Black Eagles

[Date: 2/1]

[Time: 10:25 AM]

[Location: Achilles Residency]

"Wait a second, YOU became a Wielder yesterday?! How come I didn't know about this?" Evelyn asked, her eyes wide with shock and awe.

I scratched the side of my head, letting out a soft chuckle. "It… was a National Alert. Everyone gets notified when new Wielders appear. Even on the news. What were you doing the whole time yesterday?"

Evelyn's face flushed with embarrassment as she began to reflect on the events of yesterday. "W-Well… I slept. I went on a few Quests. I went on a Raid with my team and then I went back to sleep. I didn't even hear you enter the house."

'Yep, just as I expected,' I thought.

"But this is amazing news! So what kind of System did you get?" Evelyn asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Uh… what kind?" I asked, tilting my head.

{Suru: She means what Rarity. There are different rarities of Systems a Wielder can have.}

{Suru: First is the Bronze Rarity, the basic System which only comes with its base features and you can only hold one skill at a time. Next is the Red rarity, this system comes with the ability to hold up to 3 Skills. Then it's the Silver Rarity, this system allows a base feature called Skill Merge and allows you to wield 5 skills. Next is Gold, allowing Skill Creation with the right materials. Finally, Platinum. The strongest System Rarity. Only nine Platinum Systems exist, one for each Region.}

I took out my System and removed the casing, my eyes widening with realization. Evelyn peeked at my System and her jaw dropped in shock.

"YOU HAVE THE PLATINUM SYSTEM?!" Evelyn exclaimed, her energy flaring up with surprise.

'I do have the strongest System. But why? Why would Flair give me the strongest system,' I thought, my heart leaping with joy and confusion.

I clapped the casing back onto my System, closing my eyes and exhaling slowly. "I can't let people know I have the Human Region's Platinum System. Not yet anyway. This Gold Case helps hide the rarity…"

"My little brother has the Platinum System," Evelyn sighed, now in her own world.

Suru and I glanced at each other, then looked back at Evelyn. I waved my hand in front of her face, but she was completely zoned out. I cleared my throat, but she was too far into her dreamscape, imagining all the adventures we would go on together.

"Yeah, she's a goner. Let's come back later when she's grounded back to reality," I said, grabbing my bag and keys.

{Suru: Understood!~}

Suru's holographic body disappeared, and I looked at my System to check the time. I still had four hours to burn before Ms. Fleur's class, so I decided to make the most of it by going out and leveling up and completing quests around the city.

With my mind set and my plans made, I made my way out of my home and hurried to Monarch City, feeling a newfound determination. This was the true start of my journey.

--------------------------------

[Date: 2/1]

[Time: 10:35 AM]

[Location: Monarch City]

I sat in a cozy café by the window, sipping on a cup of mocha coffee and browsing the map of the area on my System. There were many One Star Pawn Quests available, from helping store owners run errands to covering shifts for employees who couldn't make it to work.

As I searched for a quest that wouldn't take too long, one caught my eye. "Black Eagle Craze…"

Suru hovered over my shoulder, looking at the screen and tilting her head slightly. She crossed her arms and glanced at me.

{Suru: The Black Eagles are pretty much like the Blue Falcons. They're rival gangs, actually. Both are recognized Guilds. Their leader is Devina Godfrey.}

An interface appeared in front of me with a picture of Devina and her information. She had black hair streaked with white, a black mask with intricate silver designs, a dark scarf, and a longsword made of stone. She wore a tattered green cloak, thigh-high boots, and bandages all over her arms.

Name: Devina Godfrey

Level: 17

Rank: Pawn

Star Rating: One Star

HP: 350/350

MP: 299/299

Attack: 132 (+100)

Stamina: 350

Dexterity: 94

Senses: 201

Luck: 164

"This girl looks hardcore… is she a ninja?" I muttered, swiping the interface to see more of her data.

{Suru: She's actually a Masked Knight. The Black Eagles claim to fight for justice, like Robin Hood. They steal from the strong and give to the weak. They've stolen from the Belmonts countless times and gotten away with it, which is why Stein hates them.}

I looked at the quest again, seeing the location was nearby. I tapped on the Quest Info to see what the requester wanted done.

