A Nasty Move

Ding.

[New achievement unlocked: People's admiration I]

[The first step to becoming a leader is by earning the admiration and approval of your peers. By standing up to the oppressors of the Ark family, their shame has been washed away, and they can finally hold their heads up high as you keep standing!]

[+200 exp]

Seeing the notification, Sol was shocked, especially since he didn't think his actions would attract a reward from the system, but this left him with a question.

"What can I use these experience points for?" 

During his time as Louis Park, focused mostly on his goals, and because of that, he missed out on the enjoyable experiences children and teenagers are meant to experience while they are still young. One of them was playing video games.

While he did not participate in that, there were a few occasions when he observed his friends playing video games. As far as he could understand about it, these experience points should be able to help him grow stronger. If this system is truly imitating video games of Earth, then he should be able to level up when he gathers enough experience points.

Ding…

[Name: Sol Ark]

[Tier: Nil]

[Race: Ark]

[Race Tier: Alpha]

[Title: Prince]

[Condition: Dire]

[Status: Host is under the effect of Immortal blood scattering seal]

[Seal efficiency: 90%]

[Experience points: 200]

Ding.

[Sufficient experience points acquired, will the host be willing to upgrade the system?]

[System Upgrade 100 exp required]

Seeing this, Sol was confused. Aren't experience points meant to be used to make the player stronger and not the system, or is he wrong?

His mind was filled with doubt as he hesitated. Sol shut his eyes for a few seconds, pondering on this, but his train of thought was disturbed by the crooked voice of the old witch.

"That old…" Sol said with a look of annoyance, but he stopped himself midway as he noticed a raised platform and a podium erected.

'What the hell? When did it get there?' Sol was certain when he came here, it wasn't there.

The old witch's little body was completely covered by the towering podium, but what happened next made the students gasp with shock. Her eyes turned gray as the wind began to blow around her as she muttered an inaudible word.

As if in response to whatever she said, the wind twirling around her increased drastically, gently raising her from the ground until she was at the level of the podium, finally meeting the gaze of over a thousand students.

Her actions drew the excited looks of many students of various races, while also making students from the witch coven hold their heads high with pride.

" I am Zephyra Galewhisper of the Witch alpha family, your examiner for the Awakening rites'' the witch said with her gaze pinned on Sol as if her name was supposed to mean something.

Shocked looks were etched across the face of all the students, except Sol, who was left wondering if her name was supposed to mean something. 

Soon whispers began circulating across the crowd evolving into a noisy gathering but strangely Zephyra allowed it and remained silent, her gaze never leaving Sol.

"They say she is the one who tracked down the fleeing wife of the dead Ark family chieftain and killed her."

"She must be really powerful. They said when madam Zephyra returned with her corpse, she was so messed up they could barely recognize her."

"From the stories I heard, the traitor cried and begged for mercy."

Sol's sensitive ears picked up their conversations, and he finally understood Zephyra's intentions. She planned to force him to act by having many people talk about the death of Sol's mother, but what she failed to realize was that the current inhibitor of this body was not Sol but a cruel soul. 

If she expected him to react to the death of someone he knows nothing of, then she is…

"What?" Sol muttered with a slight frown as images slowly began flashing before his eyes.

The first was that of a dark-haired woman carrying a baby in her hand with a sweet smile on her face, while a huge man who he couldn't see his face stood behind her and said,

"I promised you would be the one to name our first child, so tell me, what should we call him?" the man asked in a soothing tone.

"Sol, Sol Ark." She protested.

"T-that was my great-grandfather's name. Why did you pick it?" the man seemed startled.

"Well, you always told me stories about him, it was obvious you were very fond of him." She explained, "You also told me you would love to give your son his name to make sure he is never forgotten."

"But …" the man was speechless.

"But nothing. Your dream is my dream. Sol will be his name."

The images vanished and Sol stood there with his eyes unfocused and wide open. He could feel a warm liquid flowing down his left eye. Upon seeing this, all the surrounding students fell silent and instinctively distanced themselves in fear that he may lash out at them.

Members of the Ark family present saw this and their eyes turned hostile, their gaze directed at Madam Zephyra. Unknown to them, Sol's thoughts were different.

"This body, it is crying on its own. Am I not in control, or does his soul still exist within?" he muttered under his breath. 

Soon after, he felt a tightening pain around his chest and his vision became blurry. Sol felt his knees weakening, causing him to stagger back just a moment away from collapsing, but he felt someone slip under his armpit, using his shoulder to support Sol and prevent him from falling.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Sol muttered with a genuinely confused look on his face.

"Come on now, you had the immortal blood-shattering seal in you" the voice of his helper rang in his ears. "It's already incredible you are here and standing this long. Most people would be dead by now just by having the seal, don't beat yourself up too much"

Hearing this, Sol wanted to refuse. He wanted to tell whoever was helping him that he was wrong. This had nothing to do with the seal, something was trying to push his soul out!