Null Jewel

Yren and his father walked back to their house, but the boy couldn't get his mind off the Dungeon. His father had explained how to close the windows and then explained how important it was to keep all this a secret.

"If the demons were to ever find out about the rest of us, then that would put us all in danger. The evil spawn hides among the humans, and there is one in Bora, so you need to be careful. Next is about tomorrow. You really messed up, boy; I hope you know that, ya know," Tybrus told his son after they had reached the house.

"What do you mean? I get it that I boosted my rank, but you said you can fix that, right?" Yren asked, and Tybrus nodded but didn't look pleased.

"Yeah, I can make you a pendant with a Null Jewel, but it will negate all your skills and combat potential. Do you know what that means for you tomorrow?" Tybrus asked as he walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a metal mug.

"Wait, you aren't saying that tomorrow when I place my hand on the Aptitude Crystal, it is going to say I am useless?!" Yren asked with panic, and his father nodded as he pulled the cork from some spirits and then grabbed another cup for his son.

"I told you, but you had to go and antagonize the girl, ya know. Here," Tybrus said as he handed his son the other mug, then said, "You are going to have to sleep in the bed you made. I know what the people are like there, and they are going to raze you, but you are going to have to shoulder it. After Ginny, my friend's daughter, can finalize your Dungeon License and get your ranking set."

Yren listened to his father, but he was worried about tomorrow in the back of his mind. Even if it wasn't true, everyone was going to see the kid at the top of the class be marked as the weakest Adventurer.

"What does that mean? I am going to get more skills?" Yren asked as he took a sip of the strong alcohol.

"Nope, you can't gain skills from leveling, just like me. We traded that for the Dungeon System, and now all our skills come from completing tasks for Monsters. The biggest thing is to find a way to beat the monster without killing them outright unless a monster asks you to kill another. Some of them need a real good ass-kicking before they submit, but I know you can do it, ya know!" Yren's father explained to him, and the boy nodded.

Yren thought about this, and it made sense, but that didn't help him with his main problem. Still, it was very late, and tomorrow was going to be a rough day.

"Alright, I am going to get to bed; you can finish this horse piss," Yren said as he handed his father his drink.

"Yes, well, I have work to do, thanks to my brain-dead only child, ya know!" Tybrus retorted, but both of them smiled as Yren turned to head to his room.

The following day, Yren woke up feeling a bit tired in his bed, but this was his big day. Then the realization of what had happened last night stuck, and he closed his eyes, thinking of rolling back over.

"Get out of bed, you lazy brat!" Tybrus roared as Yren's door banged open.

Yren fell out of bed and groaned in pain as he smoked his elbow on the hard floor. The boy looked up at his father with a scowl but got up and dressed fast when he saw the tired look in his father's eyes.

"You stay up all night?" Yren asked as they both grabbed an apple from a bowl in the kitchen before heading outback.

"I had to make that pendant, ya know! Now hurry up and get suited up. You will have to use my sword for now, but you have trained with it, so there shouldn't be a problem. You will gain better weapons and armor from the dungeons," Tybrus explained as Yren started to strap on his armor.

"So, everyone is going to think that I am talentless, but I feel much stronger today than I did yesterday. Can't I just duel someone to get my standing up?" Yren asked, but his father shook his head.

"What would people think then? You are a great fighter that is breaking everything that they know? Don't you think that will get attention?" Tybrus asked as he pulled out a silver chain with a small round pendant with a red gem in it.

"This is the Null Jewel?" Yren asked, ignoring his father.

He understood what he meant, but he didn't like having to hide his new incredible powers. There had to be someone he could tell.

"Yes, but don't avoid my questions, boy! You don't get to tell anyone, or do you wanna ruin your friendship with Sig? This is your path for now, and when the others are ready, we will start making our moves to force the Demons out of the human population. Until then, you must work on getting stronger in secret," Tybrus told his son and then let out a sigh.

This had been a long hard road for him, but Tybrus knew there would be a light for his son and all of them this time. He had stayed up all night and poured his heart into the pendant to make sure it would keep Yren safe from the Demons' gaze.

"Alright, dad, I get it. Don't like it, but I am sure if anyone knows what it is like you do, I shouldn't complain. I dug my own grave on this one," Yren said as he placed the pendant over his neck, but he didn't feel different.

"Keep it hidden, and never take it off. It is only meant to hide your potential, but it has no effect on you. Here is my sword, but you better get going," Tybrus said as he handed his son his long sword.

There was nothing special about it, except that it came from a dungeon, and in Tybrus's son's hand, it would become much more than a sword. It was a blade given to him by Mira.