Nova twirled the spear away from Jack’s neck with a flick of his wrist, the motion as effortless as flipping his hand. Jack staggered slightly, finally regaining his bearings. He turned to Nova, eyes narrowing. “How did you become so strong?”
The memory of the spear’s deadly precision sent a chill through Jack. If someone else—someone less friendly—possessed such power, wouldn’t they be able to rule the world however they wanted?
The others, equally stunned by Nova’s display, leaned in, curiosity lighting their expressions.
“Comprehension and training” Nova said calmly, repeating his earlier words. “Now, let’s break down what that really means.” He paused briefly before continuing, “From what I’ve learned, you can earn passive skills by mastering a skill so thoroughly that it transcends mortal limits—and even pushes beyond.”
Victor couldn’t hold back. “How? Humanity has practiced martial arts and combat for thousands of years, and no one’s ever reached that level of power.”
Nova nodded, acknowledging the skepticism. “True. But the laws of the world have changed. And even if someone had reached those levels in the past, how would anyone have known?”
His gaze sharpened as he added, “What I discovered doubled my base Stats. Imagine someone with a Strength of two. With this comprehension, they’d end up with a Strength of four. Would that still seem impressive?”
Victor’s eyes widened with sudden understanding. “No…”
“Exactly. Comprehension is about attuning yourself—becoming one with whatever you’re practicing. It doesn’t matter if it’s elements, weapons, or bare fists. You need to become one with it. I can’t teach you exactly how to do that. But I can share what worked for me.”
Nova then launched into a recounting of his experience in attaining ‘One with the Spear.’ His tone was steady, yet the weight of his experiences filled the air as his audience listened intently.
When he finished, they remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, digesting his words and turning them over for meaning.
Cassidy was the first to snap out of her reverie. She stared at Nova, her expression unreadable, caught between awe and uncertainty. The others were still absorbed in their reflections, heads down.
Nova noticed her hesitance and smiled softly. “Why are you so distant all of a sudden? Did something happen?”
Cassidy bit her lip, unsure how to put her feelings into words. “I’m just… getting accustomed to this new world. And… to you.”
Nova blinked, taken aback. “What do you mean? I thought we were already friends.”
“We are” she sighed, “but I didn’t know you were like that…”
Nova tilted his head, confusion flashing across his face. He was about to ask what she meant when Jack interrupted, a wide grin spreading across his face. “This changes everything.”
Victor, having finally finished processing the new information, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we need to stop training just our bodies. We need to train our minds too.”
Samuel gripped the hilt of his sword, eyes burning with excitement. ‘I can finally prove my worth.’
Amelia stole a glance at Jack, determination filling her heart. ‘This is my chance to show him I’m more than just another person in the group.’
Thomas and Rachel exchanged a glance, their expressions mirroring each other. The shared grin on their faces said it all. ‘Finally, no more portals.’
Nova clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Train wherever you feel most at peace. Focus on becoming one with your weapon or element of choice as soon as possible. We have work to do.”
Work?
The thought echoed in everyone’s mind. None of them had expected that.
Nova’s sly smile deepened. “Why do you think I didn’t let the Federation train guards for the cities?”
A bad feeling swept over the group. Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You! Are you insane?”
Thomas stepped forward, disbelief in his tone. “There’s no way you’re making us do that.”
“What do we need to do?” Rachel asked, still trying to piece it all together.
Victor chuckled, a slight grin tugging at his lips. “He wants us to become the guards.”
Samuel nodded to himself, already mentally preparing for the job. Cassidy, however, froze. Her eyes darted to her father. “Does that mean… we’ll have to kill people?”
Victor sighed and stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “If it comes to that, I’ll be with you.”
Cassidy gave a small nod, but her head hung low, her expression conflicted.
Nova took a step forward, his gaze sweeping across the group. “Now that you know, we’ll split into groups. Victor and Cassidy, you’ll patrol the north. Jack and Amelia—” he gave Amelia a playful wink, causing her to blush slightly “—you’ll take the south. Rachel, Thomas, and Samuel will patrol the west. I’ll handle the east.”
His eyes met each of theirs. “Any questions?”
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The group exchanged glances but remained silent. The mission wasn’t optional, and the pairings made sense. No one could argue with the arrangement.
Seeing their resolve, Nova nodded. “Good. We’ll start in three days. Make sure you rest and focus on how to comprehend your own ‘One with.’ Meet here again before the end of the month.”
He turned to leave but stopped just before disappearing from view. Glancing over his shoulder, he added “And remember. If you encounter rebels and they refuse to follow the new rules… you know what to do.”
With that, he walked toward the backyard. The sound of his boots faded into the distance. For a moment, the group stood in heavy silence, the weight of the mission settling in. It wasn’t until Nova was barely out of earshot that hushed voices began to rise behind him.
He shook his head. ‘Am I really that scary? I’m just following the plan.’ With a shrug, he made his way to the backyard, the spear still firmly in his grasp. He hadn’t let go of it once since retrieving it from his room.
The sun bathed the sky in golden hues as he settled onto the grass, laying the spear beside him. Its weight felt both familiar and grounding. He gazed up at the clear expanse, watching the clouds drift lazily overhead. Slowly, his eyes drifted shut.
When he opened them again, it was night. The stars blinked down at him like distant beacons in the dark.
‘Did I really sleep the whole day?’ Nova chuckled softly to himself. He hadn’t realized how exhausted he was, but apparently, his body had decided otherwise.
