Chapter 2: Discovery

The next day, Chris was still looking at the system panel. He tried to practice his boxing skill, early in this morning and made a small progress in his skill portion.

Name: Chris

Power Level: 17/50 ( Normal Human)

Strength: 5

Speed: 4

Vitality: 5

Intelligence: 3

Skills: Boxing(1/10 Beginner)

The proficiency part was increased by 1, but it was hard to increase since he had taken 1 hour of continuous practice before the progress increased.

Chris entered his classroom while looking straight in his desk. He didn't catch the attention of his classmates like yeaterday. After he had taken his seat, Reynold come again to him.

'this guy is really a pest, next time ill bring a bug spray to repel this guy' he thought.

Reynold is the only Chris classmate that do not bother to his situation, since the rest of his classmate was already in 1st to 5th stage of iron level warrior, they do not want to be acquainted with him.

That is why, even if he was like a pest for him, he was glad that this guy didn't alienated Chris like the rest of his classmates.

"Yo Chris, you're a bit early today, did you suffer a stomach ache until morning, enabling you to fall sleep? " he jokingly said.

Chris smirk and replied, "nope, I've just see you in my dreams wearing your birthday suit while running and you know that was really a nightmare". He told with action showing that he was feared by his dream.

Reynold turn green to Chris joke, "fuck Chris, you're lucky that I didn't kill you in you're dream"

Reynold walk back on his seat with a sour face, annoyed with Chris.

'Stealed Int +1'

'Huh?'

A sudden notification appeared on the side of his vision. He look at the panel and the changes shown on his intelligence

.

Name: Chris

Power Level: 18/50 ( Normal Human)

Strength: 5

Speed: 4

Vitality: 5

Intelligence: 4

Skills: Boxing(1/10 Beginner)

After the notification appeared, he feel the changes from his intelligence but that is too little that the feeling was already gone.

He wonder where he had steal this Intelligence point. The only person that was near him was Reynold, so the possibility that it came from him was big.

He still wander his eyesight on his surrounding, he is checking for the reason on how his Intelligence increase.

He was also curious of the indication of 'steal'. He was not sure on how it come by to him or how the it work. At the end, he didn't know the reason and was still clueless.

The teacher came and started the lesson.

When afternoon came, Chris entered the gym for their martial arts lesson. Everyday they are learning and practicing martial arts in the afternoon of their class, this was a trend since they are still in Apocalypse era.

Beast sudden attack can come anytime, that is why everyone must know how to defend themselves. Additionally, this was effective to strengthen the body and let the body cells to accommodate the Arcane Energy inside.

The so called Arcane Energy is the energy that brought by the miasma to earth. This was a potent energy that can be wield to strengthen the bodies and wield to create attacks that stronger than the weapons created by technologies. This energy was out of the scientific knowledge but right now scientist use it as a source energy as alternative to electricity.

To be a real iron level warrior. One must need to have enough power to store and release the arcane energy from their bodies with their attacks.

Being a warrior, normal human can not be compared to them.Some talented normal human can still contend with those who are in the 1st Stage Iron Level Warrior but when they reach the second stage above, normal people cannot face them, unless there are 3- 5 of normal skilled person.

By this, you can differentiate how crucial is the ability to wield the arcane energy for humans. Beside, fierce beast outside are much stronger than this humans. Without the power level of a mid Stage Iron Level Warrior (Stage 4 - 7), human can not contend with them, as they were much stronger at the humans on the same level.

Chris was busy on practicing his boxing skill on the corner of the gym when Reynold come again to him.

'This guy must have a bird brain, he was angered by me this morning, but right now his coming to me with a face that full of smile'

"Yo Chris, wanna have a spar?"

Chris expected this guy motive for sparring, well even though this guy was already at 4th Stage Iron Level Warrior, he always share time to spar with him, this is to assist him to be an Iron Level Warrior. He was not typical a bully since he hold back but still his punches was still hard for him as ordinary person.

"Okay" Chris agreed.

