Chapter 411 Discreet Encounters
Blinking my eyes open, I stared at the ceiling tossed in my mind the daunting task that lay ahead - the quest to beat King James, who was seemingly powerful beyond measure. Not having any reassurance that the Scouter hadn't failed during the measurement of the King's power level was nerve-wracking.
Once my sleep-laden eyes picked up the first rays, I had the compulsive need to go back to the palace. I surreptitiously slipped out of the room, leaving Lillia and Mati - both of them in deep slumber without the slightest consciousness of my absence. Sliding into my shoes, with the Scouter handy, I approached the palace, driven by an intense curiosity and unease.
Halfway through, I stumbled upon an assembly of villagers, their murmurs hushed and faces pallid under the cloak of starlight. A clandestine meeting, by the looks of it. Blending with the shadows, I positioned myself behind a giant willow, peering at the assembly. A sense of urgency tinged their hushed voices.
The distinctive face of a burly man, whom I recognized as one of the ousted council members Gloria had introduced me to, caught my attention. The stoic expression on his face betrayed his words, his tone severe. A spark of intense resistance flared within his weather-beaten features, striking a pattern of similarity with the king's royal council.
Through the snippets of conversation I caught, it became evident that this was a rebel group, plotting against the King. They were desperate and sensed my echo in the wind, hoping, praying I might possess the solution to their predicament. But first, I needed to get to grips with the scathing reality of King James' might. I could sense it, a fretful underpinning in their conversation. King James was no mere ruler to them, but a strong, fortified, and ruthless despot.
In the disarray of revolt and rebellion against the king's horrid rule, a spark of hope arose, hope that I could help them. I quietly pulled back and made my way towards the palace. The Scouter's power and my current guise would act as the perfect shield for my endeavors.
Basking in the flicker of the first light, the palace radiated a majestic aura, resonating with unworldly power. Stealthily, I entered the castle, the Scouter in my possession guiding my way, beeping irregularly. Murmuring a silent appreciation for the castle's grandeur, I slipped into the vast corridors.
As I probed further, the Scouter initiated an onslaught of alerts. The energy reading buzzed erratically, signaling substantial power levels. A reminiscent knot tightened across my chest. I almost had to grasp my breath having maneuvered my way into the living quarters when, surprisingly, an unexpected number flashed within the Scouter - a substantial 'Level 75'.
Tension prickled through me. For once, King James' minions were more powerful than me if the Scouter proved correct. After a moment’s hesitation, I peered into the room. There he was, in an imposing storm of intensity and authority, the general of King James' army. Occupying the spacious chamber and carrying an aura of arrogance I was all too familiar with. His broad shoulders and stiff posture, even in sleep, unveiled the reason he was chosen as King’s right-hand man. A demonic-looking stone, with its menacing royal blue glow, lay by his bed.
A surge of adrenaline jolted through me. something about that stone bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I could feel a demonic presence coming from inside of it, but I had never seen anything like it. It made me wonder if it was linked to the demons that were powering this island.
Caught in a moment of unfortunate imprudence, my Scouter flared, brightly illuminating the general's chamber. For a horrifying moment, it felt as though time had stood still. But the General stirred, and panic clawed at me, demanding immediate action.
I retreated hastily from the window, plastering myself onto the cold stone wall right outside. The seconds stretched agonizingly as I waited, listening for the sound of waking guards. My mind raced, images of drawn swords and heated questioning flashed across my mind. But moments passed, and nothing happened. I let out a sigh of relief.
Stealing one final glance at the general's room, my eyes landed on the glowing demonic stone once more. A sense of dread lingered ominously. This had to be King James's source of power, and it was fortified within his trusted general. Digging my nails into my palms, I took off silently, the predawn wind whipping across my face and chilling me to the bone.
My return to the inn was uneventful, and both Lillia and Mati were still fast asleep, utterly oblivious to what I had just uncovered. I sank onto my bed gratefully after making sure that my Scouter was turned off and safely hidden in my pocket.
