Darkness talent(3)

Alvin couldn't help staring at the familiar text displayed on the mysterious book. It dawned on him that the golden book seemed to be copying Mia's unique talent. He was beginning to vaguely grasp how this magical book worked.

"Okay, okay, little monkey, you can stop now. Your talent is truly impressive," Alvin hastily interrupted Mia, who was still playing with his shadow using her darkness talent. Mia ceased her manipulation and turned to Alvin with a hopeful smile, as if expecting something.

Alvin felt a bit embarrassed. He didn't have a chocolate cake in his hand now, nor did he have the money to buy Mia one as he promised the little girl. "That... Mia, brother doesn't have money now. I will buy you one as soon as I make some coins."

Mia's expression dimmed momentarily, but being an understanding kid, she replied, "Brother, don't worry. Mia doesn't want chocolate cake. It's not that tasty. We can save that money to buy food later."

Alvin sighed, ruffling Mia's hair, and affectionately said, "Silly girl, don't act like a big girl in front of me. I'm not so useless as to not afford such a small request from my little sister."

Mia silently looked at Alvin, then in a serious tone, she said, "Brother, it's not Mia who requested chocolate cake. You're the one who told me that you will give me one if I showed you my darkness talent."

Alvin was taken aback. "I'm just being emotional here, can't you play along? Must you expose me like that?"

Elena also smiled at her daughter's counter to her son. Alvin always used this type of emotional drama to fool Mia, and the little girl always fell for his trap. But it seemed like she was not going to fall this time.

"Hehehe," Alvin chuckled awkwardly. "Mom, I'll go to Auntie Rui's shop to exchange the copied books for some money."

Elena nodded. "Be careful, and come back early." 

......

As Alvin walked down the street, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. He made a mental note to be more careful with his promises, especially those involving chocolate cake.

"Maybe next time, I would have to come up with a better plan to get out of buying Mia that chocolate cake," Alvin smiled to himself.

As he walked with the small cloth bag containing some books inside it, he silently allowed his will to enter his mindscape, and once again, the golden book appeared in front of him.

This time, Alvin didn't hesitate. He let his will touch the page. As soon as Alvin touched the golden page, he felt a familiar sensation wash over him once again, and his connection with darkness increased once more.

"So comfortable," Alvin couldn't help but say. The feeling of becoming powerful without doing anything was truly addictive, and Alvin felt as though he was walking down this path.

Alvin once again looked at the golden page, he saw the notifications that previously recorded dark talent +5 and so on all disappeared, and the message showing his darkness talent rearranged

"darkness talent: 30/100 (level 1)."

"Sure enough, I have to absorb the talent recorded in the golden page into my body if I want to improve my talent," Alvin was delighted.

"Since I have darkness talent, maybe I can try manipulating shadows like Mia now." As this thought crossed his mind, Alvin stopped walking and tried to sense his shadow.

Soon, Alvin felt a subtle connection with the darkness. He willed his shadow to lift its legs, and his shadow actually moved as if it had its own mind.

"Hahaha... that worked! I, Alvin Everhart, am also a magician now!" Alvin laughed out loud, scaring a muscular man walking opposite him. The man took some steps back and looked at Alvin with vigilance.

Alvin was also stunned. He was so engrossed in trying out his new talent that he didn't even notice this burly man walking near him.

Thinking the man might have mistaken him for a lunatic, Alvin scratched his head. "Um... will you believe me, if I told you that I am not crazy?"

The man nodded vigorously and said with a forced smile, "Yes, yes, you are not crazy."

It would have been fine if Alvin hadn't said anything; now the man was 100% sure that this foolish-looking fellow in front of him was crazy.

Just as Alvin thought he had convinced the other party, he saw the man turn around and running in the opposite direction at top speed, as though a dog was chasing him. Alvin was rendered speechless.

"From which angle do I look scary? Seriously, I am weak and skinny to the point that you can count the number of bones in a human body directly from me," Alvin was helpless.

"Are all tough-looking men this timid?" he shook his head and walked towards Auntie Rui's shop.

Aunt Rui was a person who had a stall that sold books near the market in Alvin's previous world.

Even though he accepted the fact that he had crossed over to a parallel world, he was still not sure about what changes this world had in comparison to his original world.

"Auntie Rui sold auxiliary books on cooking, poetry, stories, and so on in my previous world. I'm not sure what changes would have happened in this world," Alvin sighed, scratching his head. "I have to find a way to understand the changes in this world compared to my original one as soon as possible."

Magic and cultivation were concepts foreign to his previous world but here everyone seemed to have at least a basic understanding of these mystical arts, leaving Alvin feeling like a black fish among the white ones.

Shaking his head, Alvin walked towards the market in a fast pace. The sky was already dark.

As he entered the bustling marketplace, the vibrant chaos of vendors and customers greeted him. Sellers shouted, buyers bargained, and the air buzzed with the lively energy of commerce.

Spying Aunt Rui's stall in the midst of the colorful hubbub, Alvin couldn't suppress a nostalgic smile.

Yet, as he drew closer, what he saw left him confused . The familiar books in his memory were gone, replaced by an odd collection of weapons and rectangular boxes embedded in the walls.

Alvin's eyebrows raised in surprise and he blurted out, "Aunt Rui, where are all the books?"

Author's Note: Alvin's previous world (original world where Alvin belonged to) is unlike our own. There, kings and emperors held sway, bearing the hefty burden of political power. This wasn't a place of gadgets and machines; instead, it echoed with the clashing of swords and the thrusting of spears. Picture an ancient land where the worthiness of a ruler wasn't decided by votes but by the strength in battle. Let your mind wander to a time when the course of history unfolded through the actions of kings, where the simplicity of swords and the bravery of warriors shaped the fate of nations. Remember, this isn't Earth; it's a distant realm resembling our ancient past.