Chapter 204: Capture the flag: Bromance
In the control room, an almost palpable silence fell as the video footage reconnected to Aqualina’s base. The scene before them was one of absolute devastation…trees were uprooted, plants were smashed, and rocks shattered into dust.
The once vibrant landscape now lay in ruins. Amidst the desolation, Aqualina hugged Aether in her arms, her tears mingling with the blood and dirt on his battered form.
“Him?” Alaric’s brow furrowed in confusion and disbelief at the sight of Aether. He was certain Aether’s name wasn’t on the list. His gaze darted to the Principal, wondering if the hooded figure had been Aether all along.
‘Tsk,’ the Principal clicked her tongue in frustration, irritated that Aether had blown his cover. Yet, a deeper worry gnawed at her, ‘What happened?’ she pondered, her mind racing with unanswered questions.
Meanwhile,
Aether noticed Aqualina’s crystal shining brightly, signifying the reconnection. He realized his identity was now exposed, but he didn’t care. He had gained something good from his bitchy ‘Log.’
“A-Aether, just hold on…” Before Aqualina could finish her sentence, the crystal shattered, enveloping her in a protective light before teleporting her to the infirmary, leaving behind only a purple flag as a symbol of her distress.
Aether sighed deeply, feeling a pang of guilt and concern. He knew how much Aqualina worried about him. Glancing at his battered body, he took a deep breath and slowly rose to his feet, wincing at the pain. He began to make his way towards the cave, each step a reminder of the toll the battle had taken on him.
He opened his backpack, his heart heavy with anticipation, and was greeted by a familiar voice.
“Massttteerrr~”
Snowflake leapt into his arms, the small creature’s worry evident in its eyes.
“Haha…” Aether managed a weak smile, gently patting Snowflake.
[+3000 Affection]
He retrieved a glowing healing potion from his pack and drank it, feeling a soothing warmth spread through his body. Slowly, his wounds began to heal, and within minutes, he was restored to perfect condition. Snowflake, overjoyed, licked his face with renewed affection, its happiness infectious.
[+3000 Affection]
[+3000 Affection]
Cradling Snowflake, Aether glanced at his Log, a triumphant smirk playing on his lips.
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: #####
Level: 9
Title: The Lost One, Slave [Eternal Contract to ########], The Only Holder of Ether and Past-less, Future-less Entity.
Skill: Freedom (Active), Clone
Attributes:
Strength: 81
Agility: 83
Intelligence: 80
Magic Affinity: 80
Charm: 80
Compatibility: 90%
Survival rate: 19.4%%
Affection Points: 287,290 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
Seduction:3/10
/
Those increases in strength and agility from pushing his body to its limits filled him with satisfaction. With determination, he commanded,
“Increase my level”
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 10↑]
“Increase my level”
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 11↑]
“Increase my level”
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 12↑]
!~Ding~!
[Congratulations on Levelling up]
[Reward: 30,000 Affection Points]
!~Ding~!
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: #####
Level: 12 ↑
Title: The Lost One, Slave [Eternal Contract to ########], The Only Holder of Ether and Past-less, Future-less Entity.
Skill: Freedom (Active), Clone
Attributes:
Strength: 110↑
Agility: 110↑
Intelligence: 110↑
Magic Affinity: 110↑
Charm: 110↑
Compatibility: 90%
Survival rate: 21.9%↑
Affection Points: 171,290 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
Seduction:3/10
/
Sssssss
Aether exhaled a hot breath, his blue eyes glowing with newfound power. He felt unstoppable, confident he could now defeat all five puppets without breaking a sweat.
Focusing on the Clone Skill, a reward for saving Aqualina Naiadia, he pressed it. The skill details appeared before him,
[Skill: Clone]
[Effect: You can create a single clone of yourself, identical in you current appearance and possessing a fraction of your Attributes.]
