Chapter 188: Employment?
Chapter 188: Employment?
Jin stood, panting while standing on his feet. The creature at his feet shriveled and then turned into black smoke like lit incense. This wafting black smoke, did not have a scent at all, quite strangely. Its sword also vanished when the weilder did.
As soon as the creature had radically disintegrated, a system popup appeared in Jin’s face.
[HP: 2/47]
[Task Completed]
[+0 Exp, + 15 UP]
[Strength: 40]
[Health: 47]
[Speed: 18]
[Skill: 45]
[UP: 25]
[Exp: 23/75 | Level 10]
Jin scoffed upon noticing that he was reward with no experience points for defeating the Void. He cursed under his breath.
“Two Voids and yet I get nothing …”
A figure manifested at his side. First, twirling black. Then, a strange aura. And finally, a figure. It was obviously Cliff.
He scratched behind his head. “My bad,” he sighed, “I thought the system would actually give tons of points for taking out one of these huge heavy things. It almost killed you. I thought wrong I suppose.”
Jin looked at Cliff and narrowed his eyes at him. To which Cliff just showed laughing eyes, scratching behind his head again. Jin continued to peer up at his system screen. He looked around for the Wizard. The Wizard was some twenty meters away in the village, making sure everyone was fine. After having seen this, Jin found it safe to use his system in the open.
He started tapping on the plus next to the health tab.
[Strength: 40]
[Health: 72]
[Speed: 18]
[Skill: 45]
[UP: 13]
[Exp: 23/75 | Level 10]72]
[HP: 3]
[HP: 4]
[HP: 6]
[HP: 9]
[HP: 11]
“All twenty five points on health? That’s the first time you’ve spent that much there,” Cliff said, jamming his hands in his pockets.
Jin kept his eyes to slits. “I almost died just now. Health is a huge hindrance when it comes to my battles. I’m getting sick of it.”
“Of course it is. You fought three people,” Cliff said, “had you defeated Mr.Wizard, you would have a lot of experience points by now. The system said it would reward you with five hundred and five Exp, right?”
Jin didn’t answer, but it was true. 505 Exp. If only he had defeated the Wizard. The most damage he’d done was with his weapon special attack, Gamma Explosion; where the Wizard’s blocking arm was severely injured.
“You need to get some more energy type attacks,” Cliff took out a cigarette from his pants, “like that poisoning and that gamma explosion. Believe me when I tell you that there are dozens and dozens of them more, just waiting to be unlocked. And by the way,” his face went serious, “now that you’re on level ten, someone’s awakening was triggered by the system. The second disciple. It’ll be after us with malicious intent. For now, I’d advise that you continue to pick up the pace with your leveling. She will be summoned to the place she last was in the world—and that place is France. We have some time before she arrives. We’ll have to make do of it.”
Cliff carried a cigarette to his mouth, drooping his eyelids at his obsession. Then, he lit it with his lighter. The lighter clicked, sparked, and then there was fire. Cliff inched the fire to the cigarette, and lit. He then finally gave the cigarette to his lips.
‘She’s all the way in France,’ he thought, ‘my daughter’s at one of the safe zones. I had to make sure she got there, and that I did without revealing my identity. The problem is Jin,’ he sighed, ‘ I can just let her kill him, and then we’d all be erased again until another person gets the system …but that shouldn’t happen.’
‘She’s gonna come for him, and I won’t be able to protect him well enough. The borders are closed, airports are shut down, she’ll have a hard time getting here in NYC without teleportation. If she somehow finds a way to get teleportation, then I’d be vain. From France to America. Teleportation doesn’t work from such distance, and if it isn’t Jin’s teleportation, it burns a lot of energy.’
He sighed again. ‘That would give us about four weeks. Enough time for Jin to reach level twenty. When he does, the towers will start rising from the Earth for him to clear and level up. Right now he’s about twenty times weaker than me when I’m on par with the Wizard he’d fought only minutes ago,’ he furrowed his brows, ‘He needs to get stronger.’
