World Awakening: The Legendary Player
Chapter 34: Trsut Issues

Chapter 34: Trsut Issues

Nox just stared at her. ’Merely level seventy? Is she serious?’ His own level sixteen felt like a joke next to that. He was still trying to get his head around the number when he had to ask.

"So, you were just, what, hiding your power back there with that monster?" he asked. He remembered her looking pretty beat when he’d found her.

Serian looked at him, not offended, just kind of curious. "Why would you assume such a thing, Human Nox?"

He gestured vaguely with his fork. "Well, you looked like you were in trouble. I mean, I had to jump in and save you."

She took another tiny, precise bite of her chicken. "Did I appear to be losing, then?" she asked. She paused, considering. "I was merely... fatigued. The pursuit had been relentless, and I had not rested since the previous day’s light."

He thought about that. ’Just tired? Not about to get eaten by that ugly hound thing?’ He almost believed her. She was just so direct about it, no excuses. ’I like how honest she is,’ he thought. It was a change from people who always had some angle or tried to make themselves look better.

"So, level seventy, huh?" he said, trying to make it sound casual. He wanted to see if she was just messing with him. "That’s... a lot." He decided to see how she’d react to his own level, maybe get a better read on her. "I’m only level sixteen, by the way."

She stopped eating. She put her fork down very carefully. Her eyes, which were usually calm and a bit distant, fixed on him. "Level sixteen," she repeated, her voice flat, almost too quiet. "And when did you... awaken to your abilities, Human Nox?"

"Uh, yesterday," he said, taking another bite of rice. "Right after the whole world went nuts."

Serian went completely still. Her eyes, which he’d thought couldn’t get any wider, widened just a fraction more. It was the most reaction he’d gotten out of her so far, more than when he’d killed the monster. She didn’t say anything for a long moment, just stared at him.

’He awakened yesterday,’ she thought, her mind trying to process the information. It didn’t make sense. ’And he is already level sixteen? How is that even possible? What manner of human is this?’ She had heard tales of prodigies, of those blessed by the gods with swift advancement, but this was beyond anything she knew.

He watched her. ’Okay, that got her attention,’ he thought, a little bit pleased. ’Maybe level sixteen in a day isn’t normal, even for whatever fancy world she’s from.’ He leaned back a bit in his chair, trying to look like it was no big deal.

"Is that... unusual?" he asked, just to poke her a bit.

She finally blinked, a slow, deliberate movement. "Human Nox," she said, and her voice was even more formal than before, if that was possible. "To achieve such a level of power in a single rotation of the sun... it is not merely unusual. It is... unprecedented in all the chronicles of Lifewoods."

’Unprecedented, huh?’

He wasn’t sure what chronicles were, but it sounded important. ’So I’m some kind of freak even to the elves. Good to know.’ He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but it was definitely interesting.

He just shrugged. "Guess I’m a fast learner."

She picked up her fork again, but she didn’t eat. She just turned it over and over in her fingers, still looking at him like he was some kind of puzzle she couldn’t solve. The food on her plate sat forgotten.

Her hand tightened around the fork, her knuckles going pale. She was still staring at Nox, her brain spinning with a million thoughts.

’Fate? Was that what dragged this human into my path?’ she wondered. The idea felt heavy, like it was trying to sink into her bones. ’No way. I can’t trust him. Not a human. Not after what they did to my people back in Lifewoods.’

Those memories stung, sharp and bitter. Humans had burned their groves, betrayed their trust. She wasn’t about to let some fast-leveling kid change her mind, no matter how much he’d helped her.

Nox noticed her grip on the fork. He wasn’t an idiot. He could tell she was freaking out about something, but he wasn’t about to pry. Spilling his own secrets wasn’t his style, so he figured he’d keep things light.

"Hey, want to go hang out?" he asked, leaning back in his chair like it was no big deal.

"What?" Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. She looked totally thrown, like he’d just asked her to jump off a cliff.

Nox shrugged. "You know, hang out. Walk around, see what’s up in this safe zone. Maybe find some gear or something." He didn’t want to sit in this restaurant forever, and she looked like she needed to move.

’She’s wound tighter than a spring,’ he thought. ’Got to get her to chill before she stabs someone with that fork.’

She blinked at him, still clutching the fork like it was a weapon. "Hang... out?" she repeated, like the words were from another language.

’What does he mean by this? Is it a human custom? A trap?’ Her mind raced. She didn’t trust his casual tone, but he’d saved her life. That had to count for something, right? ’Or maybe he’s just waiting for me to let my guard down.’

"Yeah, it’s not a big deal," he said, finishing the last of his rice. "This place seems safe enough. Figure we could check it out before we head north to your sanctuary thing."

She set the fork down slowly. She didn’t like how easily he tossed around plans, like they were already a team.

’He assumes too much,’ she thought. ’But he’s strong. Stronger than he should be. Maybe I can use that.’ She hated the idea of relying on a human, but she wasn’t stupid. Getting to the sanctuary alone was a long shot, especially with Gorok’s hounds still out there.

"Very well," she said finally, her voice stiff. "I will... accompany you. For now."

He grinned, just a little. "Cool. Let’s roll." He stood up, tossing some crumpled bills on the table for the food. He didn’t know if money still mattered but it felt like the right thing to do.

"Time to go blow off some steam."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.