{Quest Info: Retrieve a Sound Core from the Black Eagle Hideout.}

{Reward: Quest EXP +15,000, Credi +25,000, Rating EXP +3000}

I took a moment to weigh my options. Storming the hideout could mean running into Devina, which was risky, but the payout was huge. On the other hand, it didn't seem worth the hassle to potentially get wiped out.

After weighing my options, I let out a begrudging sigh. "I do need money… alright, let's just hope we don't run into Devina."

{Quest Accepted!}

{Mission Area: 9.5m away.}

I stood up and tossed my cup in the trash as I made my way out of the cafe. "Let's just hope they take it easy on me."

{Suru: You should be fine! It's just a quick in and out!}

'That's what they all say on these kinds of quests...' I thought as I traversed the bustling streets of Monarch City.

[Date: 2/1]

[Time: 11:15 AM]

[Location: Black Eagle Hideout]

I traversed the alleyways of the city, keeping my guard up as I scanned my surroundings. Soon, I made it to the entrance of the hideout, a doorway that led underground.

{Made it to Mission Area.}

I took a deep breath and exhaled, noticing how dark the entrance looked. Not a single shimmer of light shone down. "Okay…let's get this over with…"

With my good foot first, I stepped into the hideout and began to descend the steps. Suru began to illuminate the darkness using the glow from her body, setting a clear path for me.

Deeper and deeper I went, the underground ambiance growing louder with each step. I could hear my steady breaths, my heart racing even more. Soon, a few torches along the wall began to glow, illuminating the path further, making my way more clear.

As I walked down the corridor, I could hear voices in the distance. I hugged the walls as I neared closer to the source of the voices, keeping my steps soft and steady. Once I made it to a clearing, I poked my head into the room, seeing different furniture and chests full of treasures along the ground. My eyes scanned the hideout as I cautiously entered, seeing weapons and other equipment resting on tables and against the walls.

"How are we looking on that Sound Core? We need it now to make our Seismic Bracers," a commanding voice demanded.

"My my, it wouldn't hurt to be just a little patient. I am only one person," a second voice sighed, letting out a soft chuckle.

I poked my head over a table, seeing a figure with white hair standing over a workbench, building some device. They wore a white hooded cloak and a one-piece nylon bodysuit with fingerless bridal gloves.

'A girl?' I thought, my eyes fixated on the figure.

{Suru: Sorry to break it to you, but that's a guy.}

I grunted softly, shaking my head and closing my eyes. 'That is one pretty guy if I've ever seen one…'

"Devina isn't gonna be pleased when she hears we're way past quota. We can't beat that Metal Golem without the Sound Element. I won't have her giving me the silent treatment because of some golem!" the commanding voice said, approaching the man at the table.

I quickly ducked down and let out a quiet exhale, closing my eyes. 'Let's think about this. They are tweaking the Sound Core to fit in those gloves. The core is already gone… so how about we take the gloves?'

{Suru: That could work… but this is the Black Eagles we're talking about. They are way more competent than Ulric and his goons. Without a proper plan and knowing who they are, we won't be able to take them down.}

I nodded at her response, lowering my head to think about a proper strategy. Suddenly, an idea hit me, and I quickly performed a hand gesture. 'Let's hope this one works…'

As the two worked on the Seismic Bracers, they noticed a shadow hand emerge from the darkness. The hand snagged the bracers away, retreating into the shadows from which it came.

"No! Kera, after it!" the commanding voice barked.

Kera dashed after the shadow hand and noticed me running toward the exit. He formed two orbs beside him, one crimson and one indigo, which began to orbit around him. "Attract," he said calmly, the indigo orb glowing and manipulating the attractive force of gravity to pull me toward him.

I grunted as I felt my feet leave the ground, then groaned as I was swiftly pulled toward Kera at high speed. I looked back at him and used my Hypersensitivity to flip backward, vaulting over his body and kicking him away.

