chapter 9: The arrival of a tyrant
Quinn yawned as he gazed at the book. His eyes glared eerily at it. The pages seemed to be covered with words Quinn had deciphered thirty minutes earlier. He moved slowly to return the book. His assignment was done and he wanted to eat before his next class. He moved out of the silent library, by now the librarian wasn't surprised at his visits. He walked slowly towards the cafeteria hall. Quinn turned around the corner and the sound of pleas filled his ears. He moved slowly to see the scene. The iron scent filled his nostrils as his eyes gazed at the three silhouettes before him.
"Give me your credits!" An husky voice bellowed. His frame was hulky. His black hair was camouflaged under the black hoodie he wore, his brown eyes glinted with mischief. Quinn sneered. These were regular bullies, the tortured boy had stretched his arm. The academies watch gleamed underneath his gloves. The bullies seemed to be happy at his willingness. Quinn squinted able to see the exact credit balance of the leading bully, Quinn stifled a moan as he saw it.
360 credits! Just how many students had he pilfered from? Although, Quinn's talent wasn't known and he couldn't buy a talent book, he could also purchase weapons with talents. A dark smile arched his lips. He could get lots of things with the credits. He moved slowly. The bullies barely noticed till Quinn's sword was on the leader's neck. His ash-grey eyes turned to the others. "If you move, consider yourself as well as him dead." Quinn threatened. His watch perfectly tucked into his sleeves prevented them from seeing his power level. They looked at each other with grief.
"You! He's the murderer!" One yelled, Quinn's grip tightened on his sword, blood now tested the sword's tip. Sweat trailed down the hostage face. Quinn glanced at his power level seeing the E proudly displayed. If this boy knew what power level he was, he'd probably be dead now. He slowly dragged him backwards, left the others. They watched with sweat drenched face as Quinn took the boy another distance from them. He could already notice the tremors in the air. The warm scent of mana warmed his skin. Quinn pressed the dagger, the sound of tearing flesh tingled Quinn's ears. "Try controlling mana once more and you'll be nothing but a dead console virus!" Quinn sneered. He ordered him to raise his wrist watch, Quinn pushed it backwards and immediately transferred the stolen credits.
"Just don't kill me!" The leader pleaded. Quinn smirked. "Looking forward to it, thank your stars you survived" He scowled pushing the leader away. The bullies scurried off leaving Quinn and the petrified little boy. "What was the console thinking?" He muttered. Surely this boy was not a console material. Quinn glared at him waiting for him to rise, but he didn't. His face buried in his palms amid sobs. "They're gone." Quinn's voice echoed. The boy looked up at Quinn and he nearly flinched. Eve?
Quinn's face grew cold. He shrugged, masked his surprise. He walked over to Eve, his arms crossed at his chest. "I thought you were brave?" He shot back.
Eve's head snapped up and Quinn nearly flinched. A wide grin tore Eve's face as he glanced at Quinn.
"Can you save Maurice too?" Quinn had never felt more confused in his life. He had heard Eve call that name in the console, but he didn't know who he was or why Eve loved him so much. But here was the silent boy with a smile. Quinn shrugged moving past Eve. He had half expected Eve to ask for the credits back, but he didn't. Eve slowly trailed behind him, his cold countenance strewn over his face.
Quinn fumbled, his eyes widened as he gazed at Eve's back. "I seriously thought you were one dumb kid?" Quinn muttered. Eve turned, his head paused it's journey.
Didn't you say to leave you alone?." Eve scowled and walked into the hall. Quinn smiled, "pity I can't befriend him" He twisted the door knob and entered after Eve. The hall was filled with all the first year marked ones, it was as if everyone signed up for combat classes. Quinn groaned at the thought of the overcrowded class. He inhaled and saw a familiar face. Noelle Darkfrost. Her back arched against a wall at the extreme, engrossed in a book forgetting that a real world existed before her. Studying her had become Quinn's newest mission. He moved slowly to a secluded part and opened the system menu.
