2025-03-27 22:43:01Chapter 14: Recompense
A chime echoed in Max Vale’s mind as he strode through the bustling district, weaving past civilians rushing toward the teleportation rings. [Host has completed a Hidden Quest.] Max slowed, his brow furrowing as he focused on the glowing notification. "A hidden quest?" he mused, intrigued. Before he could process it fully— "Move aside, kid!" A sharp voice cut through the air as an impatient man pushed past him, nearly knocking his shoulder. Max barely spared him a glance before stepping toward a nearby bench, settling onto the cool surface. He had just crossed a hundred meters toward the next teleportation circle, but this was worth investigating. He called up the system prompt again. [Hidden Quest Completed] Quest Details: Three individuals harbored malicious intent toward you. Eliminate them or inflict grievous harm.] [Quest Rewards:] +1000 EXP +2 additional attribute points to all stats Xeon Enhancement Upgrade Dash skill leveled up Max’s lips curled into a smirk as he skimmed the details. So even the system acknowledged their hostility. The rewards were more than he expected. If given the chance, he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again—only this time, he’d make sure they truly suffered. He had no regrets. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled up his stats panel. [Host Attributes] Name: Max Vale Level: 3 Class: ? EXP: 1500/2000 HP: 150/150 Energy: 20/50 {Attributes} Strength: 15 Perception: 13 Agility: 12 Speed: 14 Willpower: 7 Intelligence: 14 Presence: Null (Attribute Points: 0) His gaze lingered on the Willpower stat. It had started at 5 after his confrontation with the XAO disciplinary committee—already higher than his other base stats. That moment of defiance had strengthened something within him. Max rolled his shoulders, feeling the subtle difference in his body. It had only been two weeks since the Xeon System integrated with him, but his transformation was undeniable. If he maintained this momentum, reaching Zeta Rank within six months wasn’t impossible. Switching panels, he checked his skills. [Skills & Abilities] Dash - Level 2 Regeneration - Level 1 Morph - Level 1 Toxin Resistance - Level 1 Reconstruction - Level 1 Xeon Awakening - Level 1 His eyes settled on Dash as new details appeared beneath it. [Dash - Level 2] (Temporarily enhances movement speed by +25 for ten seconds.) A gleam of satisfaction flickered in his eyes. The increase was 25%—significantly more potent than before. Based on his current stats, his natural sprinting speed already surpassed Earth’s fastest sprinters. If he activated Dash, the boost would push him beyond human limits. However, his Energy was too depleted to test it now. Given how much Dash drained before, the upgraded version would likely demand even more. Closing that panel, Max navigated to the Xeon Enhancements section. [Xeon Enhancements] Genetic Transformation (Grade: F) Tied Ability: Morph He exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on the words. "Grade: F." A confirmation. His Xeon Enhancement could evolve. Before the system, it hadn’t even registered as F-Grade—it was below worthless. This proved that growth was possible. He had suspected it before, but seeing it confirmed was exhilarating. "If I can evolve this… what else can I enhance?" A dark thought surfaced. "If I steal an enhancement, can I upgrade it too?" No one could answer his growing list of questions. But time would. Satisfied, Max dismissed the system interface and rose to his feet. It was time to head home. Back at the Vale Household The apartment was empty. Again. Max stood at the doorway for a moment, staring into the silent living space. It wasn’t unusual for Cedric and their mother to come home late, but recently, it had been happening more often. Not that he cared. It was better this way. Shaking off the thought, he stepped inside and cracked his knuckles. "Let’s get this done." He turned toward the living area, gripping the heavy three-seater couch. With a steady breath, he lifted it effortlessly. No strain. No resistance. His grip barely tightened as he hoisted it, then switched hands, lifting a second couch in his left. He started his reps. "Up." "Down." "Up." Minutes passed, and a notification finally chimed. [Daily Task Completed: Lift a total of 1750 kg (3/3)] Max exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he redistributed the attribute points evenly across his stats. Every improvement mattered. Stripping off his uniform, he changed into a fitted brown tank top and green shorts, then settled into his bathtub. But instead of relaxing, he retrieved a small blue button from his pocket. Pressing it twice— Zing! A two-foot-high holographic projection materialized before him. Max’s eyes gleamed as he stared at the displayed items: Stacks of green-and-white currency **A sleek, silver storage board A triangular, glass-like device His fingers hovered over the money. He tapped. Zing! A thick bundle of cash materialized in his lap. Max picked it up slowly, turning the bills over in his hands. He rubbed his fingers against the crisp paper, bending and folding it experimentally. "So this… is what power feels like?" A dark chuckle escaped his lips. "After all these years, they denied me even this. But now… I’ll take whatever I want." He clenched the bills between his fingers before tossing them back into the projection, watching them dissolve into the digital space. This storage device belonged to Theo Vance—a little souvenir from their altercation. Max had never owned one. Only VIP students did. His parents refused to pay for one, deeming it a waste. But Theo? He had everything handed to him. And now, Max had it instead. "This is just the beginning." Lying back in the tub, he let his muscles relax. The next two months of punishment loomed over him, but he didn’t care. Cooking? Cleaning? "I’ll learn." Let them think they had won. He would rise—and when he did, they would all regret ever looking down on him. Meanwhile, in a Distant Study… Kom. Kom. Kom. The rhythmic clack of polished heels against the floor echoed through the dimly lit chamber. Towering shelves stretched along the walls, crammed with books, ancient and new. A man in a midnight-blue business suit strode through the cavernous study. His sharp features were set in a firm line as he stopped several feet away from a silver-haired figure seated in an ornate chair. The older man’s fingers glided across the open pages of a tome. A long, pointed horn jutted beneath his jaw, his presence both regal and terrifying. Without looking up, he spoke. "Why have you come here, Yura?" The younger man exhaled, his voice tight. "Why did you withdraw the agent I assigned to investigate?"
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