"You didn't have any friends to teach you about the outside world?" Tasha asked, her expression softening.
"I was sheltered, remember? I didn't have any friends. The only people I ever interacted with were the ones who worked for the old man who gave me home," Ethan answered.
"Again, out of curiosity, who is this old man who took you in?" Tasha asked gently.
"His name is Alistair Lockhart," Ethan said casually, then paused when he noticed their expressions suddenly change.
"What's wrong?" Ethan asked.
"The person who adopted you is L-Lord Alistair Lockhart?" Tasha asked slowly.
The confidence she carried just seconds ago vanished the moment the name "Alistair Lockhart" reached her ears.
"Lord Alistair Lockhart?" Ethan repeated in confusion.
"Don't tell me you don't know who that person is. Oh, wait, what am I even asking? Of course, you're going to say you don't know." Tasha rolled her eyes.
Ethan glanced at Sasha, silently asking her to explain.
"You really don't know who he is?" Sasha asked in a low voice.
"Well, I know he's rich, influential, very high-status, and a powerful awakener," Ethan replied.
"So you really don't know, and you've lived under his wing for years? God, you really did live in a shelter," Tasha said, rolling her eyes again.
"Lord Alistair Lockhart is the most powerful awakener in the entire world. Since the system first descended into our world, he is one of the handful of people who managed to reach Level 100, the highest level known to exist. There is no one more powerful than him. Every awakener in the world aspires to reach his level," Sasha explained slowly, as if speaking about someone she deeply admired.
"Lord Alistair Lockhart might not see himself as a king, but he is, without a doubt, the person sitting at the highest possible status in our world. Nothing happens without his approval, not even the World Awakener Association can go against him... Someone like him, and you are telling me you don't know about him?" Tasha continued, sounding as if she had just lost whatever respect she had left for Ethan.
More importantly, Ethan himself had always known the old man was powerful and influential, but he had never realized how powerful and influential the old man was.
"I knew he was a great, influential figure, but I didn't know to what extent," Ethan admitted, rubbing his head.
"I can't believe you are Lord Alistair's grandson," Tasha sighed.
"I'm not. He was good to me; he gave me food and clothes, and for that I am extremely grateful. But he does not see me as his adopted son. You calling me his grandson is disrespectful to him," Ethan explained.
He was right.
The old man, Alistair Lockhart, had never adopted him.
Ethan was just a kid he took pity on.
The man was so rich and generous that feeding one more child was like pouring a single drop of water from a full bucket.
There was never any formal relationship between them, because the old man had dozens of others like Ethan whom he had taken in out of pity, and all of them had to work.
He simply gave Ethan a place to stay and food to survive, and even that was not free.
Once Ethan reached a certain age, he had to work in the old man's manor, doing things like cooking, washing, cleaning, and other chores to earn the right to stay.
Still, it was not all bad.
He was allowed to read some of the advanced books in the manor's library, something the old man gave him access to generously.
"We are sorry... we shouldn't have assumed," Sasha apologized.
"It's alright, it's nothing to apologize for... I'm actually glad everything turned out the way it did. I even got to make my first friend," Ethan said, looking at Sasha and then at Tasha.
"Yeah... I guess I have no choice but to accept your friendship after all that, huh?" Tasha sighed, as if this was a drag.
"Anyway, I will take my leave. I don't want to keep you guys from your business," Ethan said.
"Yes, that would be optimal," Tasha replied with an expressionless face.
"See you later." Saying that, Ethan left.
Sasha and Tasha watched him go.
"He's nice. I like him," Sasha said.
"Don't tell me his story got to you, and you're falling in love with him... You're always so sensitive," Tasha snorted.
"I'm just saying he seems nice and innocent. Don't make it weird," Sasha rolled her eyes.
"That's what I'm saying. He seems nice and innocent, but that doesn't mean he is nice and innocent. For all we know, he could've been acting. Maybe the story he told was something he cooked up," Tasha said, shrugging her shoulders.
