Free Web NovelChapter 14: Chapter 14: Desert City
All of them started sizing down the wolf.
Death was particularly concerned about having a new, formidable adversary. Especially since it looked so cute like a stuffed toy.
In the future maybe she could try something similar and be carried around by Night....
hehehehe
The flames in her eye sockets danced at that; fortunately it is pretty much impossible to read the emotion of a skeleton
The wolf looked at the three of them, then looked at Night and asked, "They are connected to you like me. Are they your summons?"
Night exclaimed, "They are my friends, and I am only alive right now because of them."
The wolf said, "It’s unusual that you have three su—ahem—friends when you haven’t even unlocked your class yet."
Night confirmed this and proceeded to tell her about his journey from the facility.
The wolf, suddenly enlightened, murmured, "It makes sense you have so little karma. A divine skill... that makes sense."
The wolf nodded her head cutely.
Eve and Lilith started looking around the room to kill the boredom, while Death looked like she was contemplating the Grand Dao as she stared at the tiny wolf.
No... she was definitely not thinking about murdering a puppy.
"Now what do we do?" Night asked.
The wolf said, "I brought us to one of the safest cities. Here you can grow. You have five years to prepare, and I think this is the best place for a child like you."
"Five years for what?"
"The next phase, or the final phase," the wolf replied. "Since the integration with the System seven years ago, there have been a series of tests, tutorials, and dungeons. From the information we received, this is the System’s way of strengthening the locals for the next phase."
"Next phase?"
"Yes. The System called it the ’Merger.’ I don’t know exactly what happens, but whatever information people have come across, it implies it won’t be easy to survive what is to come. Most weaker planets perish in this phase."
"So, you need to get stronger before then. I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but you must try your utmost, and you can leave the rest to me."
"Just get me somewhere I can help us gain levels faster."
She paused, then added, "I will handle the rest. This reset to my levels is a curse, but it will also be a boon. This time, I can avoid all my past mistakes."
"Mistakes?" Night asked, puzzled.
The wolf didn’t elaborate much, but simply said, "No more hiding behind illusions and shadows. I will take the initiative from now on. For me, but more so for you. It’s not easy for a child such as you, with no guardian, to survive in this cruel world." The wolf smiled cheekily.
"Especially with your gullible nature.... Who feeds a treasure that can make you stronger to an injured beast that could eat you up in one bite?"
Embarrassed, Night decided to check his stats.
Status
Name: Night (Nightmare)
Race: Homunculus (Artificial Human)
Class: Unlocks at Lvl. 10
Level: 2 (EXP: 20/200) freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Energy Value (EV): 270 (+10%)
Aspect: [Nightmare]
Skills: [Sensitive Nose (Lvl. 1)] [Beast Instinct (Lvl. 1)]
Unique Skills: [Nightmare Domain], [Devour], [Bond]
Summons: [Eve], [Lilith], [Death]
Bonded: [Fenrir]
Title: [Awakened]
He looked disappointed. No skills from the five corpses.
He suddenly looked down and asked, "Do you have a name?"
The wolf replied gloomily, "No. In the tribe, orphans don’t have names."
To cheer her up, Night said, "Since we are basically family now, why don’t I give you a name?"
The wolf looked at him with a hint of doubt.
Night mused, "Hmm... how about Lucy?"
Hearing this, flames burned fiercely in Death’s eye sockets.
The wolf considered it. Since it was a new beginning, having a name would be good. Surprisingly a little shy, she said,
"Lucy...is good."
So cute, Night thought.
× - × - ×
They moved out of the ruined building and into the desert, while Lucy merged with his shadow and disappeared.
"About a kilometer north is the desert city. It is managed by a witch," Lucy’s voice echoed in his mind.
Night grumbled and started walking.
Since he didn’t know how people would treat Death; a living skeleton, he decided to approach the city by himself.
Suprising despite his weak physic, this time the walk was way easier.
Soon, he spotted the settlement, which looked more like a massive fort that could probably put the Great Wall to shame. He reached the gate, where there were two guards and no one else
The guards noticed him. When he reached them, they looked at him in surprise.
"Where did you come from, kid?"
"I..." Night didn’t know what to say. So, he said what felt right. "I don’t know. I woke up in a ruin one kilometer south of here."
The guards looked at him in pity. "Bloody..." one muttered. "Human traffickers again."
Human traffickers? Night was perplexed.
One guard looked at him closely to see if he had any signs of trauma and asked, "Do you know who saved you?"
The other guard smacked him in the back. "Idiot, can’t you see? Who else could it be but the crazy witch? She has a thing for kids."
The first guard turned back to Night.
"Go in, don’t worry about anything for now. Look for a hotel named ’Starry Night’ and say Jeffy sent you. The owner will let you crash for a few days. From there, go to the Academy and register. They will admit you, and when they see your circumstances, they will take care of your stay, food, and other things."
Night asked hopefully, "Really?" Free food and boarding sounded incredibly good.
The guard smiled. "Yes. You are lucky. Since the System came, people have been scrambling for manpower."
"Where else to find good talent than in a place like the Academy?"
The other guard mocked, "The same old ’catch them young’ policy."
Jeffy sighed.
"If you do well, then your future is set... if you survive, that is."
*These are troubled times, with more troubles to follow."
"My advice is to select a class with good utility and not a fighting class if you want to live long..."
