Chapter 108 - Coming Clean

The ASH building was flooded with people, but from the looks of it, they weren't adventurers. It was a mess of consultants and other members of ASH workers that ran wildly through the front reception area.

Loose papers flew about and always had a person trailing behind them to catch it all. It was utter chaos, with the occasional adventurer trying to meet with their consultant or pick up a quest, squeezing through it all.

It was an unspoken rule at that point but no adventurers were getting through that mess. None besides me…

Kana was no exception to the chaos of workers that ran tirelessly through the reception hall. Once she spotted me, the massive stack of papers in her hand flew into the air as she jolted back from surprise.

"Ahhhhh!! I just gathered all of those!"

Oh, shoot!

I ran over to help and grabbed a handful of whatever came flying past my face. Paper after paper it looked like it would never end.

"Geez Rei…I'm glad you're here but I really can't chat today. Things are pretty hectic this side." Kana leaned in closer and cupped her mouth so that only I could hear. "After that incident in the Tower with you guys and Master Ed, there's apparently been a huge flood of adventurers too scared to go out and hunt on the higher floors."

"People are getting too scared to go into the Tower?!" I blurted out.

Kana dropped her paperwork and shoved her hands in front of my face, placing a finger over her lips. "Shhhh!!! It'll be really bad if anyone hears you…honestly, could this day get any crazier?" 

"Well, it might just."

Kana took me to one of the private rooms for us to discuss it further. She looked pretty worried since I wouldn't mention anything about it out in the open like that but once we were behind closed doors she was on the edge of her seat.

"Do you really have to keep me in suspense like this? What's so important that we had to talk about it in private?"

"Kana there's something that I haven't told you just yet. I meant to tell you eventually but…I just couldn't."

She looked nervous. "What is it?"

There's no way around it, I just have to come out with it and tell her. Better she finds out now rather than from the papers tomorrow. If she hates me then…I'll deserve it.

"My sudden growth in the Tower, well it's a little hard to explain but…It's because of my unique skill. I'm not entirely sure what its limits are but it's the reason I've been growing stronger."

Kana's face turned blank.

Shit…I didn't break her, did I? Was it too much for her, did she snap?

"A unique skill…you have a unique skill that you kept from me?"

"Yes," I responded gingerly.

Kana lowered her head for a moment and looked as though she were crying. I leaned forward off my chair and distraught, reached out to comfort her. Before I could touch her, she suddenly burst out of her chair. 

"My adventurer has a unique skill!!! I hit the jackpot! Woohoo, with a unique skill you could join any guild you want…even Titan's Helm is possible now."

Kana spoke to herself frantically behind the desk and completely ignored me. I might as well have not been there.

Suddenly she leaned over the desk and grabbed me by the shoulders. "What can you do?!" She asked bluntly.

Her eyes grew to twice their size. She looked like a beast, seeing as I didn't want to upset her I answered promptly.

"I can make dead monsters into skills. It works by absorbing them…with a mist from my hand."

Her eyes turned starry and pulled me even closer over the table. "What else–what else?!"

"The mist…extracts monster drops…from the corpses." 

Kana grew even more excited and shot up into the air for another burst of excitement.

"That's a dual effect! That's rare even among the strongest adventurers…I'm sure with some higher training you'd even give Master Adder a run for his money."

"So you're not mad then?"

"Hm? Mad, oh yeah, I'm furious but this is still great news." Kana looked down at me with a smile that sent my blood cold as ice.

I sunk back into my seat, terrified of what was to come. For the most part, I felt lighter. There was a certain comfort in having her know about my skill and still not hate me. Still, I did keep it from her for a long time. For that…I felt really bad.

"I'm sorry that I hid it from you Kana, I never wanted to lie to you like this. I just didn't want anyone to know and now…everyone's going to."

"What do you mean? Did something happen?"

"The incident on the Seventh Floor. Everyone saw me using my unique skill and they reported it in their case. Veldor said I have a day before it becomes public, there's no more keeping it a secret."

Kana rubbed her chin and went into thought. "That is a problem. If they really did figure it out and report it, then it's only a matter of time before they're going to look into you."

I leaned back in my seat and placed my head against the backrest. "Everything's going to change now, I suppose."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing."

"It doesn't?"

"I know I got a bit excited before, but what I said was right. You'd become a hot topic, not just to the big guilds but to the higher adventurers too. What happens from here on out, is your choice."

"My choice, huh?" I looked down at my palm and gripped it into a fist. "Kana!"

"Yeah?" She looked nervous again.

"I want to become stronger. If my secrets are going to come out, then…I want you to help me make the best decisions going forward!"

Kana's widened expression shone on me and I realised what I had just said. I tried keeping a straight face, even though I sounded super lame. She smiled and let out a small giggle before answering.

"You really are an idiot sometimes but yeah, I wouldn't have it any other way. Let's make sure you become the best adventurer this city has ever seen."