5 The Gap

[Self-Growth: The trait effect would have additional effects or some buffs. However the Self-Growth need a special condition to be activated

Unique: This is a rank that is divided between the trait quality. A unique rank can be considered as a gift from god. The person who has a unique trait will have many advantages over the other traits.

This information was obtained from an unknown source.]

Upon receiving the explanations from the system, Desmond learned that the Unique trait rank bestowed upon him carried numerous advantages. 

Meanwhile, the mention of an unknown source piqued his curiosity, suggesting a potential connection between his traits and a higher power.

Setting aside his musings, Desmond dismissed the transparent screens and shifted his focus back to the people present in the room.

A thought crossed his mind: Could the system scan his parents' stats? Although he had been using the system for months, it had only been activated upon his commands.

"System, scan my parents' stats," he requested, his curiosity driving him to gather more information. As he made the request, he felt a faint energy leaving his body, spreading towards his parents. 

In a brief moment, he sensed a feedback from the energy before it was drawn back into his own being. The scan results appeared before Desmond, displaying the statistics of his parents.

[Name: Bastian

Gender: Male

Age: 30

Race: Human

Class: 1st class Swordsman / 1st class Wizard

Occupation: Merchant

Unique Energy: 32.85

Strength: 25.00

Agility: 20.00

Stamina: 6.57

Trait Effect:

Wisdom (Rare)

- Increases Strength by +5.00.

- Increases Unique Energy Gathering +0.002]

[Name: Leona

Gender: Female

Age: 28

Race: Human

Class: 2nd class Witch

Occupation: Merchant

Unique Energy: 40.88

Strength: 13.00

Agility: 14.00

Stamina: 10.20

Trait Effect:

Loving (Unique)

- Reduces enemy's Strength, Agility, and Stamina by -2.00 (Active as long as family is present)

- Increases Unique Energy Gathering +0.003

- Slows down the aging process]

Desmond was rendered speechless as he absorbed the information regarding his parents' stats. Being in the arms of his mother, he could faintly hear their discussion about docking. 

Suddenly, both his parents turned their attention towards him simultaneously, their expressions filled with surprise.

Did they notice something? Panic gripped Desmond for a moment, but then he reminded himself that he was just an innocent baby. However, his parents' confused gazes locked onto him, plunging the room into an awkward silence.

"Honey, did you notice that too?" Leona, holding Desmond, turned to her husband, her eyes fixed on their baby.

She couldn't help but be astonished when she detected a peculiar energy attempting to enter her body, tracing it back to her child.

"Yeah, it's strange," Bastian responded, his eyes alternating between his wife and their son. Despite the unusual occurrence, he didn't find any cause for concern.

As Desmond's parents stared at him with confusion, Desmond felt relieved that they didn't seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. However, his mind was still occupied with questions about his parents' stats and traits.

He couldn't help but wonder how it was possible for a swordsman to have lower energy than a mage. The concept of 1st and 2nd class also intrigued him. 

Were they indicative of a power hierarchy in this world? If so, which class held greater strength?

The peculiar trait ranks and effects of his parents further baffled Desmond. 

The idea of reduced aging and possessing a Unique trait, which the system had described as a gift from a god, raised questions about his mother's nature. Could she be similar to him?

Moreover, Desmond noticed the contrast between the trait effects of increased energy gathering for his mother and the Rare trait rank possessed by his father.

It seemed that individuals with Unique traits held a distinct advantage regardless of their circumstances. Traits had the potential to shape a person's abilities and potential.

"System, are you there?" Desmond called out, hoping for answers to his many questions. To his surprise, the system remained silent, failing to address his inquiries.

Suddenly, a surge of unfamiliar knowledge flooded Desmond's mind, ranging from power hierarchies to the ranks of traits. The influx of information left him momentarily dizzy.

Although he maintained a composed outward appearance, anyone observing closely would notice that he didn't even blink.

After a brief period, Desmond finally managed to sort through the new information he had received. According to the unknown source, power in this world was divided into two categories: swordsmen and mages.

Swordsmen were ranked from 1st class, the lowest, to 3rd class, the highest. Mages shared the same hierarchy, with male mages referred to as Wizards and female mages as Witches.

While both swordsmen and mages had hierarchical structures, their requirements for advancing to the next class differed significantly.

Desmond also learned that traits were categorized into four ranks: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and the most coveted, Unique. The higher the rank, the greater the potential for a person to become influential.

However, he couldn't comprehend why his father possessed both swordsmanship and wizardry classes, while his mother did not.

He speculated on whether his mother was simply less inclined to train her physical abilities. This line of thought then led him to ponder other matters, such as the reasons behind her attractive physique.

Another perplexing aspect was why a swordsman like his father had lower stamina than a mage. Unfortunately, the system didn't provide any information on that topic. 

Desmond realized he would need to conduct further research on his own in the future.

While Desmond contemplated the gaps in his own stats compared to his parents', a knocking sound disrupted the silence from outside the room. 

His parents paused their conversation, expecting the person outside to speak. However, minutes passed, and no voice emerged.

This was unusual, as most servants would announce their presence and explain their purpose before entering. His parents exchanged glances, realizing that something was amiss. 

The sun still shone in the sky, but the deck remained eerily quiet due to the captain's rules.

"Father, mother, open the door! It's me, Alice!"

Bastian cautiously lowered his sword, reassured by the voice of his daughter, Alice. Leona, however, couldn't help but feel concerned about the tone of Alice's voice, which seemed different from usual.

"Come in, sweetie," Leona called out, her frown deepening as she awaited Alice's entrance.

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