Awakening

After getting back to the inn, Alex immediately went to sleep. He decided that he would do the payment the next day. After three hours of sleep, his body was back to its peak condition. He checked his pockets and looked at the balance that he was having. After coming to Kravon town, he hadn't spent even a penny apart from paying for accommodation and the system awakening skill.

Till now he had a total of sixty nine silver coins and forty seven copper coins. Alex just sighed before keeping the money back into his pocket. He then grabbed the skill book that he had bought using almost all the money he had gained from the dungeon.

It had a bland cover page. Brown in colour, no pictures, no writings apart from the skill name that was written in bold. After sizing it up for a moment, Alex decided to learn what was contained in the book. He grabbed the cover page and tried flipping it over but it didn't budge even a little. Alex was confused. Why was it not opening? Was it all a scam?

Alex refused to give in and applied all his strength, trying to open the book. All his attempts failed. 'What's up with this book? Why is it not opening?' Alex almost cried. This was what he had spent all his day's blood and sweat for? He couldn't accept it at all. Seeing that it wouldn't budge at all, Alex took the dagger that he was given by Kana.

Holding it by the hilt, he pulled the dagger out of the sheath. He observed the blade for a few seconds before deciding to use it to try and force the cover page to separate from from the first page. Taking a seat on the lone chair in the room, Alex held the book in his left hand and the dagger in his right hand.

'Time to open my money,' Alex thought to himself before bringing the dagger towards the book. Surprisingly, when the dagger got close to the book, there was a force that was created with a repulsion function. No matter what he did, it didn't move at all. The more strength he poured into his right hand,the further he pushed his left hand. Putting equal strength in both arms, no reaction occured. This gave Alex a headache.

After straining himself for a while hour, Alex finally collapsed on the bed, drained both mentally and physically. He couldn't even believe what was happening. How could one learn a skill if you can't even open the skill book? Finally, Alex decided to put the book aside and take his well deserved rest.

After dinner, he slept once again and only woke up when morning came. Refreshing and changing into a new pair of casual clothes, Alex then dropped to the ground floor to make the payment for his stay for the following days that the coins he had in his pocket could support. A total of sixty silver coins could support him for four days.

To his surprise, the one who received him at the counter was none other than Jane. "Hey Jane, it seems that you're back," Alex said with a smile as he approached the counter.

"Oh, Alex! So you're already back? I thought you were going to spend a long time back home, why is it that you're already back?" Jane was surprised. She didn't expect to see Alex back in Kravon so soon. After all, he was going back home after being away for three good years.

"I arrived here two days ago. As for why I am here now, it's not something I would like to talk about," Alex said in a solemn voice. This was his darkest spot in life. A family that doesn't seem like one at all.

"Ooh, okay I understand. Where is senior Simon?" She asked when Alex arrived in front of her.

"He is still back at home. This time I came alone," Alex replied.

"Okay. Now tell me, what is it that I can do for you today," Jane quickly changed the subject after seeing Alex's low mood.

"I'd like to pay for accommodation fee for four days," said Alex as he took out the sixty silver coins and handed them to Jane.

After counting, Jane said, " Four days? Alex, tell me, do you really have enough money on you?" She was truly surprised as this was not the way she knew of Alex's background. After all, Simon used to pay monthly and not shirt days. "Or are you planning to leave after four days? " she further asked.

"My stay is indefinite. As for money, don't worry about it. I am going out for now but I'll make the monthly payment when I come back from the dungeon." Alex replied.

"Dungeon? Are you going to hunt for monster cores?" Jane was perplexed. Alex was only a teenager and him going out to depend on himself at such age isn't something positive to psychological health. Killing to earn food. This might mess with his personality.

"Yeap, it's time I start depending on myself now. I can't keep leaning on others everyday for everything. The earlier I start, the better," replied Alex with a smile.

"So that's why you came alone?" asked Jane.

"Yes," Alex replied while nodding his head.

"Okay, let me process your payments first." Although Jane would have loved to help Alex, she knew that she would just be making him depend on her. And when she would not be around, he would fall into trouble. All she could do was pray so that Alex could at least not get a harsh start.

After he was done with the payment, Alex headed to the dungeon where he began hunting again. Only this time after finishing the tenth stage, he had gained more than the previous day. Fifty two cores and a pair of shoes and a mana regeneration pill as dropped items.

He left the dungeon at eleven. He then headed straight to the guild to make his sales. Having no armor, Alex clothes had been cut severally but at least it was better compared to the previous day as he gained more experience with more fights. Before he entered, he checked the place where he bought the skill book last time. The attendant was different from the one of the previous day.

After getting eighteen gold and seven silver coins, Alex headed to the skill book shop and bought the skill, 'iron hands.' for five gold coins. He then went to where weapons were being sold and purchased a short sword for seven gold coins. Although it was just a normal sword, all combat related items were far more expensive.

Having spent twelve gold coins, he had a balance of six gold coins and sixteen silver coins as the most valuable money to him. Copper coins were almost valueless to a hunter. He went back to the inn and made the monthly payment giving him a month and four days of accommodation.

He went back to his room and rested for four hours after which he requested for food. He hadn't eaten since morning. He swallowed his meals faster to fill his empty stomach pit. And now that he was done, he decided to try and see if he could learn a new skill.

He removed the new short sword, the two skill books and the dagger he was given by Kana and placed them on the table. He also took out the ring that Simon had given to him to hold it during their journey back home from Kravon town. Alex had forgotten to return it. Well, he also couldn't use it because it still had ownership mark of Simon on it.

After a thought, he decided to try the system awakening skill for the last time. He took the dagger and brought it closer to the book gently.

WHOOOSH!

This time, nothing pushed the two apart but surprisingly, a suction force was created and the two connected. Immediately after the two came into contact, a dazzling golden light erupted and covered the whole room. This light forced Alex to close his eyes tightly.

A few seconds later,

Buzz! [ Golden system booting! 07%.... 30%.....70%.....99%...100%... Booting complete. Initializing functions....] a robotic voice sounded out.

Alex immediately passed out when the initialization process began.

...

Somewhere in an isolation chamber.

An old man opened his eyes. " Retribution has began... I'll see you soon my girl," he said before going back to meditating.