"How did it go?" Reith turned around when he heard the movement of the door.
Paul sighed, and glanced at the nurse. She had remained quiet all through the journey and he couldn't figure out what was wrong.
"I need to be a student to access the training grounds." Paul said, taking his seat.
Everything was going too fast for him. He had learnt he was asleep for three days from the nurse, so he had ultimately spent four days since he left his comatose state.
Reith carried a tray and placed it in front of Paul, "You need to eat." He said, pulling out a chair, and taking his seat.
Paul took a small bite. The pill had even cured him of all pangs of hunger, so he wasn't really feeling like it.
"I don't think it's a bad idea... being a student." Reith chipped in, while picking at his food.
The spoon made a loud clatter as it was dropped, and Paul closed his eyes, "She was taken to the west. I have to head there to get her, somehow." He replied, staring down at the food.
"There are things there… monsters."
"So you've heard?" Paul turned.
Reith stood up, taking the trays away, "Yes, it was after the explosion that the World Order came to Yevendra. You can't just rush to the west, especially at your state or you'd get both yourself and that lady killed." He uttered, before he turned to face Paul.
"I know that but I don't want to waste more time." Paul sighed, standing up from his seat.
"Become a student, train more, and get your strength. How hard can it be? This current city, from what I have seen in these few days is a lot more advanced than Yevendra. You should use it to your advantage." Reith said, walking over to the young champion.
He knew such a burden might be heavy for the young guy, so this was really the best and only route.
A small smile crept across Paul's face. "I should be twenty-five years old now. You think that wouldn't cause any issue?" He looked at Reith, who simply chuckled.
"I think you are concerned about the littlest of things. You look no older than fourteen."
"Fifteen." Paul let out a low grunt. Maybe it was time to use this to his advantage, he could pass off for a young core awakener.
There was a palpable silence before them, before they stepped out of the building.
Getting to be a student shouldn't pose that much of a trouble. Paul took a fighting stance and faced Reith. Testing his current limits wouldn't be bad.
He had never been to a school before, the closest had been when he was home-schooled by his parents, because they believed the prestigious should never mix with the peasants. Silly ideals, and it brought nothing but pain.
The simple thought brought distaste to his mouth, but he masked it with a smile.
"Fight me, Reith. I saw your strength the other time." Paul uttered, preparing to charge.
His parents… A distant thought. A couple who only cared for blood and war, despite their prideful gaze, they were corrupted, and they made him so.
He should have ran away sooner.
"I don't think I'd be able to beat you, Champion." Reith let out an awkward chuckle.
Paul rolled his eyes, and anyone looking at them right now would imagine the squabble of a father and son. "Big guts for mocking me. Just train with me, and I wouldn't hold it against you." With that sentence out, Paul ran forward.
It felt strange using his human strength. It was weaker than he expected but he had no choice.
Every punch he took towards Reith was met with hard force, and for a second, it felt like he was punching a rock.
"What are you made of?" After fifteen minutes, Paul collapsed, panting like he had finished a marathon.
"I apologize." Reith bent down his hand, and waited for the champion to take it.
"Seems I need that training ground after all,"
With a grunt, Paul took hold, and pushed himself up. "Thank you. I need to find a way to get in… I mean be a student." He cracked his neck, trying to ignore the dull pains over his body when a screen appeared.
[Host had fulfilled hidden quests requirement; Generating Quest.]
"So the system generates quests? I'm guessing the quests are based on my current actions and goals. As expected of His works, just for my good then." Paul mumbled, waiting for the quest that would appear.
Did this mean the system could adapt to his situation? Were his decisions also a factor of his growth? Paul sighed.
He knew he was a fool sometimes, and this kind of system might be detrimental to his growth if it was based on his decisions.
[New Quest: Be the best.]
[Acquire Wisdom, Strategy, and prove that to get the best, you have to be the best.]
[Veritas Paul, Do you accept this Quest?]
"Do I have a choice?" Paul sighed.
Reith laughed, "Of course you do. If you don't want to use that method. You can simply just go in through the upcoming competition, and you would be placed at a class based on your strength." He mused, wondering if there was any other way to be a student.
It was in that moment Paul realized he hadn't been paying much attention, but what Reith just said seemed good enough, especially when he had no time left.
"I'd go with that." He said, walking forward, while he mentally accepted the quest.
"You sure? Alright then. The competition is in two days." Reith remarked, following behind him.
"What?"
Two days was too little.
"You can do it. You are God's champion." Reith said a short encouragement.
"My core is damaged." Paul frowned. He would definite lose before he got to the second round. No school would accept someone who doesn't even have a functioning core.
[Quest Accepted; Displaying Host Status.]
[Paul Veritas; Level 2, Natural.]
[No abilities]
[All stats; 5]
[Sub Quest; you were stronger Paul, and you can regain your former strength and more, but are you willing to do what it takes? Complete the following challenges in two days.]
Something was wrong, and Reith turned around to realize that Paul had stopped walking.
"Is something wrong?" He raised a brow.
Paul looked up, and his facial expression switched. "No. I'd catch you up later, but I need to train. See you later." Before Reith could answer, Paul turned around and ran off.
"Where is he going?" A soft and smooth voice echoed, causing Reith to turn around.
It was one of the nurses, and she was holding a child as she stood at the entrance.
Reith couldn't deny the look of despair he saw on Paul's face but he guessed the issue had to be with his special status, and he couldn't realize why Paul was hiding things from him.
"To train, so I guess we leave him to it…" Reith smiled, before taking the child out of her hands. "Such a cute boy. Should we get ready for dinner?" He stepped into the building.
"He must like you. He doesn't let just anyone carry him." She noted, following the man inside.
Reith said nothing. This was his own way of paying. The nightmares, the screams of the children, they haunted him every night.
There was no way he could apologize to the victims, so this was the best he could do—serve these people.
Paul walked through the streets. This place was so developed that he couldn't find a single quiet place to be by himself.
In Yevendra, when he had saved Reith, he had zoomed past so many trees.
If the nurses found him in the cave, then it could be close. He walked for hours, until he turned back.
"I should look for an empty building or space." He muttered to himself, turning down a small corner.
It wasn't long before he arrived at a park space.
"Looks good enough." He said, and at the command of his mind, the translucent screen appeared.
It was time to get to work, and he would put this silver lining to use.
Vivienne, The war, the heaven stone. He would get them back. The cracked orb within his subconscious throbbed in response to fire in his heart. One step after the other.