Grimaldi: Allies from the Night

Chapter Four - 1

CHAPTER FOUR

FIRST STEP (PART 1)

It feels just like yesterday Kia was longing for the embrace of the sun yet now that she's back, she felt nothing but emptiness. The clan will surely be missed and will never be forgotten. However, she couldn't help but to regret not even saying a goodbye to them. Well, after watching her memories, she doesn't need to.

She expected that the system will turn back the time before the attacks but she came back to the time prior her death. Just like that time, she woke up on a table alone in their classroom. The status windows are floating mid-air. She let out a chuckle. It was kind off funny that she was overwhelmed on that day after seeing those but now she thought that it was a good thing.

(❕) ALARM

You survived the hidden tutorial "Desires of the Mortal"

(❕) ALARM

[WELCOME, PLAYER]

The [SYSTEM] humbly congratulates the commendable player for surviving the tutorial.

(❕) ALARM

[THE GODDESS OF WAR, ATHENA] was moved by your bravery and determination.

(❕) ALARM

[THE GODDESS OF WAR, ATHENA] blesses and bestows the [TITLE: ATHENA'S DISCIPLE] upon you. May prosperity and victory be with [PLAYER: KIA]

Minutes passed, Kia stood straight, gritted her teeth, knitting her brow and clenching his fist, she glared at the status window. Her insides was seems like boiling by the fire and realized a sudden thirst for blood and revenge. She thought that perhaps this time was a second chance for her—third chance rather. There was no time to mourn as she need to be strong. Being an avid reader even gave her an advantage for knowledge. If the system uses her then she would gladly use the system too.

"I will become strong." She declared giving a lopsided grin.

Kia waved her hand, trying touch the hologram but her hand only slip through.

"Then how did this work? Maybe I should try saying next or status wi-" Before she could finished her words the message of the status window changed. Her eyes blinked twice in surprise.

✉️ (3) MESSAGE

[REWARDS FROM THE WAR GODDESS] (UNREAD)

[WEEK 1 QUEST: PREPARING TO BECOME STRONG HAS ARRIVED] (UNREAD)

[HIDDEN TUTORIAL CLEARED] (UNREAD)

Perhaps reading the word 'rewards' kind off fascinating, a smirk formed in her lips. Like any other teenager, Kia loved reading and hearing the stories about the greek gods but she never knew that Athena was this thoughtful.

"Rewards accept."

?REWARDS FROM THE GODDESS

[1] YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE [TITLE: THE DISCIPLE OF ATHENA]

[2] [GODDESS OF WAR, ATHENA] GRANTS YOU THE [LONG SWORD OF ATHENS]

[3] SKILLS OF THE [WAR DISCIPLE]

(4) 4,500 gold coins

Her jaw dropped upon reading the rewards. For her, it was too much for someone who only did was to run and hide behind Gail. But then again, she will gladly use the system for her desire of power and survival.

"Accept rewards."

(❕) ALARM

REWARDS ACCEPTED!

[ITEM: LONG SWORD OF ATHENS]

ITEM CLASS: LEGENDARY

ATTACK: 100

A long sword passed down from generation to generation by the Disciples of Goddess Athena. It was used in thousands of wars that lead victory. Rumoured to be made by the Unknown Legendary Blacksmith.

- Can be stored, equipped, or sell.

[EFFECT: (YOUR LEVEL IS TOO LOW TO UNLOCK)]

(❗) ALARM

YOUR BODY CANNOT CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THE [LONG SWORD OF ATHENS] HP IS REDUCED BY 5 EVERY 10 SECONDS.

Kia frowned because of the heavy weight of the long sword. She was unable to make it stand and thankfully, before it could slice her feet, she stored it in the inventory. For her current level, the sword was not useful and it was better to use it later.

"I guess I need to enhance my strength first before I review what Mevijun taught me," she whispered to herself.

(❕) STATUS

NAME: KIA GRIMALDI

LEVEL: 1

JOB: SQUIRE

ROLE: 1. FIGHTER

2. UNKNOWN (LEVEL UP TO UNLOCK)

TITLE: DISCIPLE OF ATHENA

FATIGUE: 0

HP: 100

MP: 10

STRENGTH: 8

AGILITY: 5

SENSE: 5

VITALITY: 5

INTELLIGENCE: 4

[SKILLS] (LEVEL UP TO UNLOCK)

[1] MALEFIC ROAR LV. 1

[2] UNKNOWN

[3] UNKNOWN

[Passive]

STRENGTH LV. 1

SPRINT LV. 1

RESISTANCE LV. 1

Kia awkwardly smiled while scratching her nape. Her status was too low considering it was just the beginning. She mumbled Inventory, Store, and Item storage then another three holograms appeared infront of her showing interesting things. The door opened making a creaking sound that caught Kia's attention. The door revealed Gail who entered the room.

