[Main Quest Completed!]
[Rewards Received: 20 Points, 5,000 Gold]
[Special Skill Unlocked!]
[You have acquired the skill: 'Character Analysis']
Character Analysis? What was this new skill of mine? It sounded pretty weak.
[Would you like to view the skill description?]
[Yes/No]
"Yes."
[Skill Description Unlocked]
The system screen changed instantly, displaying information about the skill I'd just acquired. The description was quite lengthy, stretching all the way down the screen.
+
[Skill: Character Analysis]
Class: Special Skill
Rank: B → Can increase as the user develops.
Skill Effects: View Statistics, View Attributes and Skills, Read Status Effects, Reveal Hidden Traits.
Note: This skill only works on characters.
+
I was quite surprised. This would make it much easier to gather information about people. On top of that, I could see their stats and skills. I could even check the stats of my beloved Kael.
"Should I give it a try?" I left the tent and looked around.
"Are you done talking?"
Eve's sudden voice startled me. I turned around to find her standing there with her arms crossed and an irritated expression on her face.
[Special Skill 'Character Analysis' activated!]
+
[NAME] Evelynn Lawyen
[AGE] 21
[LEVEL] 25 — Assassin/Mage Class
[STATISTICS]
Strength: 41
Agility: 88
Vitality: 39
Sense: 65
Intelligence: 26
Magic: 69
Poison Resistance: 75%
[ATTRIBUTES]
• Poisonous Heart
• Shadow Step
• Poison Immunity
[SKILLS]
• Black Poison
• Serpent's Breath
• Nightshade Field
• Silent Step
• Poison Assimilation
• Serpent Scale Barrier
• Viper Blood Awakening
+
I was surprised. Even the novel hadn't explained Eve's abilities in such detail. Well, it made sense. The companions Kael chose weren't just ordinary people.
Level 25, huh? I needed to compare her level with Kael's.
"Kim? What are you looking at?"
I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled at her. "It's nothing. Where's Lei?"
"He's in Tent Two. By the way, are you really going to let him stay here? He's a murderer, you know."
Eve shot an irritated glare at Kael, who was busy cleaning his sword with a cloth. In their eyes, Kael was a murderer who had killed their comrades. I knew how unfair this must feel to them. Seriously, who in their right mind would want to team up with someone who had killed their own companions?
"I'm sorry, but we need him if we're going to the western region."
"You know something about the situation in the west?" Eve asked, looking at me suspiciously.
I quickly averted my gaze, feeling nervous. I had to be careful with my words if I didn't want them to get suspicious.
"A-about that, I'll explain everything to Lei, too."
---
"Lei, we're back," Eve announced as we entered Tent Two, where Lei was staying.
Lei was sitting in a chair, building a tower out of small wooden blocks. He didn't say a word when we arrived. I was sure he was deliberately ignoring us. It was probably because I'd allowed Kael to join us.
[Special Skill 'Character Analysis' activated!]
+
[NAME] Lei Grogan
[AGE] 24
[LEVEL] 26 — Berserker Class
[STATISTICS]
Strength: 98
Agility: 54
Vitality: 110
Sense: 46
Intelligence: 31
Magic: 9
[ATTRIBUTES]
• Giant's Blood
• Wrath Absorption
• Iron Muscles
[SKILLS]
• Earthshaking Fist
• Berserk Mode
• Titan's Grip
• Steel Body
+
He really did have incredible defense and physical strength. If this were an RPG, he'd probably fall into the Fighter category. Just how powerful would his punches become when he used Earthshaking Fist? Could he actually shatter the earth?
Well, he certainly looked the part.
"Lei, stop playing around," Eve remarked, pulling out the chair opposite him and sitting down.
"Are you talking to me?" Lei replied curtly without even glancing at her.
"Kim wants to explain something."
"Explain what? Why she let that ruthless murderer join us? Maybe in a few hours, all that'll be left of us are our heads."
Well, it was understandable that he was upset. Still, his dismissive attitude was annoying. I seriously wanted to punch him in the head. I even had to struggle to keep my expression under control.
"This is about the Second Calamity in the western region," I said, trying to get his attention.
