Chapter 10 - The Awakening

"Three months?!" he repeated.

He grabbed Amanda's shoulders, she looked at him, her eyes still glistening, and nodded.

"Amanda made sure to check on you every day," Ranna said as she shook her head.

"I couldn't imagine how she endured that daily Mana Depletion"

"Mana Depletion…?" he whispered.

"Isn't that a debuff because of a lack of mana?"

His eyes widened. He gently grabbed Amanda's face, his eyes bouncing around—checking.

"Why did you do that?"

"I can't let you go, Leo," Amanda said softly.

"I had to do everything I could to keep you here."

Ranna leaned back in a chair and said, "Don't worry, I made sure she always gets a complete rest daily."

"And maybe we eat first before you two lovebirds have your moment."

Leo immediately removed his hands on Amanda. He didn't know what to say, but she just smiled at him and went to prepare their meals.

"What happened here, Ranna?" The chair scraped the floor as he pulled it out.

"You don't remember?" She asked before grabbing an apple from the center of the table.

"An inexplicable, terrifying aura that suddenly felt here at the house," she chewed away first before continuing, "It was so powerful that even the Dragon Lord thought that another system was bestowed."

"Not to mention that Luminas seemed interested, too."

Leo's head tilted while he stroked his chin.

"The Dragon Lord?"

"Is it that dude, Seth?"

"How did you know him, Leo?" Amanda, holding a tray, approached them and placed it on the table. She placed a bowl of soup and a piece of bread in front of each of them and sat on the other end of him.

He scooped a spoonful, blew the steam off a few times, and ate. Leo felt the hot soup glide into his throat, a sensation his body was longing for. He began to stir the soup and glanced at Amanda.

"Ranna always mentions him lately," he started.

"She said that snot Seth even received a system!" making a face that was supposed to look like her.

Ranna crunched a big bite at the apple, smiling.

"Looks like you also grew some guts while you were in a coma, huh?"

Leo, caught off-guard, stopped eating midway. The pause stretched awkwardly before Ranna laughed out loud while thudding her feet. "I'm messing with you, kid! Hahaha!"

Just then, Amanda started fixing her side and stood up. She grabbed her water and gulped it at once.

"You're done already?" Leo asked, slowly placing down his bread.

"Ah-hmm—," she nodded on her way to the kitchen.

"I promised Ranna that I'll get back to work when you wake up."

She quickly gathered her things and was ready in an instant.

"Please accompany Ranna for me…" she happily concluded. Everything about her seemed sparkling. Leo couldn't even react.

"Leave her be."

Ranna stood as well and went for the door. "You don't need to work today," she opened the door and, on her way out, said, "Welcome back, Leo."

"Ah,"

"I forgot to ask about the Luminas."

He proceeded to finish eating.

"Luminas, huh?"

"Maybe they're here for Amanda." he nodded to himself.

"And since I don't need to work today,"

"I guess now's the time to check those stats rewards!"

He went out and walked toward the forest, his gaze locked in a faraway scene only he could see.

"Hey, who's that guy?" Markus frowned, looking at a figure disappearing into the forest.

"That's Leo," Amanda enthusiastically replied.

The answer didn't register fast enough for him and made him lose grip on his pike, mouth wide open.

Leo continued to walk, lost in thought while checking out his system.

"Hmm, it seems like I received them."

Leo

Level 1

Class: None

Race: Human

"Aren't these stats ridiculous for level 1?"

Status

Strength: 1015

Agility: 1015

Intelligence: 1015

Stamina: 1015

Without realizing it, the forest started to become denser, swallowing the open sky. Crunches of the dried twigs, the howling of the wolves from afar, and the swaying of tree branches all muted to him.

"Ah, are you the reason that guy didn't realize I'm a system user too?"

He talked to himself, seeing one of the perks of his power.

VIP protection: Your systems and any VIP-related benefits cannot be scouted.

The shift of breeze started to penetrate his clothing. He shivered.

"Is it just me, or is it getting cold here?"

Slowly, he began to notice the changes in the forest. His breath misted.

He began to sidestep and scan the area as the trees began to noticeably dry up, thinner than they usually are. Dark clouds seep into the ground, and the normal forest noise comes to a halt.

Leo was then presented with a dark entrance. A gaping maw of a colossal beast, threatening to consume everything in its path.

"Woah!" The only word that came to his mouth. Then a thought struck him: why didn't he feel scared? Is this another perk he failed to read? Or is it a direct effect of his absurd stats? But before he could search for an answer to any of it, he felt it.

A menacing aura spilled from the depths of the cave. Although his perception was a blur, his body and soul felt it. An invitation, dreadful—mocking.

Cold sweat broke out on his neck as a part of him was telling him not to approach, but the other wanted to try his newfound stats. His feet lead him inside without him knowing, the pitch-black cave rendering him blind if not for his enhanced senses.

The passageway narrowed, the stone walls closing on either side. Each continued step echoed ominously, mixing with the faint dripping of the water and the occasional skittering of unseen creatures.

The further he went, the more oppressive the air became, as if the dungeon itself knew what he was doing.

Then he sensed it.

Something massive up ahead, far bigger than anything he had passed by. After a few more steps, he slowed down and entered a vast area. It was like an enormous field, almost as big as the farm.

Then, as if responding to his presence, torches from both his sides started to light up one after the other, revealing a giant throne across the room.

And the colossal figure sitting upon it.

Scarred. Hulking. With a mottled green skin gleaming in a sickly sheen. It reached out to a spiked club, which made Leo look like an insignificant speck of dust.

The creature's eyes glowed with fierce red light and started to stand up.

The ground rumbled. The throne trembled.

A battle was about to begin.