Chapter 13: The deal

Sarah's p.o.v. A few minutes earlier.

Jack and I walked to his hut. Things were awkward. I wanted to say sorry to him but I didn't know how. Whenever he would look at me i just looked at the ground out of guilt and embarrassment and carried on walking. We eventually reached the hut i stood there nervously not knowing how to say what I wanted.

'F*ck it! I

Suddenly.

"He-"

"He-" We both went to speak at the same time cutting each other off.

"You go first" i said quickly.

"Ok... I'm sorry!"

"What! why would you be sorry? I'm the one that should be apologising I knew about the guard and said nothing! which forced you into that position and having to tell everyone about what you went through." I said feeling incredibly guilty, as someone who's been through something similar I know just how hard it is to tell others.

"I'm sorry because I reacted like a child, I didn't consider you or your position. it's obvious that you couldn't tell me otherwise the test would have been pointless. As for me exposing my past I would have done so eventually anyway so don't worry about it." He smiled sweetly at me. I was just so happy he didn't hate me I couldn't help my self but hug him.

'Cheeky lil Sh*t!' As I hugged him I suddenly felt his hands on my butt 'Two can play at that game, Lets see how you react to this.' I swayed my body making my boobs hit his head, hoping to fluster him.

°Miss Sarah... Not that I mind but... don't you think I'm a bit to young for this?" He looked up at me, his face still buried in my chest with a cheeky smile. 'Ah! How could I forget this is Jack I'm dealing with!' i pretended to realised our situation so I stood up abruptly not wanting to give him any more satisfaction.

"Silly boy!" i tapped on on the head "That was perfectly innocent and you know it!" I pretended to be annoyed.

"Hehehe yeah... I know, but I just couldn't resist teasing you. it's way to much fun." he grinned mischievously.

"Haa... Goodbye Jack." 'This kid! Haha oh well boys will be boys.'

Yes goodbye miss Sarah. he smiled opened the door and went inside.

I purposely didn't scold him for touching my butt, I'm not sure entirely why but i wanted to hear him complement me again. So I took a few steps to make him think I walked away and listened.

"Huh? She didn't mention me grabbing her butt, maybe she didn't notice. it felt really nice and the so did the way her boobs when they where rubbing on my face. Mmmm thinking about how nice it was makes me feel... weird but nice at the same time? Miss Sarah's butt is so soft."

'Hah! I got him. Huh not what i expected but I suppose he is at that age?' I don't know what I was thinking but I felt an urge to keep listening.

"Huh!? What's going on!?" I heard something that sounded like clothes hit the floor.

'What!? What's happening in there? It-It can't be "THAT" can it?'

"Woah! it's never done this before. I wonder why it's so stiff? Maybe it will go down if i push it?Oh wow! touching It feels so strange but also really nice, similar to when I thought about touching Miss Sarah. I wonder what it will feel like to touch I it and think about her at the same time?"

'OH MY GODS! IT IS!' I stood there in complete shock not knowing what to do I knew I should leave but for some reason I was still listening.

"Mmmm that's nice, ooh miss Sarah, mmmm" I started to tap on my arm mimicking something else. I herd footsteps shuffle away a bit but not to far. 'Heh' I started to tap louder and faster. "Oooh Miss Sarah it feels so good, don't stop keep going, keep going, don't stop, oh miss Sarah"

He increased his tempo I suddenly realised what I was doing. I ran down the street as quickly as I could.

'WHAT!? What is wrong with me? h-how could I? H-He's just a CHILD!' I was utterly disgusted with myself. 'Sure... I think he is charming and cute. He may even be handsome once he's matured. But not right now!' I slapped my self with anger, then gathered my self together and started to walk home.

'I will never allow myself to think like that again... Maybe when he comes of age though?... Uhh! what is wrong with me!' I slapped myself again and rushed home.

****

Jack's p.o.v.

I started to wake up, I opened my eyes and i stretched out. *Yawn* I slowly swung my legs around and sat on the edge of the bed. I sat there for a moment to wake up properly. I got up went to the bathroom and washed my self. Then I returned to the room, while going over to my clothes I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the wall.

"Woah!" It was dark last night, so it was the first time seeing myself properly without any top on, since before my level up. I wasn't particularly big, but I was lean, very lean my muscles were tightly packed, very defined and highly detailed. I was comparable to a professional athlete.

"F*ck me! I'm ripped! I stared at my body flexing and posing like a moron, but to be fair I had never been anywhere near defined even at my peak I was bassicly an oversized barrel. Then a thought crossed my mind.