"And?"
Should I punch him right now?
"If you're worried about Kael, I can guarantee that he won't kill any of you."
Lei stopped what he was doing, leaned back in his chair, and gave me a lazy look. "Oh, really? Got any proof?"
I pointed to the thin, gold-plated necklace around my neck. "You know what this symbolizes, don't you?"
Kael furrowed his brows, while Eve moved closer to get a better look at the necklace. The moment she recognized it, her eyes widened dramatically.
"Don't tell me...!" She covered her mouth in disbelief.
"You... made a contract under the Temple God's Oath?" Lei's gaze sharpened. I could tell he was just as shocked.
"Relax. I didn't just make some random contract—"
"Idiot."
Lei immediately cut me off. Ugh... I could feel my jaw clenching, and the muscles in my face were practically about to twitch.
Holding back my anger was seriously difficult!
"Do you have any other solution? If I let you fight him, you'll die."
Lei straightened up and glared at me angrily. "Are you saying I'm weak?"
"I never said that. But Kael is much stronger than you."
"Don't underestimate me...!" Lei released a powerful aura that made the surrounding objects tremble.
[Special Skill 'Reader's Protection' activated!]
Of course, thanks to this skill, I couldn't feel any pressure at all. Seeing me remain completely unfazed despite his aura only made Lei look even more irritated.
"Lei, stop." Eve held out a hand, signaling him to calm down. "Kim, there's something I've been wondering about. Please answer honestly."
Lei let out an annoyed sigh and suppressed his aura. Eve then continued, "Why did you allow that man named Kael to stay here? You said we needed him to travel to the western region, right? Do you know something about the west?"
I knew she'd ask that.
"You've all seen how strong Kael is. If we make him our enemy, we'll lose our lives. One of the conditions of my contract forbids him from killing anyone without my permission. So as long as the contract remains in effect, you'll be safe."
Eve's eyes widened in surprise, while Lei turned his face away in irritation.
"Then how do you know about the Calamity that's going to appear in the western region?"
"It's thanks to one of my abilities."
"Your ability? Do you have some kind of power related to the future?" Eve asked, looking surprised.
"Well... something like that, but not exactly. The point is, I'm not a fortune-teller."
"How did you know about my poison magic?"
"That's another one of my abilities."
"And what about how you managed to withstand Lei's aura?"
"That was also one of my abilities."
.....
Silence immediately fell over the three of us. Their expressions made it obvious that neither of them believed me. Was it because my answers weren't convincing enough? But I'd tried to keep my explanations as brief and efficient as possible!
"I told you she's a spy..." Lei muttered as he clenched both fists. He began gathering aura around his hands, probably preparing to punch me.
"Why are you so suspicious of everyone?!" I snapped back irritably.
"Move, Eve. I'll deal with her." Lei stepped toward me, loosening his wrists as though preparing for a fight.
"Lei! Stop causing trouble!" Eve ordered, clearly growing tired of the situation herself.
"Hey! I saved your life, you know! You should be grateful that I stopped Kael!" I protested, slowly backing away.
Lei was seriously going to punch me this time. I was not kidding.
"I didn't ask you to."
"What did you just say?! You ungrateful bastard!"
"Shut up."
The energy concentrated in Lei's right hand grew stronger as he swung his fist toward me. However, his punch never reached me. An invisible barrier appeared and stopped it in its tracks.
"Lei!" Eve shouted angrily. The barrier that had protected me turned out to be one of Eve's skills. "I told you to stop! Can't you see you're knocking everything over?! What if Captain Liam sees this?"
"I just want to punch her once!" Lei pointed at me accusingly.
"Are you insane?! I'm a woman!" I shot back angrily.
"Everyone is equal here, regardless of gender," Lei replied, giving me an icy stare.
This guy really was insane...!
"What is going on here?"
Lei and Eve froze the moment they heard a man's voice. A man had suddenly appeared beside me.
"C-Captain...?" Lei's eyes trembled uneasily.
"What a mess."
The man's expression remained cold as he glanced around at the objects scattered across the floor.
Could he be... Liam, the leader of the Ziert organization?