After this dawn's discovery, my mind was abuzz with newfound knowledge and the realization of what I was indeed facing. King James's army was formidable, and he wasn't one to be underestimated. The palace's discreet encounters revealed much more than expected, a deadly power harbored in the image of the fearsome general and an equally awful power source glowing eerily by his side.
I tried to close my eyes to get a bit more rest, but each time I did, the stone would appear. Finally, I gave up, and closed my eyes the other way, appearing in Harold's lab where he was alone.
"Where have you been?" Harold asked as I looked around the room.
"Oh you know, risking my life so I can save everyone. The usual," I said, then frowned at him. "Where is Marly? You too are usually glued to the hip?"
"She is with Kali and the new girl, Chana. Quit diverging from the question! You know I can't see what is going on out there, right?" Harold growled, but I shrugged.
"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I was checking on the king's guards with this loud ass thing you gave me! Does it really have to beep all the time?!" I demanded, and Harold gave me a look as though I was stupid.
"Did you even look at the buttons on it?" He sighed, and I looked away. "You are worse than a child, you know that?"
"Or, my best friend could have told me how to use the damn thing! I was almost caught! And why am I so weak?! Level 70 after all of that?!"
"You are not that high. This Scouter combines a numerous amount of data to give you an average, but it also is a level…” Harold said, pausing to squint at me, reading something I couldn’t see. “2 magical item. You need to use it more to get better readings that are more accurate. Right now it is only taking all of your attributes and putting them as one number, and it also doesn't account for the elementals you have inside of you. They technically are their own power, but they will always help you. that makes them an extension of your power, but scouter only sees your power," Harold explained, but that just made my brain hurt.
"I'm not sure I grasp all of that, Harold," I admitted, rubbing a hand over my eyes. "Can you dumb it down for a lay person like me?"
Harold sighed, but he seemed patient enough to explain the concepts in simpler terms. "Alright, the power the Scouter is displaying is not an absolute value. It doesn't account for the unique abilities of magic users, including those from the Elementals inside you. It's also a magical device. It gets stronger the more you use it, like leveling up in a game, which gradually leads to more accurate readings."
It made more sense now, but I was still dissatisfied. "But I don't want it to beep," I complained. I couldn't afford the Scouter drawing attention when I was sneaking about.
Harold showed me the silence function on the Scouter. I felt like an idiot for not figuring it out myself - it was clearly marked and very intuitive. "Well, that is extremely important. I probably should have led with that instruction," I admitted. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get some sleep."
"Sleep? You should be training or studying, Zack. Or do something productive with the Elementals maybe. You know, the basics that help you get stronger. Not everything's about strength numbers from a Scouter," he reminded me with a stern look.
"Probably, but there was another thing. There was a demonic stone in the general's room. I have never seen one before, but it feels like it is connected to the demons powering the island. Do you know anything about this?" I asked.
Harold's stern look softened, replaced with concern. "Demonic stone? That sounds strange... I don't know enough about it to say for sure. Maybe you should--"
I had had enough. "It's alright, Harold," I sighed. "I'll figure it out eventually, somehow."
Harold crossed his arms over his chest, sending me an unimpressed look. "Zack, you can't just 'figure it out'. This isn't some trivial matter. We're talking about demonic forces here. They're not something to meddle with lightly."
I raised my eyebrows at him. "Who said anything about meddling? I'm here to help these people, not cause more damage."
He seemed to contemplate my response before sighing and waving his hand dismissively. "If you're so keen on doing this, just be careful. You know more than anyone how dangerous getting involved with things you don't completely understand can be."
Nodding at his words, I assured him. "I will, Harold." Our conversation ended, and I retreated into the comforting darkness within my inner world. Harold's words echoed in my mind, coupled with the worries of the day, leaving me in a pensive mood.
Demonic forces... If there really were such things involved, this situation was much more complicated than I had initially assumed. King James, his overpowered army general, the peculiar demonic stone...too many unanswered questions lingered. Considering things from that perspective, my Scouter rating became irrelevant.
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