'How the F*CK! Am I supposed to explain this! I was nothing but skin and bones a few days ago and now I look like a miniture pale Cristiano Ronaldo! Hay system can i change how i look?'

{Once you learn how permanent or temporary physical manipulation or transformation is possible through the use of energy. This is not reccomended as manipulation or transformation will affect your STATS and body control}

'It might be handy to be able to change my apperance and the idea of changing into a beastman is pretty cool, but not if it affects my STATS and I'd have to learn how to use my body all over again. On top of all of that i have to learn how to do it in the first place. Well It's a good thing these clothes cover all of me, I'll have to hide this for quite a while.' I put on my clothes and went and sat back on the bed.

'Now that I think about it I might have to hide my true ability level as well. The system said a level 1 human has an average of 10 in each STAT. I'm not interally sure what it means by level 1, it could be a baby for all I know. System please define a level 1 human.'

{A human is considered level 1 at the age of ten, with an average of 10 in each STAT.}

'Huh. so I'm roughly double the average. Does everyone level up the same way I do?'

{No, other beings increase their STATS individually, through effort and research, their average STATS determine there level. As a unique being, you increase your level through tasks and by defeating or killing other beings. Each time you level up you increase all STATS equally, plus gain bonus STATS}

'Ok... Is the way I level up, what you mean when you say I'm a unique being?'

{Partially. You will discover the rest in time}

'I remember Sarah saying that people get an ability increase of about 50% when they "Awaken" and that happens at 15. Apart from rare cases! System do you know what she meant by rare cases?

{Physical and emotional trauma can possibly trigger an "Awakening"(A connection to energy), earlier than natural}

'So saying that I had awakened should be believable, perfect that means I only need limit my STATS to 15 instead of 10!'

'System please limit all STATS to 15.'

{Done}

'I got a bunch of skills after I levelled up, I should check 'am out. [Skills].'

'Ugh! I really need to change that! hmm... a space in my head where i can do what i want...Mind palace? NOPE!... A space... in my head? F*ck it, that will do for now. System can I change the Name of visualisation training to... Head space.

[STATS] SKILLS [HEAD SPACE] [HELP]

Skills:

*"Critical kill" [By critacly injuring or destroying a "vital" area. (Brain, heart, etc.) you can instantly kill most enimies],

*"Regeneration" [As long as you are still alive, you can heal either passively heal speed x3 or actively by using energy, the more energy you use the quicker you heal. Does not stop you being rendered unconscious.]

*"Energy perception" [By focusing you can see and sense energy]

*"Energy manipulation" [By focusing you can manipulate energy to recreate natural phenomenon or use your personal energy either internally(Enhancement) or externally(Magic)]

*"Limit Breaker"(Level 1:10% - Level 9: 90%) [You can increase energy limit. But you will receive -1 H.P and STM per second for every 1 energy over the limit until the skill deactivates. Skill will automatically deactivate when H.P reaches 10% of its total.]

'Well, ok then pretty handy stuff. I should consider using my "Head Space" to practice a bit at some point... That Still sounds weird, but it's better than what it was.

'I wonder what Energy perception looks like? all I gotta do is focus on it right?' I noticed the system seems to know when I'm asking it a question or just thinking to myself but didn't really think about it instead i focused on seeing and sensing energy. it took about a second then.

'WOAH!' My jaw hung open in disbelief as my view of the world was illuminated i could feel everthing around me, like my senses had extended out from my body, the breeze of the air, the movement of bugs and insects and the people outside.

Everything had a hue of colour from the flow of the air and the wooden walls to the people outside, nd the birds in the sky.They looked like colurful ghostly apparitions through the walls. Almost everything and everyone was unique by a shade or two, some were much brighter than others. this sensation reminded me of something that monks and martial artists strived for.

'Is this what they mean when they say "To be one with the world?" I wonder?'

That's when I saw the light yellow apparition of a girl pushing a grey apparition of a cart walking towards my hut.

'Huh!..That must be Lana bringing me breakfast.' I remembered that I hadn't locked my door last night so I didn't need to get up to let her in. A moment later.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Its open! Come on in Lana" I said happily.

She quickly opened the door.

"How did you know it was me!?"

"Your the only one that visits me in the morning. Duh!" I said sarcastically.

Hay!.. you are right though. You know you could at least offer to help, this things heavy you know!?

"Oh please!" I said like she was stupid.

"Huh!? What?" She said with a dumbfounded expression.

Don't you, huh, what me. Why should I help?" I spoke like a spoiled brat just to annoy her.