[Kera's HP: 492/492 -> 421/492]

Kera recovered quickly, surrounding his hand with hues of blue energy. He held his hand toward me, his blue eye glowing in the dark. "Skill: Cerulean Draw."

A flash of blue lightning connected Kera to me, then he yanked his hand back, forcefully pulling me toward him. Kera landed a powerful knee strike to my stomach, causing me to cough blood, the force of the strike blowing me away. I crashed into a wall and slowly fell to my knees.

[HP: 300/300 -> 201/300]

I panted heavily, clutching my stomach and coughing. 'His main skill is Gravity Manipulation… and he's proficient with it…'

Suddenly, I was pulled toward him again, still recovering from the impact of his previous blow, but I knew I had to think quickly. I held my hand out at his face. "Esoteric Light Technique: Great Flash!"

A blast of light hit Kera's face, blinding him and forcing him to release his technique. I landed on the ground, then bellowed as I struck him with an uppercut, knocking him into the air. I then palmed his stomach, launching him away. Kera groaned as he slammed into a pillar and fell onto one knee.

[Critical Hit!]

[Kera's HP: 421/492 -> 345/492]

Kera grunted as he pushed himself back to his feet, shaking off the disorientation from my light attack. His eyes, now blazing with determination, locked onto mine. "You're tougher than you look. But this ends now."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. 'I can't let him recover fully. I need to finish this quickly.' I shifted my stance, readying myself for the next move.

Kera's hands began to glow with a mix of deep blue and red energy, and the orbs orbiting him accelerated. "Skill: Gravity Well!" He slammed his hands together, and a powerful gravitational force began to pull everything towards him, distorting the air around us.

I felt the pull immediately, my body straining against the force. 'This is bad. If I get caught in that, it's over.' I glanced around, looking for anything that could help me. My eyes landed on a support beam nearby.

Focusing my energy, I activated my Hypersensitivity again, boosting my speed and reflexes. With a burst of effort, I leapt towards the beam, grabbing hold of a handing rope and using it to swing myself out of the direct line of the gravity well.

Kera's eyes widened in surprise as I avoided his attack. "Impossible!" he growled, the gravitational field collapsing around him.

I landed behind him, quickly closing the distance. "Not impossible," I said through gritted teeth. "Just determined." I channeled all my remaining energy into my next attack. "Esoteric Light Technique: Radiant Strike!"

A surge of brilliant light enveloped my fist as I struck Kera with all my might. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, the force of the blow shaking the entire room.

[Kera's HP: 345/492 -> 294/492]

"What the heck is going on here?!" A feminine voice called out from the distance.

Kera held the back of his head, groaning lightly. "For the love of Flair… For a Level 8, you hit like a freaking truck."

"Nothing to worry about, Devina… Just Kera losing to a Gold Pawn Wielder," the commanding voice sighed softly, shaking his head.

'Devina? Oh crap!' I thought, turning my head toward the woman who had entered the room.

Devina looked at me, tilting her head then gasped. "Wait, you're Kieran from Ms. Fleur's class! Hi!~"

"Wait, you know this guy?" the commanding voice asked, his tone a mix of shock and disbelief.

Devina nodded, giggling as she approached me and held my hands. Her mint green eyes sparkled as she stared at me. "Wow, you look even more handsome up close. And you have to be pretty strong to give Kera some trouble!"

"He's no pushover for sure… very quick on his feet," Kera groaned softly, standing up and dusting himself off.

"What the hell is going on here? Are we just… cool now? Can I leave and complete this quest?" I asked, looking at the three of them.

"Quest?" Devina asked, watching as I pulled my System from my pocket.

"This one," I said, showing her the quest I was doing.

Devina looked at my screen then snickered before breaking into soft laughter. "Look at who requested that!"

I looked at the screen and read the name, my expression dulling.

{Requester: Stein Belmont.}

"He only put that quest up because we obtained this Sound Core before he did. I'm guessing he was hoping for some High Tier to accept the quest, but you did, so you foiled his plan," Devina said, taking out her System. "Here… for your troubles, I'll give you the money he was offering so you don't go empty-handed."

