Chapter 49: Ballistic Kick
Morning came faster than expected. Well, it wasn’t faster, but yeah whatever. Certain people felt that it was, not after the intense battle they had in the night. They may be strong, but they were still mortals and they get tired. Silas and Gromda were literally entangled under a huge tree, despite the bright morning sun and the noise of birds and squirrels, F-Rank beasts.
Silas and Gromda wished it had stayed night a little longer. The two were currently under a massive tree whose branches stretched so wide that they formed a natural roof overhead. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, blanketing them, but they didn’t care.
Silas was lying on his back with Gromda practically on top of him, one of her powerful arms wrapped around his waist like an iron band.
"Morning," Silas muttered, not even bothering to sit up. If the supervisors were to see him now, they would question why they had that thought to go in search of him. He was the most unserious person in the whole rift no doubt.
"Morning," Gromda muttered and snuggled closer, showing no sign of waking up.
"We should get up..."
"Mm."
Five more minutes passed.
"We really should get up."
"Mm."
Still neither moved. Silas was just about to close his eyes again when something prickled at the edge of his senses. His Thread Sight activated instinctively, and countless threads appeared showing trees, animals, and birds. One very large thread moving extremely fast. His eyes opened slightly.
"..."
Something was falling very fast. The creature burst through the canopy above, causing branches to explode, and scattering leaves everywhere. A massive shadow descended directly toward them. It was a giant feline beast, nearly three meters long, covered in dark fur, with its jaws wide open, and its claws extended.
A D-Rank predator, and unfortunately for it, Silas was directly under it. The beast roared triumphantly and Silas groaned.
"Five more minutes..." The monster descended. Ten meters, five, three, one. Silas lazily lifted a leg and kicked.
BOOOOOOM!
The sound exploded across the forest, while the beast’s roar immediately transformed into a distant scream. Its body became a blur, a black streak shooting through the air, past the trees, the hills, and a flock of birds that immediately changed religions. It flew nearly a kilometer away and collided into a hillside, causing it to explode. Dust rose into the sky.
Silence followed.
"..."
"..."
The birds stopped singing and the squirrels froze. Even the wind seemed confused. Gromda slowly sat up.
"Dead?"
Silas yawned.
"Very."
Far away, the unfortunate predator was now embedded halfway into a hill. Its skull had ceased all negotiations with reality. Back under the tree, Silas stretched lazily. His muscles rippled with power.
The recent awakening, the battles, the training, and the system... everything was beginning to show results. He wasn’t just stronger; he was becoming something ridiculous.
[Physical performance increased.]
[Combat instincts improved.]
[Hostile target eliminated.]
[Experience gained.]
Silas blinked.
"Did I seriously get experience for kicking something in my sleep?"
[Yes.]
"Best system ever."
[Agreed.]
Gromda nodded enthusiastically.
"Best kick too."
Silas grinned.
"Of course it was."
Somewhere in the forest, a monster that had witnessed the entire event quietly turned around and decided to hunt literally anything else. It wasn’t suicidal.
Meanwhile, Silas finally sat up.
"Alright."
He cracked his neck and the forest seemed to tense. A pink glow flickered briefly within his eyes.
"Now let’s see what fresh nonsense this rift has prepared for me today."
Knowing his luck, the rift probably heard him.
***
Well, they didn’t move anywhere. Silas was currently seated under the tree, chewing on roasted fish they caught some minutes ago in a pond. Gromda lay her head on his laps while he absentmindedly caressed her hair, while staring into space, or rather the system. It’s been a while since he checked his stats.
<Status Report!>
<User: Silas Cupid Ashard>
<Age: 18>
<Level: 8>
<EXP: 415 / 800>
<Core Functions: Active!>
<Strength: 19+5=24>
<Speed: 18+6=24>
<Stamina: 28+10=38>
<Agility: 17+5=22>
<Intelligence: 35>
<Endurance: 30>
<Cupid Points: 1500>
<Ability & Related Skills:>
<Ability: Thread Manipulation (Stage 1)>
<Cupid’s Traits:>
- Lust (Unranked)
- Mischief (Unranked)
<Skills:>
- Smooth Talker (Lvl 2)
- Sex Machine (Lvl 3)
- Prowess (Lvl 3)
<Marked Partners:>
- Anna Miles
- Gromda Ashard
<System Potential:>
<Desire Manipulation: Unlocked!>
<Charm Reflex: Unlocked!>
<Targeted Obsession: Unlocked!>
<Fated Connection: Unlocked!>
<Cupid Arrow Sets (New!):>
- Piercing Arrows (Unlocked!)
’Pretty solid stats, but why the fuck is stamina that high?!’ Silas almost shouted out loud.
[You fucked a freaking orc! That orc is at least an A-Rank, and you made her scream.]
’Hey! You sound offended.’
[Am I?]
’You are.’
[...]
’...’
[Yea yeah, so that’s that. Your stamina along with Prowess and Sex Machine increased because of Gromda. Strength, too.]
’Figures. Why does she have my name though?’
[Ask her.]
’Okay...’
[No, seriously, ask her. I thought it was a bug, but it’s not. It seems to be a conceptual thing. Possibly something with culture or tribal stuff.]
’I see...’
"Gromda?" Silas called to her. She raised her head, sensing the change in his tone.
"Mm?"
"Do you have my name?"
"Oh... Yes!"
"Huh?"
"I like name. So, I take."
"..."
"You my mate, so I take name as mine, too!"
"Is it by force?"
"No. No. No. It is culture."
"Explain more."
"Female orcs take name of mate. That is identity forever."
"I see. That’s pretty cool."
"You think?"
"Isn’t it?"
"It is!" Gromda declared proudly. The smile on her face was so bright that Silas couldn’t help chuckling.
"You know, that’s actually kind of a huge commitment."
"Hm?"
"You take my name and that’s it? Forever?"
"Forever."
"No refunds?"
"What is refunds."
"Never mind. No exchanges?"
"No exchanges."
"What if you find someone cooler?"
"Cooler than mate?" Gromda frowned.
"Exactly."
She stared at him for several seconds. Then shook her head.
"No."
Silas laughed. "That wasn’t even hesitation."
"Why hesitate?"
"Fair point."
The two began walking through the forest, or rather, Silas walked. Gromda followed half a step behind him. After a while, she suddenly spoke.
"You have... strange questions."
"You have strange answers."
"That fair."
"It is."
A comfortable silence followed. Then Gromda looked at him again.
"You not like normal human."
"Trust me. I’ve heard that one before," Silas snorted.
"No." She shook her head. "Not appearance."
"Then?"
"You not scared."
"Of what?" Silas blinked.
Gromda looked around. The giant forest, the unknown world. Everything.
"Anything."
Silas thought about it and shrugged.
"I get scared."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Silas rolled his eyes.
"Fine. I get scared occasionally."
"When?"
"When I check my grades."
"..."
"..."
Gromda stared at him and Silas stared back. Then she burst out laughing, oud and carefree. For someone who had spent most of her life isolated, her laughter was surprisingly infectious. Soon, Silas found himself laughing too.