Chris made his boxing position with his eyes focused on Reynold. He started to move towards him. He punch on his chest area, but Reynold already see through his move. Reynold make a few step backward to avoid the punch and disrupt Chris momentum.

Chris only punch through air and only saw Reynold fist was coming to his shoulder. The punch was on his speed level, giving him an opportunity to dodge it.

'steal speed +1'

'huh' chris notice the notification on the screen. He was stunned for a while forgetting that he was in the middle of the spar.

Reynold started to punch again on Chris face this time. Chris was still destructed and was late to dodge his punch.

'bam' a sound of hitting fist on Chris face was heard.

'steal vit +1'

The onlookers on the side saw the scene, many of them cannot hold back and laugh to Chris misfortune. Some cannot stop laughing and tears was falling down on their eyes.

Reynold on the other hand was worried and feel sorry for Chris.

"Yo Chris, that was not intentional. Im sorry" he apologized.

Chris was holding his nose, he feel that it was dislocated from the punch. His face was also painted red from the pain.

"I'm fine don't worry, I will just go to the comfort room".

He signalled to Reynold that he was fine and walk out of the gym.

Reynold on the other hand felt something was wrong with him.

' I expended some of my Arcane Energy?How?' he wondered. He didn't used any attack with Arcane Energy embedded during the figt. The amount was detrimental but still noticeable.

Getting to the bathroom, Chris turn his attention to the changes in the panel.

Name: Chris

Power Level: 20/50 ( Normal Human)

Strength: 5

Speed: 5

Vitality: 6

Intelligence: 4

Skills: Boxing(1/10 Beginner)

The stats of him increased after he dodged and was hit by Reynold.

Pondering for a while, Chris created a speculation.

' dodging giving additional speed, being hit was giving me some vitality. How about if I attack? my Intelligence? My strength?'

A series of question appeared on his head. He doesn't have the mean to confirm it since the word 'steal' in the notification was still a mystery for him.

What if he was really taking their strength, speed, vitality and Intelligence?

He had a head ache imagining those things. People will be frightened to him, and possibly may labelled him as a threat to mankind if that was true.

After 10 minutes he got out of the comfort room. He immediately return to the gym to spar again with Reynold.

When he entered, he saw Reynold sitting on the bench while watching other student spar. When he noticed Chris, he made a hand gesture asking if he is alright.

"Don't worry I'm fine, wanna spar again? But this time don't target my face. I am afraid that you will make me a pig head".

Reynold agreed to his request and back to their position

.

"Yo Chris, are you really not holding a grudge from my punch?" He asked again with an unconvinced look. He was not expecting that Chris will ask for another round of spar making him to think that he was still holding a grudge from the incident and wanted to make them even.

"How can I? I can't even make a proper wound for you, so how can I take revenge for it. Do i look like someone who is looking for beating".

Chris was annoyed to Reynold. He's looking at him like he is a petty person. Somehow, the last part of his sentence was true, since he is expecting that Reynold will beat him to prove his theory.

"Yo okay, stay focused on the fight" he reminded.

They started to exchange blows or to be precise, it was a one sided beating. The onlookers on the side saw what they are doing, they watch Chris expecting go repeat the scene before

' steal vit +1'

'steal vit +1'

'steal speed +1'

'steal str +1'

....

After receiving five hits, Chris ask for a timeout. His body hurts but he could feel the changes inside.

He gained strength *1, speed * 3, vitality * 5 in total of additional 9 points on his Power Level.

He had reach double digits in his vitality, making changes to his physique visible. He could feel that his body toughness was increased.

In addition, he gained strength when he tried to counter Reynold and successfully making a hit on his body.

He shift his attention to Reynold, he noticed that he was frowning.

"Is there a problem?"

Chris was nervous to asked Reynold, he didn't know if the stat steal harmed Reynold.

"Yo, don't worry I'm fine. I just felt that I expended some of my stored Arcane Energy, but it's alright. I can recovered it later, maybe its just that my body is not in good condition today " he explained.

Chris nod at him and didn't ask for more.

At the same time, the bell ranged which make them to say goodbye to each other and part ways.