"Because your a boy!" she said slightly angrily.

"So, what!? Are you trying saying girls need a boys help to do stuff?"

"What!? NO! Of course not! it's just polite to offer!"

Polite!? So what then!? Your older, bigger and probably stronger than me if you think it's heavy. Did you just wanted to se me struggle!?

"i-i uh-uhm..." She stutters not knowing how to respond.

"Uh-uh-uhm EXACTLY!" I ridiculed her, she was completely gobsmacked. I got up and walked over to her.

Haaa... Fine! i gently pushed her to the side while she just stood there.

If you really need my me to save a maiden in distress, then..." I grabbed the cart.

"NEVER FEAR! FOR "I" AM HEAR!" I said in deep exaggerated mocking voice. I pulled the cart through the door into the room with one hand, it was ridiculously easy to move.

"Your cart, my lady." I smirked at her. She looked agitated as her eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Humph! Thank you! it wasn't that hard was it!?" She said in an sarcastic voice.

"No. "Actually" it was "really" easy to move, perhaps I overestimated your strength?" I said smugly.

"Why! You lit-" She was about to finally snap.

Hahahaha! I'm joking! I'm joking! Calm down before you hurt yourself."

"OR YOU!"

"Yeah! Yeah! I know! Hehehe." I laughed and Smiled wryly.

"Come on, let's eat!" I said enthusiastically, snapping her from her anger. I pulled the cart over to the bed, grabbed the chair from under the desk and placed it in front of the cart. i held tge chair and gesterd for Lana to sit down.

"My lady." I said in a serious, charming but playfull tone. She caught on quickly and stood in front of the chair ready to sit down.

"Why! Thank you! kind sir. She said in a playfully put on posh voice. I pushed the chair in as she sat down.

"My honour! My lady." I said keeping up the act. I made my way to my spot and sat on the bed.

"So what delights do we have today?" I felt a bit stupid but i kept up the act, it seemed to make her forget her anger.

"TA-DA!" she said enthusiastically as she removed the cloche's from the bowls.

'Huh! That's a thing here as Well?' That was my first thought as I herd the familiar saying, then... I looked at the bowl and I knew by now I shouldn't judge the food in this world by how it looks but... it just looked so absolutely f*cking disgusting, I almost gagged just glancing at it. It looked like a bowl of what can only describe as a steaming pile of lumpy semi solid purple and brown sh*t with bits of mouldy green coloured stuff in it, it looked like it had freshly procured from the backside of some sort of beast.

Ah! A rare delicacy indeed! I said wit a completely straight face.

"POOP!" I changed my expression to one of disgust.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Haaa... I'm guessing you've never eaten this before?"

"Umm... no! And frankly the bugs I'd use to find in my mouldy bread looked more appealing than this!"

"Gross! try it before you say anything else."

"Haa... Fine! But if it's nasty I'm pouring it strait over you!" I smirked at her.

"Humph! fine but if it's nice... you have to stop being so annoying!" She smirked back. I should have thought about it but... I didn't.

"Deal! Thanks for the food!" I said confidently. I grabbed the spoon and shovled the slop into my mouth expecting the worst, only to be left absolutely stunned, it was amazing. it was full of flavour and texture like nothing I'd ever eaten before, the closest thing I could compare it to was gumbo but it was an amalgamation of different vegetables and spices and seasonings, it didn't have any meat and it didn't need it.

I swallowed my mouthful of food and looked Lana deep in the eyes.

"You win. It's amazing." I said halfheartedly.

"Why thank you very much, it's not bad if i do say so myself!" She said with a smug smile.

"Wow! You made this!?" I was genuinely shocked.

"Uh huh!" She said with a happy grin.

"Wow! you know, you will make a wonderfull wife someday with cooking like this!" I smiled.

"Hay! I thought he had a deal!? No more teasing me!"

"Um?... I wasn't teasing you." I said slightly confused.

"Oh... Thank you." She looked a bit embarrassed.

"You're welcome." I said with a smile, then carried on eating.

"Thank you for this food." she quickly joined me and in no time at all we had finished the meal.

"So good! hay do you know when the Chief's making the announcement?"

"Oh, yes about midday, so we still have a few hours to go I'll come and get you when it's time, so don't worry about being late."

"Ok, thanks Lana"

"You're welcome Jack" She got up and went to drag the cart to the door, so I quickly got up and opened the door for her to leave.

"Thanks, see you soon."

"No worries, see you soon" She smiled and left. I smiled and closed the door.