[Name: Quinn Stormblessed]
[Talent: Shadow manipulation]
[Attributes:3]
[Echo:----] [memory:1]
[Grade: cursed]
[Strength: 8]
[Agility: 8]
[Stamina:8]
[Will:12]
[Quest:1]
[Find out about Noelle's past]
Quinn's eyes bounced reflexively at the Quest. Noelle's past? How was he supposed to read an unpredictable girl? Noelle for one hated social bonds, and she had formulated a bad opinion of him already. Someone not worth her time. He glanced at her again, her eyes fixed on the book before her. Quinn inhaled slowly. This would be the end for him. He glanced at his grades, his mind replayed about the man in the opening talking about grades.
"Weird... isn't it supposed to be basic, intermediate blah blah blah!" Quinn mused. He blinked at his grades tab and it displayed over others.
[Grade: cursed]
[level up progress:7%]
[At cursed grade you can not control your talent voluntarily, but you can still use it as protection]
Quinn's mind seemed to be distraught. Him not controlling shadows was not strange as he'd noticed it even in the console. But what worried him was his grade. He wasn't graded like others making him wonder if he would also follow their path of levelling.
[Grade progression]
[Cursed 7%]
[Tainted 0%]
[Calamity 0%]
[-------------]
[Celestial Demon lord 0%]
[Each grade has a level threshold of 3 which triples as you ascend]
Quinn flinched at the sight, he would need Three levels higher each time he ascended, what if he never even gets past the calamity grade. This was a hard journey. "Alone." He added on his thoughts. His restriction against love was for the best. He turned to Noelle,what was her backstory after all. As he took a step towards her alarms began to bare loudly and he turned. The robotic voice announced in the combat hall...
Tyrant grade virus spotted, all students are to remain in their dorms, classes will cease till further notice." Quinn nearly flinched, in his grading system tyrant was closer to his last grade. To him that was the epitome of all divine achievements. A tyrant grade virus would indeed be the end of the human race. Students raced out if the hall in Survival of the fittest. The copper scent of blood wafted through Quinn's nostrils. Students pushed each other in a fit to survive. But some students stayed back, surprised at the message, one was taciturn among them. Quinn waited amongst them. His eyes turned to her. Noelle remained engrossed in her book as if the message hadn't come at all. At first Quinn saw it as being indifferent, but he noticed that she didn't care at all.
The six of them exempting Noelle Darkfrost had began to move to the door. Quinn turned, Noelle remained firmly in place. Eve walked past him and passed first, one of the twin Uracia Nightingale moved slowly before the third boy. Quinn recognised her but remained Quiet. He turned to Noelle one last time, tremors flashed past his eyes. His eyes narrowed.
"Is she planning to attack a tyrant virus?" Quinn shook the thought off. Even if she was a Darkfrost, one of the big four family. She was still too young,too weak for a tyrant. Quinn moved slowly towards the door. His system flared with another Quest.
[New quest alert]
[defeat tyrant virus]
[Reward: instant level up]
[failure:death]
Quinn spluttered, death. Trying to defeat a tyrant virus was suicide. Even Noelle knew this. Had the system anticipated this? He moved to the door and walked through. As he did, he heard a large boom. His head snapped at the right hall way, a massive cave in had occured and acrid smell of burning tingled his nostrils. His face paled as he noticed the spray of blood on the walls. His eyes watched as tremors got bigger. His mana guided through his veins. It flickered and died once, he groaned at the failure and tried again. His mana Flowed to the floor around him. For once he noticed the mana scent hit his nostrils. Honey smelling, ecstastic. This was mana. His eyes gleamed at the realization. But his face fell as purple things came out of the smoke. Viruses.
[Cursed grade virus detected]
[×7]
It would have been manageable if it were only one cursed virus, but they were seven in numbers. Quinn's sword slowly took form.The virus peered at their prey in mockery. Quinn swallowed, he barely knew how to fight properly and had no control on his talent. Quinn's grip tightened, sweat browsed his troubled forehead. The scent of blood stung his nostrils. The door opened and Noelle came out, her sword readied. Instead of a surprised expression, she barely whimpered. Quinn turned noticing her presence. "can you slow them down before I..." The words barely came out before Noelle sprinted forward.
"Alone it is." Quinn seethed.