The Wizard suddenly hovered down to the surface in front of Jin and Cliff. “That’s four Voids taken down by me alone. So many of them was just lurking outside of the walls. Honestly, fighting them was much better than fighting you. They were tougher—yeah, but,” he smirked, “at least they weren’t teleporting every damn second. I defeat anything that faces me head on without all the games and play.”
Jin ducked his teeth. “Anything my arse,” his voice trailed off, and then he looked at the village from afar. “What about your villagers, are they alright?”
“Some suffered injuries,” the Wizard clasped his hands behind his back, “but no deaths, thankfully. Except,” a vein appeared at his temple, his eyes turning fierce, “… Kai … you,” he shuddered, “you killed him, and threw his body off of the wall, didn’t you?”
Jin kept his eyes slit, profound apathy that would be found in a student when listening to a boring teacher. Did he even have to give answers to people’s questions anymore? His tongue clicked. He didn’t feel like it.
“For that, I cannot forgive you. Y’know, I was planning to hire you after having seen your strength. I mean, you’re no Void. You’re no demon …”
“Wait, he isn’t?” A voice asked from behind, to which the Wizard payed no attention.
The Wizard continued, “you’re just something else. Just like another anomaly we have at this village but much more malicious. Now that I know you’ve killed Kai. I can’t hire you or even forgive you even after you helped defend the village. Death,” the Wizard shook and leered, “is what you must face.”
“Why?” Jin somehow had to guts to ask the Wizard this with a voice as calm as a summer sea.
“You pose threat to my villagers!” The Wizard snapped, veins appearing at his temples. “And you’ve killed Kai! Kaylie’s going to try killing me!”
“Guys,” said a familiar voice from behind, “what are you blabbering about? Can I get some context, please?”
The Wizard started to turn around, “Why, would you just give me one second to mourn the death or a beloved,” he turned around and gasped, “Good heavens, it’s you, Kai.”
“Yeah … it is …”
“Are you sure you’re not some impostor,” he looked over his shoulder at Jin, “He’s not some impostor, is he? You’re a man of tricks. Is he of your games?”
“I’m not,” Kai said.
The Wizard darted toward Kai, and wrapped his arms around him. “Oh father! You’re alive again! I cannot believe this.”
Kai narrowed his eyes. “I was always alive. When did I die? You’re being really weird right now.”
The Wizard smiled merrily. “The boy behind me had killed you … he killed you. Saw it with my own two eyes.”
Kai broke away from the middle aged man’s embrace. “He did hurt me, for which I’ll get him back for. As a matter a fact, I nearly died. But suddenly, he teleported, dropped me in my sister’s room, and left. Of course, since he’d done so, Kayli healed me up. I was here to fight Jin again but,” he sighed, “I guess he’s not a demon.”
The Wizard turned to Jin, wiping a tear and sniffling. “First, you spared Kai’s little life, and then you helped fend off Voids from attacking the village. You’re a good man, Jin. Sorry for thinking wrong of you. You still pose threat to the village—but we need dangerous men anyway.”
Jin raised a brow. “What do you mean? Who asked you that?”
The Wizard smirked. “It means,” he perked up, “I’m hiring you as the villager’s next scout, protector, and Hunter. Well, our hunters do scouting and protecting, so basically just a whole package. We have about twelve hunters alone for such a.m huge residence that’s always in danger. Would you accept this offer? Voids aren’t the only enemy, y’know.”
Jin drawled, “sure whatever. As long as there are leveling opportunities, lots of food, and people to fight. Especially, people to fight.”
“All of which are the least we can give to you,” The Wizard said. “Then I believe you are officially hired as our new Hunter. There is paperwork involved, but screw the paper for today. I’ve heard you talk about food quite a lot. You must be hungry, so let’s visit a tavern or something.”
“We better,” Jin said, “or I’d quit as a Hunter on this spot.”
“I still hold resentment against you, Jin,” Kai said, “so don’t get pushy!”
“To the Tavern!” The Wizard cheere, annarm wobbling as he marched.