"He genuinely seems nice," Sasha said, narrowing her eyes.
"Yeah, whatever..." Tasha muttered.
"Come on, don't act like you don't like him too. We're the same—if I like something, then you'd like it too. That's how it's always been," Sasha said confidently.
"I mean, I don't hate him, if that's what you're asking," Tasha replied with the same expressionless face.
Then her expression turned serious. "And besides, what good does liking someone do for us? Our fate is already sealed. Developing feelings for someone will only make it harder to let go."
"We will find a way to survive... There is still time..." Sasha replied, her expression softening.
"... I guess, but I don't think there is," Tasha sighed.
"For now, let's just focus on what's in front of us..." Sasha said with a smile, placing a hand on Tasha's shoulder.
"You are positively charming. I don't know what I would do without you... I'd probably end up depressed," Tasha finally returned to normal.
"And for the record, liking someone and developing feelings for someone are two different things," Sasha added as they headed toward a dungeon to level up.
"You're still on that? Fine, I agree. But keep your level of friendship with him limited to just being acquaintances. It's for your own good and for his. You don't want to break his heart after giving him hope, do you?" Tasha sighed.
"I know you're only saying that because you also like him."
"Yeah, whatever," Tasha sighed again, but there was undeniable sadness on her face, a sadness that was also reflected on Sasha's.
"It's painful to realize that the rest of our days will be spent knowing exactly how little time we have before we cease to exist."
"...We still have time. Let's hold on and try to figure something out," Sasha said, forcing herself to stay optimistic.
"Yeah… maybe luck will find its way to us one day."
...
Ethan fiddled with his phone, scrolling through countless posts on QuickGram.
"There are so many people on QuickGram… so many Awakeners posting short videos of themselves battling monsters and using all sorts of skills I have never seen before…" he muttered, swiping to another video.
In it, a man used some sort of skill that made a piece of innerwear appear in his hand.
In the next second, another man who had been sitting at his computer suddenly jumped up, realizing his trunks had vanished, and began chasing after the skill user while screaming and laughing.
"I didn't know skills such as these existed." Ethan chuckled.
The more he scrolled, the more amusing and interesting skill user he discovered.
"I shouldn't waste my time… Even if my trait guarantees I will obtain skills, that is no excuse to fool around. It just means I have to use this opportunity to become much stronger than my peers." Ethan tightened his fist with newfound determination.
A few moments later, he stood on the tenth floor of the Tier-1 Dungeon Hall, right before the gate leading to the [Dwelling of the Snake Lord] dungeon.
"Here goes." Ethan extended his arm, and as soon as his fingertip touched the gate, a system prompt appeared before his eyes.
---
[Choose the Difficulty]
Nightmare Difficulty
-Solo Entry: 200 System Gold
Hell Difficulty
-Solo Entry: 300 System Gold
---
"Hmm, this dungeon only allows solo clears in Nightmare and Hell difficulty… Choose Hell Difficulty." Ethan selected it.
In the next instant, the solid gate turned cloud-like and misty.
"Let's go." Ethan stepped through the gate, and when he emerged on the other side, he found himself standing in a dense forest.
The moment he entered, he spread his awareness and, within an instant, sensed hundreds of monsters lurking only a few meters away.
"Oh, it is Hell Difficulty, alright. There are so many monsters right near the entrance itself." Ethan's expression hardened as he checked his status.
---
[Awakener: Ethan Aurel Ashenfall]
[Profession: Necromancer]
[Level: 10]
[Attributes]
-Strength: 100
-Dexterity: 100
-Stamina: 100
-Vitality: 100
-Sense: 200
-Spiritual Energy: 200 + 200 (One Ascends)
[Summoning Skills]
-Summon Undead Knight (Level: 10)
-Summon Undead Spirits (Level: 10)
[Active Skills]
-Mourning Rain (Level: 7)
[Passive Skills]
-Death Link
-Undead Graveyard: 20/20
[Traits]
-Black Halo (Unique)
-One Ascends (Spiritual Energy)
---