The Road Not Seen (4)

I focus on the Flash Step skill in my status window. A rectangle around the letters lights up, and after a few moments, the skill is selected. I then choose which levels to spend, so I choose thirteen personal levels and six job levels. After that, I have to choose which stat points to remove. I spent one hundred seventy points and have to remove one hundred forty-nine. Since I don't know how to increase my vitality, I leave the twenty points I spent on that stat and pull the rest from strength, agility, and endurance. I only need to use one hundred forty-nine of the one hundred fifty points I put into these three stats, so I leave one point in stamina. After confirming my selection, I return to the main screen of my status window.

Niccolo Drake lv 0

Sponsor: God of knowledge

Job: Commoner lv 1

Possible jobs:

Skills: Ironflesh lv 2, Shock Resistance lv 1, Anchoring lv 1, Flash step lv 1

Titles: Index, Friend of the Fairies

Unassigned points: 10

Health: 100/100

Stamina: 146/152

Vitality: 45 (+22)

Strength: 50 (+1)

Agility: 48 (+2)

Endurance: 70 (+4)

Perception: 30 (+1)

Resilience: 27 (+3)

Intelligence: 201 (+0)

Wisdom: 75 (+1)

Knowledge: 485 (+0)

I finally managed to pick up the Anchoring skill during the Dracoterra fight, which is a huge weight off my chest. This is a key skill needed for close-quarters combat in the future.

Oddly enough, obtaining my new skill actually gave me five bonus points. I must not have noticed this last time I purchased a skill. The increase in my vitality has raised my HP to one hundred points, making my build feel much more well-rounded.

I think back to the first time I saw my status and how lopsided it was; seeing the progress I've made is very satisfying. The wave of strength I gained earlier falls from my limbs, but I still have plenty of energy. I throw some weights on a bar and workout for an hour before turning in for the night.

"Wake up!" I shoot up to Sakura's call, shouting in my ear.

"Could you not do that, please." She smiles at me and runs over to Shinobu, who is already up.

[Nothing like starting the day with a migraine.]

I rub my temples as I trod over to my pack, which contains a little food and some mild painkillers. I groggily shove the various solids down my throat and wash them down with water. The fog of sleep sits softly on my mind.

I walk over to the kids to see what they're talking about. Josh is whittling a piece of wood while Sakura chatters endlessly. I notice Shinobu glancing at me a couple of times, but it feels like she's avoiding my gaze. Still tired from yesterday's events, I lie down beside my friends and close my eyes.

[It's important to enjoy the little things.]

"You should have seen how pissed off the guild leader was. I thought she was going to burn down the whole forest after Nick ran off." Traces of Sakura's conversation leak into my ears. My blood runs cold hearing how upset Jezabel was, making it much more difficult to relax.

"Is she going to hurt Nick?" Shinobu asks, clearly concerned about the situation.

"I doubt it." Exasperation is thick in Sakura's voice as she responds. "Nick always seems to get away with everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw someone argue with her and got kicked out of the guild; Nick says a bunch of mean things to her, and now she tutors us. I don't get it."

[I can see why she's confused. I have a weird way of dealing with people.]

I think back to the violent encounter I had with Jezabel. I can still feel the cold steel of her blade on my neck. Considering how wild that experience was, I decide to talk about it more in depth.

"You may not notice this, Sakura, but most people feel disconnected from those around them and misunderstood." I open my eyes and turn to face the kids while maintaining my spot on the floor. "It can be difficult to build connections with others when everybody is just waiting for their turn to talk. Having someone delve into you to really try to understand you… It feels good to be seen."

"But you were talking the whole time! How are you supposed to listen to people when you don't shut up?!" Sakura throws her hands up in the air. I chuckle slightly.

"Have you ever felt how Jezabel feels? Have you put yourself in her shoes?"

"No."

"Have you tried?"

"No…"

"Well, there you have it. I was trying to empathize with her. Most people that put up walls are just protecting themselves, but those walls create distance. I was doing my best to understand what she's been through, even if she wouldn't talk about it, so I had to dig a little. Considering how violent this world is, it's safe to presume that someone she was close with died, especially considering her profession."

"Why would you say that to her? You just made her sad for no reason."

"I…" The words build up at the back of my throat.

[Why did I do that? It seems pretty rude in hindsight. Should I apologize?]

"I don't know; I just felt I had to say something. Jezabel just looked so lonely. I know how hard it can be to always feel alone." Sakura glares at me, but I don't know what else to tell her. I turn my head forward and stare at the ceiling. Growing up, I spent most of my time alone, and, according to the kid's memories, so did he. It never seemed to bother either of us as we never felt lonely when we were by ourselves. We only felt lonely when we were around other people. Nothing is worse than feeling alone in a crowded room.

"You're weird." After a long silence, Sakura finally takes a jab at me. I consider turning it into a joke instead of acting upset, but I'm feeling too melancholic. In the end, I just respond flatly.

"Yeah." All the chaos recently is really making me doubt myself, and Sakura's words aren't helping. I just want to cry and go back to sleep, but I pull myself up and make my way outside. As always, I decide to work off my emotions. My shiny new skills need testing, and there's no time like the present. I take a deep breath to calm myself down.

"Flash Step!" My back foot digs deep into the ground as I burst forward. The tall trees wiz past me in a blur. I focus on the area in front of me and weave through the undergrowth. The technicolor light show of the Fungi has turned from a nausea-inducing nuisance to a comforting background glow over the last few weeks. The overwhelming fluorescence allows me to lose myself in my senses.

'Crack!'

I step on a branch which causes me to lose my balance.

"Ironflesh!"

I activate my defensive skill while careening into a Mammoth tree truck, smashing the bark to pieces. The crash reverberates through my body. Using both skills depletes my stamina, and I fall back onto the soft ground.

[I think I need a bit more practice.]

I close my eyes and drown myself in the sounds of the forest.