"Kia, you're awake!" Gail shrieked as she rushed to Kia, then embracing her tightly. Her mouth curved up into a smile yet tears shimmered her eyes. Kia once again felt the tightness of her chest and her eyes flooded with tears. The frustration of forgetting the her loved ones engulfed her heart. She and her best friend wept in each other's arm wholeheartedly. She missed her so much.

Their cries stopped when Kia's stomach sudden growl since she didn't eaten yet ever since the monsters attacked. There was a moment of awkward silence before Gail guided her out the room on the way to the canteen where also the survivor students gathered. On the outside, the wide space that surrounded by buildings where the chaos takes place was surprisingly no traces of destruction but thousands of corpses was laying on the ground. The sight made Kia's heart ache but there was no tears dropped, it seems became dry and her eyes was swollen.

Gail explained what happened while Kia was sleeping. Her voice was calm as she speak but her face darkened, anger was visible on Gail's face.

Out of 13000 students and a hundred of teachers and school workers, only 20 students miraculously survived. Five from grade 12, Five from grade 11, and 10 from grade 7. Like Kia, all of the students were also given different kinds of power by the system. The survivors gathered as soon as they woke up. The system surprised them but the silence of the campus' ground surprised them the most. There was no sight of monsters and blood on the ground and a barrier surrounded the school.

"Barrier?" Kia asked. Gail stopped her tracks, brows knitted. "Did you read the 'hidden tutorial cleared' message?"

Kia's mouth formed an Oh, she forgot to read it. She was too occupied with the rewards.

(❕) MESSAGE

[HIDDEN TUTORIAL: DESIRES OF THE MORTAL] MONSTER HAS BEEN WIPED OUT BY [PLAYER &#;*;#]

[REWARDS]

(1) 5000 gold coins for every survivors

(2) [BARRIER Lv. 20]

- Any monsters cannot enter the school but the survivors are not allowed to go out the barrier.

Duration: Unknown

(3) Corpses of the monsters will disappear to the place where they came from.

Kia didn't move and went silent for awhile. Her mind was filled with different thoughts and she started to sweat.

"Frightening isn't it? But thanks to that we can freely walk around the school. That's why we gathered the corpses here that took us to finish in the afternoon." Gail explained.

"Then did you guys know who is the player that wiped out the monsters?" Kia asked. Gail shook her head twice as she shut her eyes. "No, that's is the reason why the canteen are in chaos now."

Entering the canteen made Gail and Kia suffocated, the memory of their deceased friends are still fresh even though she spent countless days in another dimension. But the yells of quarreling students distracted them. The inside of the canteen was a total chaos. Some was angry and asking them who is the mysterious player and some was full of anxiety. Both of them sat there silently.

"We should just find who is that player is."

"Right! If that person is one of us then we can be at ease. We have a strong fellow."

"But what if that person is more dangerous than the monsters?"

Kia shut her eyes tightly, the voices of the students are too loud. Her jaw clenched as she hesitated to do what someone need to do in the chaotic situation.

(❕) ALARM

SKILL: MALEFIC ROAR LV. 1 ACTIVATED.

"Stop! Nothing will happen if all of you won't stop your quarrels!" She shouted aloud. Thanks to her skill, the other 19 people inside that room heard her. Their heads turned on her direction as they went silent. Even Gail who was beside her was shocked.

But that time, her heart was beating rapidly. She was full of regrets yet satisfied with the outcome. She cleared her throat and looked straight into their eyes.

"There are many possibilities of what really happened but is that really what we should do right now? Should we waste our time to this issue? Think about it, if that player is dangerous, they should killed us before we woke up. They shouldn't give us a chance to be strong!" Kia's voice was calm yet authoritative.

"That's right. But there's also a possibility that maybe he did something that made the monsters fight each other." A student from grade 7 said.

"So what should we do now?"

Kia smirked. "What else? Of course, we just need to be strong."