[Clone Capabilities: The clone has 50% of your physical strength, agility, and Magic Affinity with 0% charm and intelligence. It can perform basic combat manoeuvres, cast simple spells, and follow complex commands. The clone shares your knowledge and skills but cannot activate unique Skills]
[Limitations: Due to your current level, you are limited to one clone at a time. The clone lasts for a maximum of 6 hours or until it is destroyed.]
[Additional Benefits: The clone can be used for reconnaissance, distraction, or doubling your efforts in battle and tasks. The clone’s actions are synchronized with your intent, providing seamless cooperation. Even Sovereign won’t be able to notice a difference.]
[Cooldown Time: 12 hours]
Aether’s heart raced with excitement, ‘Man, I literally have broken abilities now,’ he thought, a thrill coursing through him.
He mumbled, “Activate Clone.”
A mist formed before him, and Snowflake, initially alert, calmed down after receiving a reassuring pat. The creature watched the mist with curiosity.
Soon, a black-haired boy wearing torn clothes identical to Aether’s emerged, his face expressionless.
“Oh…” Aether’s eyes widened in astonishment, and Snowflake looked back and forth between the two Aethers, equally surprised.
“Hello,” Aether waved, but the clone remained still.
“Say hello,” Aether frowned and commanded, and the clone obediently replied,
“Hello”
Same as Aether’s voice.
“Hmm…” Aether nodded, scrutinizing the clone. He ordered it to move, and it did so without any reaction. He punched the clone’s face, surprised to see it didn’t feel pain, remaining stoically expressionless.
“Good,” Aether nodded with satisfaction. He then proceeded to beat the clone to a pulp to ensure it appeared as injured as he had been. He ordered it to walk out of the cave, grab the flag, and head straight to the stadium.
The clone nodded and left the cave.
Aether smiled as he looked at his backpack, his anticipation growing. “It’s about time for the introduction of…”
He donned a black ring with golden lining, changed into a flashier attire, and pulled on a hoodie.
Meanwhile,
Delphine saw Aether emerge from the cave, take the flag, and walk towards the stadium. She sighed deeply, her heart aching at the sight of his battered body. She thought he had finally given up.
‘That’s good… as long as he is fine!’ She thought and waited for the principal and the empress who went to see the Aqualina.
The Principal, who had been investigating Aqualina, arrived at the control room with a deadly serious expression, ‘Someone infiltrated using advanced Magi-tech… ah,’ she groaned in anger. She then looked at Aether walking with just two flags and sighed, knowing what had happened. She wouldn’t blame Aether.
“What happened, Principal?” Alaric asked curiously, mirroring the room’s sentiment. But the Principal didn’t respond, instructing them to focus on the remaining students.
However, None noticed the hooded figure quietly emerging from the cave after Aether left.
….
..
“Huff-huff-huff… Damn it, man! You are strong!” Leon mumbled, lying on the ground and glancing at Kai, who was also panting heavily beside him.
After their intense and gruelling fight, only Leon and Kai remained standing from their team, both exhausted and battered.
“Ha-ha, I-I could say the same thing to you!” Kai mumbled, amazed that their fierce battle had ended in a draw.
Seeing no one else from his side, Kai knew it would be challenging to defeat Aqualina alone, so he proposed, “W-Why don’t you help me defeat Aqualina?”
Leon smirked, aware of the bet between Kai and Aqualina. “What’s in it for me?” he asked, his tone playful yet serious.
Kai’s lips twitched, knowing exactly what Leon wanted. With a grumbled expression, he said, “I’ll arrange a date for you with Selene.”
Leon’s lips curled into a wider smile as he shouted, “Deal!”
Kai sighed, relieved. With Leon’s help, they might actually stand a chance against Aqualina.
But then,
“Eliminated?” Kai mumbled when he saw the hologram in the sky, his eyes widening in surprise and shock.
Even Leon was stunned into silence. Kai gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him. Someone had defeated Aqualina before he could.
Suddenly, a shadow blocked their view,
“Hello, guys~ Doing bromance?”
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