{Devina sent 25,000 Credi.}

{Suru: Aww man! We could've used that Rating EXP! Now we gotta run stupid errands for people..}

Devina noticed Suru and giggled softly. "Who's this adorable guide?"

"This is Suru. She's my guide. An AI Ms. Fleur created for me to catch me up to speed about being a Wielder quickly," I said, introducing the two to each other.

"Anyway, what should I do about this quest?" I asked, looking back at my screen.

"Just let the time limit run out. It ain't like it's gonna kill him. Maybe it will, who knows," Devina chuckled as she walked toward the shadow hand on the floor then noticed it had merged with the Seismic Bracers. "Hmm?"

"No! All of my hard work!" Kera exclaimed, hurrying toward the gloves and holding them in his hands. "They've turned into Umbra Bracers now…"

I watched them and scratched the back of my head. I couldn't have been more confused in my life. Devina, a girl who seemed like a cold-blooded assassin, was actually really nice. Kera was also extremely kind now that he had calmed down.

Devina sighed and looked at the time. "We can figure that out later. I have to go to the academy."

"Alright…" Kera said dejectedly, setting the now Umbra Bracers on the table.

Devina walked toward me and smiled sweetly. "Care to join?"

I looked at her then nodded slowly. "Sure… we are going to the same place after all."

Devina smiled, leading the way out of her hideout. "C'mon! We can't be late like Meadow was yesterday!"

I grunted as she pulled me up the stairs with her. 'You are a strange one, Devina.'

---------------------------------

[Date: 2/1]

[Time: 12:10 PM]

[Location: Monarch City]

Devina and I walked down a path side by side to the academy. She hummed softly as she walked, her friendliness evident in her demeanor. I stole a few glances at her, my curiosity piquing the more I looked at her.

{Suru: Quick! This is your chance to test out the Heart to Heart Mode! I'll set it on automatic mode so you don't have to manually initiate it each time. Any time there's a chance for a Heart to Heart, the feature will activate!}

[Heart to Heart Mode Activated.]

[Devina's Mood: Normal]

[Devina's Bond: 0%]

[Devina's Attraction Meter: 0%]

[Status: Acquaintances]

I noticed a heart icon beside Devina, split into nine sections. The Ambition section was highlighted, showing her favorite trait.

"So...Devina, you're the leader of the Black Eagles, right?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Devina nodded with a smile. "Mhm!~ Being a leader isn't easy. There's so much that goes into it—time, patience, and managing team composition for raids and dungeons."

"Really? Like what?" I asked, genuinely interested.

"To join a raid, you have to sign up, and only three guilds can go at a time. Then there's the Dungeon License—we just got ours yesterday. Plus, dealing with the Blue Falcons is always a hassle, especially that ice chick Bothild," Devina sighed.

"Tell me about it. Her smug face when she hides behind her bodyguards is infuriating," I said, agreeing with her.

Devina smiled, holding her hands behind her back. "So, tell me about yourself. You're from the Achilles Family, right? I heard your ancestors were Demigods."

I nodded. "Yeah. The Achilles Family was one of the big three Bloodlines back during the Mythic Era of Homiheim. Most of us were wiped out when the Belmont Family rose to power."

"Wow, the Belmonts are that strong? Even stronger than the Solomon Family?" Devina asked.

"Probably not. The Solomons are closely related to Queen Asmodeus. Solomon was the only one to stand toe to toe with a Savior during the Faiths Era," I explained.

Devina listened closely, her eyes shimmering as I recounted Solomon's epic victories and defeats.

[Devina's Attraction rose to 15%]

"You're very knowledgeable. No wonder you're known as the Blue Brainiac. It suits you," Devina chuckled, playfully hitting my arm.

I chuckled, a small blush forming on my cheeks. "Thanks."

[Bond with Devina rose to 10%]

[Status UP!]

[Status: Friends]

[Heart to Heart Success!]

We continued to the academy, our conversation flowing smoothly as a new friendship sparked between us. I could see us working well together in the future.