10: Progress
It was just a scant few seconds before I felt mom rush past me. It was surprising to say the least but at the same time I should have expected it. I knew how dangerous this world was currently but I also knew how insane the power scaling was. It was partially why I was working so hard at 5 and was wishing for a system. Especially since these people still had a high chance of dying. Right now in Orario anyone with a falna and a few months of adventuring can be considered near superhuman. Capable of feats of strength only the top athletes of earth could attain after training their entire lives. Once you pass the first couple levels you get some truly supernatural strength. Mom is also an outlier here, she used to be part of the Zeus familia, she would have pushed her stats to the max before leveling and had the best training an adventurer could have.
The 40 meders were nothing as she knocked the man I stabbed to the ground and rushed into the building. These thugs didn't have falna nor any actual skill and so it took one or two strikes each to take the others down. Both now missing hands... However I wasn't focusing on that now. As I heard a small muffled chime ring out in my head.
*Ding*
################################
# Enemy defeated #
# Points earned:+ 2... #
# Error, system not initialized#
# Rerouting... #
################################
---------------LOADING 69% ----------------
[███████████ ]
################################
Huh, neat.
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# Enemy assist #
# Points earned:+ 1... #
# Error, system not initialized#
# Rerouting... #
################################
---------------LOADING 70% ----------------
[████████████ ]
################################
Assuming the system has been loading since I was born and achieved 67% over 5 years it would probably finish when I'm seven. This however can speed that up. Although I don't think that's going to be happening anytime soon...
"Ori are you ok?!"
"Yeah, ma... I'm fine, Mari and Finn did a good job and protected me!"
My voice came out a bit muffled as she hugged me tight. She began checking all over me for injuries, even combing through my hair and under my sleeves, but found nothing. Got to give the kids some credit. They did well for being half the men's size. Though looking at the thugs now I can only feel bad for them. Not really, they attacked us, but they are kind of pitiful and I don't really blame them as the city's current state is good for no one. Also, Lea is kind of brutal. She didn't kill them but they might as well be without a hand.
"What are we going to do with them now?"
"Nothing they chose to live their lives that way. They can deal with the consequences. Plus, it's not like the guards even patrol Daedalus street. We would have to drag them out and worry about getting attacked. We could even kill them, leave no room for possible retaliation but they aren't part of a gang so just let them go. Plus, they'll probably be mugged and killed or bleed out after we leave anyway."
'Should you be telling that to a child?' I wasn't a child so I could actually understand where she was coming from but... damn. It's probably my old world sensibilities but it's hard to stomach this. Also I think Lea, elves, or adults in general in this world are a bit weird when it comes to parenting. They are so protective but also blasé about stuff like this.
"Mari. Finn. Take these two out with the other guy and pick up anything of worth."
She turned to the baker woman who was now checking on her kids. She had light tears in her eyes as she fussed over them and now that I had a good look at her I saw she had a few bruises and cuts. Looking around I saw a small dagger on the floor where she was before.
"Thank you Leana. It seems we are in debt to the church yet again."
"No. It's fine Dawn. My own child was in danger and if we didn't have a baker nearby we would have to wander the streets even more to get to Main."
"These streets are unkind to everyone huh?"
Seems mom is a little known around here. Not that I didn't expect it since the church is also kind of famous with Verda. 'Now that I think about it, isn't that weird? A level one with 2 spells and a level two of the Zeus familia living in a church?' Lea I could see a little bit as she is hiding from Evillus most likely and, though they hide here to, Daedalus street is just that big and that annoying to search. Plus it isn't like she is yelling out to the skies she is a part of the Zeus familia. To outsiders she probably looks like a washed up adventurer who lost an arm but is still able to fight off bandits.
I've actually had many questions like this before; like why had she not gone back to the elves once she had me. Anytime I asked questions pertaining to her history though she just gave this look full of pain. So I just stopped. One day she'll answer but for now it's ok.
"Hey Ori, can ya hold the door open fo' us?"
Looking at Mari as she and Finn hoisted the bloodied thugs up I just sighed.
"Mari, where did you even learn to speak like that? No one else in the church does?"
At that Finn had an evil grin fall over his face.
"Oh that, she is trying to copy the main characte-"
At this point Mari had thrown the coin purse so hard Finn almost bowled over when it hit him in the face.
"STOoPPPP!"
...
Back at the church with about 3 bags worth of hard rolls I left Mari and Finn put them in the pantry as I walked over to the slowly growing array of beat up books I looked for something to read. It was still only mid afternoon and I had time to burn. It was either this or meditate; which I could do later. I hadn't completely given up on magic as I was a half elf and I could gain magic through falna. Doing practice like that is only going to help me in the long run.
'Talking about things helping in the long run, I wonder if the system changed at all. It's only 3% so I'm not expecting much.'
'Status...' Nothing still.
'Inventory.' The screen came up without issue and while at first glance nothing seemed to have changed, I realized less of the screen was freaking out. Here's to hoping I can get at least a little more information out of this before it finishes. I have read enough system novels to be wary of tutorials and suicide systems.