Nova sat up, gripping his spear. "Time to train" he thought with renewed determination. He shifted into a practiced stance and thrust forward, seamlessly following up with another strike, and then another—each movement flowing effortlessly, using momentum to fuel the next.
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
[Momentum Streak proficiency increased]
[Momentum Streak proficiency increased]
[Momentum Streak proficiency increased]
In a blur, Nova unleashed 30 thrusts per second, each strike more fluid and precise than the last. His pace quickened with every passing moment, the spear becoming an extension of his will. Beads of sweat traced down his face, but he remained unyielding, his mind fully immersed in the sensation of the spear guiding him—its movements flowing naturally as if it wielded him in return.
The world around him blurred until time itself seemed irrelevant. Finally, he paused, glancing around to see the sun rise and set twice. "There’s no way I’ve been training for two days" he thought, disbelief etched across his face. Yet the only evidence was his sweat-drenched clothes. Strangely, he felt even stronger—invigorated rather than drained.
Still skeptical, he focused his thoughts. "Status."
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 3 (100/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator, One with the Spear
Stat Points: 126
Attributes:
Strength: 112 (+129)
Vigor: 85 (+98)
Dexterity: 135 (+158)
Speed: 95 (+117)
Intelligence: 51 (+54)
Wisdom: 95 (+100)
Will: 9
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (14) (187241/8192000), Spear Jab (10) (16015/512000), Spear Sweep (10) (4423/512000), Spear Lunge (10) (789/512000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (757/512000)
Passive: Regeneration (8) (48359/64000), Keen Reflexes (2) (1874/2000), Momentum Streak (2) (82/2000)
“What? Spear Thrust is now at 14?” Nova thought, quickly doing the math in his head. The realization hit him: ‘I’ve thrust my spear almost 7 million times...’ He was taken aback by how much faster he had become. By stacking momentum and adding his dexterity to it, his speed had reached a new level entirely.
With a sigh, he muttered to himself, “Only some hours left before everyone leaves. I’ll spend it with them.”
Spear still in hand he left the backyard and entered the mansion. As he made his way through the halls, he found the group lounging on the sofas in one of the halls. The air was thick with tension, a quiet stillness hanging over them as they all seemed to be lost in their thoughts, silently preparing for what was to come.
Nova approached and silently took a seat in a chair nearby. He didn’t speak, content to just be in the presence of those he could now call friends. In that moment, the quiet comfort of their company was enough.
The time to leave arrived quickly.
Victor was the first to rise from his chair, his gaze heavy with unspoken concern. Cassidy quickly stood as well, following her father’s lead. He looked at Rachel, Thomas, and Samuel, and said.
“Kids, try not to die.” His eyes lingered on them, a mixture of worry and determination in his expression. He then placed a hand on Cassidy’s shoulder and added, “I’ll wait for you outside.”
Rachel, Thomas, and Samuel nodded firmly, silently accepting his words.
Cassidy watched her father walk out of the hall, then turned to her friends. “I hope we’ll see each other again in three weeks” she said softly. Her gaze landed on Nova, lingering as she bit her lip, visibly torn by indecision.
Just as she was about to come to a decision, Jack stepped forward, his expression gentle. He leaned in close and whispered, “Take your time and clear your mind. Talk to him when you’re back.” He pulled away with a wink.
Cassidy’s resolve solidified. “I’m going!” she announced before storming out of the hall.
Rachel watched her go, then muttered, “She didn’t even wait for us to respond.”
“It’s fine. She was busy thinking about someone.” Thomas smirked, a sly grin tugging at his lips.
Samuel could only shrug, amused by the whirlwind Cassidy had left in her wake.
Jack offered a small smile before turning his gaze to the group. “I’ll see you soon” he said softly. He then called out, “Amelia, let’s set off.”
Amelia nodded and waved. “See you guys!” she called out before leaving the hall.
Rachel called after her with a loud, “See you soon!” just in time for Amelia to hear. A small smile appeared on Amelia’s face—subtle, but enough for Jack to notice. He smiled too, pleased by the moment.
Soon, only Nova, Rachel, Thomas, and Samuel remained in the hall.
Nova had stayed silent the entire time, disliking the sentimentality of farewells. He scanned the group with a measured gaze before settling on Samuel.
“Don’t let these two die” Nova said bluntly. “Be ruthless if they can’t be.”
Samuel was momentarily taken aback, but the weight of Nova’s words soon sank in. He understood why he’d been addressed— Thomas and Rachel weren’t seasoned fighters. Though not weak, neither had developed the hardened edge of a warrior—yet. Samuel, however, possessed a more pragmatic mindset, ready to kill if necessary.
With a solemn nod, Samuel responded, “I’ll be ruthless enough.”
Rachel protested from the side, crossing her arms. “I can be ruthless too!”
“Mhm, me too!” Thomas chimed in, puffing out his chest with exaggerated confidence.
Nova couldn’t help but laugh, the sound deep and genuine. He nodded, his eyes bright with amusement. “Yes, you both are. Have fun out there.”
With that, he turned and walked out of the mansion, leaving the others behind.
Once outside, Nova tilted his head up to the sky, the vast expanse of stars stretching endlessly above. He murmured to himself, “I’m on my own again.”
His gaze shifted to the east, eyes sharpening. With a powerful kick off the ground, he surged forward, his speed blurring his form as he raced toward the horizon, disappearing into the distance like a streak of light.
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