A Dangerous Reward

The boy and the cat began to play dice. Suddenly the relaxed expression disappeared from the ferin's face. The cat took the game very seriously. He refused to make the minimum bet and both players bet 10 credits per game.

The dice clattered against the walls of the cup and rolled in front of the players. Both opponents won and lost. The cat frowned. The boy watched his opponent's game with pleasure. This spy was a good specialist. The spy was competent in marking the reaction of the alien race. Cats were gamblers and loved competition. Most of all, the ferin respected physical competition. Gambling was not welcome.

The boy won several times, but he was unlucky in the application of the skill. Mana was coming to an end. He was attempting an attempt.

[Duelist Trophy skill activation. You gain the ability to learn the skill Race Dance. Do you wish to learn the skill of Race Dance? Yes/No.]

The title did not please the boy. What kind of dance skill is that? His opponent sat still and did not dance. Lee Long agreed to learn the new skill. At this point, Zagran showed concern and even turned his face and looked away. He didn't like anything about the atmosphere. The boy picked up the glass again and shook the dice. Roll. "Seven." The cat picked up the dice and threw them into the glass. He covered the glass with his paw and shook it. Toss. "Two twos." He lost again.

"Yes! A pair of "sharp-eyed hunters". You lose.''

The boy agreed to apply the Trophy skill. This time he got the skill on the first try.

[Duelist Trophy skill activation. You gain the ability to learn the skill Mental Hegemony. Do you wish to learn the skill of Mental Hegemony? Yes/No.]

The cat hissed in displeasure. He couldn't accuse the little boy of cheating. The players were winning with mixed success. The experienced diversionist sensed that the situation was going in the wrong direction. He had failed! He was being watched! A change of location was required and watch this little man from the sidelines.

At this time, Lee Long was trying to realize the depths of the trouble he was in.

The first skill had a funny name, but it was a cloaking skill! It was great news and a great acquisition. Lee looked at his status. He had 42 mana points left! Only two activations of the Trophy skill. Two tries! You can't save mana when there's such valuable prey lurking nearby. The duelist got his reward. The second skill had a clear telling name.

"Ouch! My appointment! I've been playing with you, kitten. I must hurry!''

"Have a good hunt.''

Lee muttered goodbye and continued looking at the description of the dangerous skill,

[Mental Hegemony. Level 1. Allows you to affect the enemy's mind. Possible to produce Suggestion. The power of suggestion depends on the strength of Intelligence. The cost of activation is 50 mana.]

"Mental Practices! That spy tried to read my mind! He constantly pressed on my brain. But my intellect can fight the patriarch's intellect! That's why Zagran was so anxious. He sensed something. I got into dangerous games!"

Lee Long remembered Maria. Sometimes the behavior of this experienced scout made one run away from home. Maria would sometimes disappear for weeks at a time. People played their spy games. Every colony was engaged in a cold war. Each colony fought for a better place in space. There was no consensus among the human race. The colony Europe 9 considered only one neighboring colony its ally. In what operations was Maria involved? The boy knew that sometimes she came back in a nasty mood and acted like an evil witch.

There were about 600 billion stars in the galaxy. Eight billion stars had planets that were suitable for life. At the same time, there were 4 billion systems in the Galaxy that had more than one planet with conditions for life. A large number of star systems contained two or more stars. Approximately 1 billion systems contained planets on which sentient life had long existed.

Humans were allowed to inhabit several planets in the Ferin Sector.

A sector is an area of space enclosed within artificial boundaries by political, economic, and military structures. There are 1024 sectors in the galaxy.

A Sector could have 50 inhabited star systems.

Sector Ferin was on the outer border of the Alliance and was part of the Neutral Sector zone. There were several races of sentient cats in the Galaxy. Over several millennia, it was the Ferin sector that managed to accumulate the attention of different Ferin races.

Lee Long heard the conversations of the elders. He understood the meaning of the colony's existence. They could only count on themselves. The Europeans are hoarding forces and funds. Europeans participate in secret missions! Europeans will surely manage to escape from the clinging clutches of the Ferinians! The humans will be free.

The struggle for freedom and respect went on for the second hundred years. Humans seldom succeeded. They faced unknown opponents. People learned to fight mages and technomancy. Humans learned to behave according to the laws of the Galaxy. Humans were struggling to get used to the basic idea that they were not kings of nature.

Rookies among equals! The weak among the strong!

Humans had great prospects. Humans had flaws.

Lee Long had never heard about mental magic. That information was secret. The existence of bodily magic dictated the need for mind magic. A magician can affect the whole body, so a magician must have the skill to affect the head. The boy knew that for sure now. And the knowledge frightened him. He got into the business of a race of spies and paranoiacs. Now it was clear why they sat quietly in their hiding place. They have the power to scramble around in brains. No one would allow such outrage. But no one is screaming for trouble. No one is peddling mind-protecting artifacts. So the Zagrans are running their game with success. And one nimble duelist has intervened in that game.

It takes 50 mana to activate a skill. That's an adult's supply. Suggestion...

Lee Long squeezed his eyes shut and began to fantasize. Several simple ways of enrichment appeared in his mind. With such a skill, there are no barriers. Such skills should be handled carefully and cautiously. You can ask a rich scoundrel to give up all his credits. The scoundrel is sure to discover the loss of funds from his account. Suggestion can only be used as a lethal strike skill. Brainwashed opponents should not be left behind. And of course one must conduct experiments! Carefully suggest innocent and simple thoughts.

No mana reserves are enough for perfection! No calm and cold-blooded development. He just got a leap to a new level of development. 300 mana is a chance to develop both Shield and Speed and Healing in harmony. And the Ice Arrow needs attention. It is a ranged attack. It deals weak damage of only 1 point. But the damage can go up to 10 points. Cloaking was also an expensive skill. It cost 20 mana to activate. This is a rank 2 magic. Support Magic. As the level increases, the duration of the spell increases. What are the quality gains of cloaking? Unknown.

The boy lay on the grass and tried to think calmly.

His attention was caught by the conversation of the boys. They were discussing the subject of mysterious and bloody crimes,

"The old Ladder never cheats. He knows how to hide, he is a master of camouflage. He has seen the little brutal beast kill and eats his opponents.''

"Nobody ate anybody. It was Shrimp. He just killed the Red Grass gang. They were brash and crazy guys.''

"Killed them and ate them!''

"Shrimp is small and strong. He hides in the dark. It has become dangerous to walk around at night. The cops come down from the upper levels. They want to catch this villain.

"They will catch their tail! Pitiful losers. Let them keep order upstairs. We live by our laws.''

"Shut your mouth. We don't interfere in dangerous business.''

Lee understood that his actions had consequences. But he didn't think there'd be such a commotion and confusion. The police? Did he attract the attention of the police? The boy squinted his eyes. He had interfered with slave traders. The little prisoner in the box.

The boy didn't worry about the subject. His first visit to the lower town had proved too brazen and bloody. It was not the right thing to do. But how should he behave? He was ready to leisurely infiltrate the turbulent life of the outskirts of the capital.

"No contest in the Middle City! I won't participate and attract the attention of the solid cats. There is no need for that now. I can discreetly find a target and carry out an operation to eliminate the criminal. And before he dies, he'll give me all his credits!"