training for your blessing and base stats, free use of our exclusive training rooms and a salary of one hundred thousand Eons. The sign on bonus, effective immediately, will be fifty thousand. Of course, the contract you sign now will be a 'Scout Holding Contract'. It basically means you're an exclusive recruit for our guild. We also would like a detailed account of your blessing in order to put it in our system, no one will be allowed to release that information, even while you're in high school." Joshua explained. Lewis sat in thought. The benefits were heavily in his favor, and it wasn't something that would come around twice.

"Very well, I'll sign that contract. But, I also wish to add a request." Lewis agreed, this world was alien to him, and any help towards making him stronger was welcome and needed.

"Of course, if it's within our abilities, we will do our absolute best to accomplish it." Joshua looked extremely happy with the response given.

"I need information on how to handle blessings and what Eons are. It's not an impossible request, but see, I was beaten up pretty bad recently, and I have gaps in my memory." Lewis half told the truth.

"That's very easy to do, I can have that information sent to you immediately. Eons are the currency of our world. They're made with different materials depending on which region you are from. Our region is minted with Eclipsed Iron and stamped with the Norse Pantheon. When you're discharged, there'll be a car waiting for you outside. It'll take you directly to the guild, where you can get more information. I look forward to mentoring you, Mr. Padova." Joshua held his hand out to Lewis in a friendly manner.

"It's Lewis, and I look forward to learning." Lewis shook the man's hand. He left shortly after.

"I wonder how he knew I had just woken up." Lewis muttered to himself.

"Luckily he was awake this time." Joshua mumbled at the same time from outside the room.

"Hmm, should I try upgrading one of the blessings and proceed to use it?" Lewis looked at his list of blessings, deciding between the Garter Snake and the Black Ant.

[Upgrade Garter Snake one time for 50 CP or to Max for 1000CP?

Confirmed. Upgrading Garter Snake to Legendary Tier.

Successful.

Garter Snake (Legendary Tier)- Adds +100 to DEX +40 to CON +30 to MAG. Can choose between Symbiosis Form or Incognito mode. You're sly and hard to detect when in Symbiosis Form.]

Lewis looked at the message after going through the process of choosing what to do with the blessing. Looking at the new functions, made it feel less worth it compared to the price, but he activated it in incognito mode.

[DEX: 40->140

CON: 38->78

MAG: 41->71]

Lewis felt the surge immediately, though it was less like electricity and more like an intense flow of blood passing throughout his body constantly. While Lewis was admiring the abilities he had gained, a doctor came in to check on him. The vibrations in the air could be felt through Lewis's skin, and he immediately felt his brain overload from the information, causing him to instantly hold his head in pain.

"Ah, you're finally awake! How are you feeling? Got a headache? That's fairly normal considering the length of time you spent unconscious." The doctor grabbed a chair and began giving Lewis a check over. The doctor's voice sent the same booming vibrations through the air, causing Lewis to wince constantly. Subsequently, the smells had begun to overwhelm him as well, his vision had also become a slight bit more vibrant and clear.

"Hmm, your pupils are… slitted? Not unusual, but not particularly normal either. Do you perhaps have a reptilian Blessing? This is pretty typical with freshly Awakened Blessings, so I'll prescribe you some Ibuprofen to help with the headaches. Reptilian Blessings tend to have a 'Information Overload' side effect when you awaken to them. Well, congratulations on awakening your second Blessing! Quite a feat at such a young age." The doctor rambled on and on.

"Wait, second blessing?" Lewis grimaced.

"Indeed, you had quite the tenacious constitution when you arrived. It was consistent with the common canis type blessing. Ah, not all doctors can diagnose something like this. My Blessing just happens to be a Bald Eagle, and my eyes are especially geared towards two things. Medical expertise, and identifying the type of blessing one has. So don't worry too much, it's not like anyone can do it, I see the fear in your face." The doctor laughed as he explained.

"I'm not so much worried about that, it's just you talk too damn much. It fucking hurts you inconsiderate fuck!" Lewis's head felt like it was splitting, and the blessing wouldn't deactivate.

"Right, the overload. You know, I always forget about the air vibration thing. It's kind of funny, you know? How our voice can send such acute vibrations through the air. My daughter has a Komodo Dragon Blessing, and she used to complain daily when it awoke. Saying I have a hard time not talking every five seconds about the most random-"

"I swear upon whatever God exists in this world, that if you don't shut the fuck up, that fucking stool will the marking for your fucking grave as I bury your annoying ass in the fucking floor!" Lewis snapped angrily.

"Ah, sorry." The doctor clamped his mouth shut, but he didn't seem hurt, but rather amused. Lewis sighed, everything seemed to be amplified by three, and it hurt his head greatly.

"Here you go, take this right now, then every four hours. It should lessen the pain by at least two. Other than that, I feel like you're good enough to discharge. Oh, and there was a gentleman who had been visiting you a lot during your stay. He left a rather nice suit for you to replace the rags you came in. Well, have a good rest of the day!" The doctor spoke quickly after handing Lewis two white horse pills to take and then left. The entire encounter left Lewis drained and pissed off, he looked at the pills and sighed.

"I hate taking fucking pills." He grumbled as he took the pills with difficulty.