General Becker approached Erik, the man's imposing presence almost overwhelming the young awakener. Erik's heart raced as he stood at attention, his hand instinctively snapping up in a military salute.
Due to the man's innate power, which was evident in the massive amount of mana he was emitting, Erik experienced a slight fear. He had heard stories of Becker's prowess in battle and his ability to control and manipulate mana easily.
"You may be at ease, young man," Becker said, his voice deep and commanding. "I have asked Caiden to have his daughter bring you here, for I have heard of you from my men," the General said, making Erik's worst fear true.
The young man relaxed slightly but still felt a sense of unease in the presence of such a mighty man; besides, he detested him. He looked at Becker carefully, taking in his tall, muscular body and handsome face, and he wondered how much mana the man really had. It was almost as if the soldier were a living well of power, his very presence imbued with the strength of the arcane substance known as mana.
Erik really wanted to analyze the man, but the system told him not to do so, and he refrained from it.
Erik couldn't help but feel a strange admiration for the General despite his hatred and fear for the man. He had heard stories of Becker's bravery and skill on the battlefield, his unwavering dedication to his country and fellow soldiers, and his immense strength. And now, standing before the man himself, Erik could see why he was so revered.
"I understand that you are Frant's only awakener," Becker continued. "A rare and valuable gift... I believe that your talents could be of great use to our army in the fight against the thaids in the future, but it is clear you need more training and time, despite being at a very high level for your age," Becker said.
"Thank you, sir; it is a great honor to gain recognition from you…" Erik replied, lying. He didn't care a bit; worst of all, he didn't want that attention. "I will do whatever I can to help as soon as I am deemed worthy," Erik added, his voice steady despite the roiling emotions within him.
Becker nodded, his sharp gaze never leaving Erik's face. "I have high hopes for you, young man. I believe we could achieve great things together with your talents and the military school's guidance."
Erik took a deep breath, trying to calm the dread almost tangibly coursing through his veins. He could sense the power radiating off of Becker, and it made him feel small and insignificant. But he also knew he had to make the most of this situation.
"It's okay, sir," Erik said, his voice steady. "I'm honored to have been given a chance to meet you, and I can't wait to work with you, but I must ask, what is the reason why you called for me?" Erik asked.
Becker's face softened slightly, and Erik felt a sense of relief wash over him as he noticed it. Despite not liking this attention, especially from this man, this was a huge opportunity to understand what this man wanted to do with him in the future. From there, Erik could decide what to do.
In the meantime, Richard and Caiden looked at each other, surprised expressions on both their faces. The two men had been observing him closely now that he had come inside the room, and they could clearly see that he had grown significantly more powerful since they had last seen him, which was not that long ago in Caiden's case.
The mana around Erik thickened, and his muscles bulged as he flexed them involuntarily. They could feel the raw energy coursing through his veins. It was exponentially higher than before.
"I've asked you to come because I wanted to know you personally. After all, we will work side by side in the future," Becker said.
"Really, sir?" the awakener replied, faking eagerness.
"Indeed…"
The conversation went on, with Becker looking closely at Erik. He was astonished to see a fifteen-year-old kid being so strong. The amount of mana the young man radiated was average at best. Still, knowing how weak he previously was and having seen some old photos of the boy, he noticed the significant change his body had undergone. Erik could feel the weight of the General's scrutiny, which made him feel apprehensive again.
"By the way, may I ask you how you were able to improve so much in such a short amount of time?" Becker asked Erik. "It's clear that you've been making some significant progress in a very short amount of time," Becker added in a measured tone. "I was curious if it had anything to do with your father. Did he teach you something particular?"
Erik hesitated for a moment before responding. He knew that Becker was well aware of who his father was, and he wasn't sure how much he wanted to reveal. His father taught him nothing; all he gained came from his efforts and the system, but that was a legitimate question due to his father's fame.
"My father gave me some pointers, but nothing that significant," Erik replied carefully. "However, all of my progress comes from my efforts."
Becker nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I see," he said. "Well, you are indeed doing a great job. By the way, I'm sorry about your father's disappearance. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for you."
Erik forced a smile, trying to hide the bitterness he felt about his father. "It's been tough, but I'm managing," he said.
"By the way, sir, I know the army had sent my father away for a very important mission. It was apparently so hard that he died during his duty, but if you don't mind, may I ask you what he was sent to do?" the awakener asked.
Erik felt his heart pounding in his chest as he asked that question to the most important man in the nation.
"It was a classified mission," General Becker replied gravely. "One that only a handful of people knew about. Suffice it to say; it was of great importance to the security of our country and humankind's future."
Erik knew what his father had been sent to do; he himself told him when he came back from it, bringing the biological supercomputer. However, he wanted to hear what Becker had to say about it.
"But he didn't come back," Erik said, the words tasting bitter in his mouth. That was a real emotion. The young man was nervous because of the meeting and was enraged at the man in front of him, as he blamed him for everything this nation and its inhabitants did to him, but talking about his father was a sort of weak spot because, despite Erik's anger, he still loved him. Lucius was his father, after all.
"I'm sorry to say he didn't," General Becker said softly. "We lost contact with his team shortly after they arrived at their destination. Despite our best efforts, we were never able to locate them. We declared them missing in action, but we aren't certain what happened to him."
Erik had the hunch Becker was lying. After all, soon after he got the biological supercomputer, his house was searched by someone, and his uncle Benjamin coincidentally came to visit him before that happened. The fact that Erik saw the man walking beside the General gave him further suspicions that they knew he had come back.
"I'm sorry," General Becker said, placing a comforting hand on Erik's shoulder. "We did everything we could to find him and bring him home."
Erik nodded numbly, not trusting himself to speak. He felt a wave of anger wash over him, directed not only at General Becker, the man standing in front of him but the military that had sent his father on this mission.
"I understand," Erik said finally, his voice rough with emotion. "Thank you for telling me." General Becker nodded sympathetically.
"Is there anything else you want to ask me?" General Becker said gently.
Erik shook his head. "No, that's all. Thank you, General." It was clear the man wouldn't tell him anything meaningful. Asking questions was pointless.
General Becker stood up and offered Erik a salute. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Erik. Your father was a great man, and I do not doubt you will follow in his footsteps."
Erik returned the salute, feeling a sense of disgust swell within him as he was having trouble keeping the facade going any longer.
"Thank you, General," he said, and with that, Erik left the room. As he did so, a conversation between Becker, Caiden, and Richard started.
"I must say. Wow, I couldn't believe he only had a single neural link three months ago," Becker remarked with a thoughtful look.
Caiden and Richard exchanged a quick glance before Caiden spoke up. "Yes, he's made quite the progress in the past few months. Significantly so in the past weeks."
"Weeks?" Becker asked.
"Indeed." Caiden said, "The last time I saw him, at the hospital after the Crystal Cross Gang attack, he wasn't this strong. It's like he used some drug to increase his strength."
"Is there proof for this claim?"
"No, sir," the man replied.
"Well, whatever the young man did, it's okay; maybe he is just talented." Becker nodded as he said that, a small smile forming on his lips.
"But his brain crystal is weak," Richard interjected. "That might limit his abilities in the long run."
Becker looked at Richard, his eyes piercing. "Richard, don't underestimate the power of someone who can awaken. We've been searching for someone like him for a long time, and I have a feeling that Erik will prove to be more useful than we ever imagined."
Caiden and Richard exchanged another look, both sensing the underlying intentions in Becker's voice. With that, the conversation ended, and Becker took his leave. Caiden and Richard were left deep in thought, realizing the weight and the role that Erik may play in their future.
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