Eternal Myth of Arcana

"How would I know? I just followed my instincts to survive that situation...one way or another. I did not know who he was, how I ended up here, or how far I was from my home...the only thing that I remember is falling asleep in my room at my house and then opening my eyes with injuries all over my body. I don't feel guilty about killing him..." I said what I truly felt and what happened to me.

"Well, you are a damn gutsy kid. You have my respect for that. Not many people can handle moral concepts logically" Fernandez spoke as I could feel the change in his tone with me. From 'brat' to 'kid,' that's a great change, in my opinion.

"By the way, you guys said that this place...is a dungeon, right? Can you tell me about that a little more?" I asked the question that was bugging me a lot when I heard the term from Sarah a while ago.

"Well, no idea how you ended up in here, but this is Sapphire City's Tier 2 dungeon that is used to train the Tier 2 Devaints to hone their skills. By the way, this one is a rogue dungeon hidden deep within the mountains. Only a few criminals and rogue deviants know about this dungeon. You must have offended some lunatic who kidnapped you from your home and brought you here" Fernandez said as he laughed at me.

"Do you know about...house Nerona? The guy threatened me with that name?" I asked as I wanted to know about the person who wanted me dead. I didn't even know what I did, and they want me dead? I have to make sure I give them a good beating once I become powerful enough.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Silence...absolute silence as we all three looked at each other. I hoped for an answer, but they looked at me with strange facial expressions as if looking at an idiot.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked as I saw their reactions.

"Sigh...kid, either you are a genius with Federal Council at your back to protect you or an even bigger lunatic who tried to kill you. House Nerona is one of the three great houses in the Federation. There's only one way to save yourself...just go and beg for forgiveness" Fernandez stated with a serious tone.

"Great houses, huh? I never even heard of them let alone offend them. Why would they want to kill me? What can a nobody like me from a third-rate city can do to them?"

I felt confused as I had no idea what I did to a family sitting in the capital to deserve death!

"Capital...old man, are they the famous house that is famous for their lightning powers?" I asked. I suddenly realized the connection between things. My mother, Zoya, is from a great house in the capital, but she fell in love with my father, and they both came to this city. I never cared about their oast. They had no intention to tell me about it, so I never learned about my mother's background, but now I can see where things are going.

"Yep! At least you know your stuff, kid. Now you better put some strain on your mind and figure out what you did to offend them...wait, by the way, who the duck do you think you calling old man, you damn brat?!"

Fernandez roared angrily as he glared at me.

"Weak...that's what offended them about me, maybe. Uh...Is...there any way to connect to the outside world?" I asked with a heavy tone as something began to gnaw at me from within. A sense of emergency clouded me in its chilly breeze, but I couldn't pinpoint its source. I could even feel my eyes getting moistened but I managed to control the tears rolling down my cheeks somehow.

'When...did I grow so weak that I feel emotional now?'

I questioned myself. Life was hell for me on earth but I never cried. I always cursed at that pathetic life, but I never cried...yet here I am, feeling emotion at mere fleeting words said to me by some lunatic who wanted to kill me?

"...yes," Fernandez said as he saw my expression. Instead of questioning me, he threw a phone-looking thing to me that looked more like a damn lunchbox to me.

"This secured device that can is loaded with some... let's say, damn good tech. You can call anyone you want," Fernandez spoke proudly.

"Hmm..." I nodded at his words and then dialed the number from Kepad.

"..."

"..."

I returned the device back to him.

"By the way, kid, you seem to awaken, but Sarah told me that you failed to awaken; what's the deal, kid?" Fernandez asked with a curious expression.

"Awaken? Me?" I asked with a confused look but then suddenly, I remembered the cold mechanical voice that I heard back there.

'System...damn! I totally forgot about that!'

I wondered in my mind.

"You don't even know you are awakened? What the hell is wrong with you, kid?" Fernandez wanted to sack the kid at the back of his head but then controlled himself, thinking that the child might have gotten lucky somehow in life and death situation or maybe a mana detection machine might have defaulted and accidentally declared the kid as tra....*ahem* normal. There's no other explanation I could think of after all.

"Well, you are an awakened. Every Deviant carries a certain heavy aura of mana around them, especially those who are recently awakened. But I have to say kid, either you genius or too lucky...I can barely sense that heavy aura of mana around you. Usually, it takes other newbies a week or two to learn how to control their aura and stabilize it but you simply bypassed that situation entirely. Even the smartest genius with assassin talent can't control their aura in a single day, moreover, not while unconscious at all. You are the first"

I listened to his words and got a little idea about my situation. I knew that it must be because of the system. What took others weeks took him a single day. Only a system can do something like that.

'S-system'

I muttered in my mind with a shaky tone, curious to see the changes after the system was no longer under any restrictions. Instantly, the same illusory blue screen appeared before my eyes but it changed into. Much more realistic and refined. Contents are written in golden words and a vine pattern carved on all four edges in a runic pattern. It looked mysterious and elegant.

__________

[Status]

Name: Ethan Holmes

Rank: Tier-1

Potential: Divine

Title: Player {Innate}

Affinity: Fire, Lightning

[Stats]

Body: 6

Mind: 7

Spirit: 10(Max)

[Skill(s)]

• Azazel's Blessing {Innate}: Grants immunity to all abnormal conditions.

• Acquisition {Innate}: Acquire Affinities and Skills from the enemies slain by you.

____________

"..." Ethan couldn't help but look at the blue screen panel before his eyes in silence.

'If I am trash...then what are they? Absolute garbage? Or even worse?' He questioned in his mind targeting all those who deemed him trash as soon as he failed his awakening. Jokes on them now; if he is trash, then they are worse than trash!

"Are...you alright?" Sarah who was sitting silent for a while as her voice pulled me out of my stupor. I hurriedly closed my system panel and shifted my attention back to her.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. By the way, can you tell me how to use your affinities?" I asked shamelessly, as I had no idea how or what to do with these affinities.

"Sure! I can teach you that." Sarah jumped in excitement as she looked at me and then her father with an expectant gaze that screamed to let her teach me.

"Sigh...fine. But before that, tell me what your Affinity is," Fernandez agreed but then asked as he looked quite serious.

I pondered for a few seconds as I wondered what affinity I should speak about: Fire or Lightning? Finally, I decided my answer.

"Lightning," I answered 'honestly'.

"..."

"..."

Both Sarah and Fernandez looked at me with weird expressions on their faces. I could tell that they were cursing at me or the luck that made them meet me, a potential lunatic in their eyes.