I See

"…98, 99, 100"

Zeid counted off as his body steered up and down from the ground. The veins in his arms were protruding and his muscles feverishly trembled as it contracted. Drops of sweat fell to the ground and turned the dirt murky dark.

Beside him was Aqueshia who had been leaning her back on a tree near the city's wall on the secluded side. Her eyes locked against Zeid who endlessly worked out every morning for three weeks straight. She had been puzzled as to why Zeid had yet made a move to increase his fame and influence.

"The monthly admission for adventurers had already stopped a week ago and all those newcomers have already started forming parties, taking on raids, completing Grade D quests, and even joining the guild. Although those pets that had remorseless masters had a bit more thrill while I'm stuck here with him every day and night, watching him work out, cook food for him, summon slimes for him, and wait for him to return from finishing Grade G quests." A displeased tone left her lips while keeping it away from Zeid's earshot.

"He did treat me well though and gives me plenty of pleasurable favors. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm becoming more like a housewife." She continued. "And I don't even understand him. Everywhere he goes, he's being mocked and looked down yet he's so indifferent. It almost felt like nothing could ever abash him. Not to mention, I've noticed some nuances while I was around with him."

Aqueshia began counting her fingers. "He's extremely cold to men and I could tell that things around people didn't matter to him. He's a bit more kind to women, however. You won't be able to differ the difference between his treatment towards every gender but when you immerse yourself and observe thoroughly, although it is subtle, he's kinder to females. And lastly, he won't stop training himself even though his bones would already click."

"He's a fool."

"…67, 68, 69…" Zeid zealously performed squats.

"I'm not weak. I'm not weak. I'm strong, but not strong enough. More! More! More!" His eyes flared as his muscles tensed up. His clothes had already been drenched in his perspiration yet his heartbeat roared unwavering desire for improvement.

It was not like Zeid didn't want to join higher graded quests, it was just because he wasn't allowed to do so. These are the sufferings of those working as adventurers who were unlucky enough to receive a role as a support. Support roles in raids, quests, and parties are unlikely needed as their only job was to facilitate their belongings and collect goods. Their main objectives were to provide support through taking all the burden of polishing the blades and carrying the loot.

Zeid had joined a party but suddenly, all their loot went missing. It had not only happened once but thrice! People started to avoid him and called him "cursed useless support". No one dared to hire him since they feared that their loots would mysteriously disappear.

So all Zeid could do was take Grade G quests, preferably hewing a different kind of herbs with a sickle in a near farm, and catching butterflies with a butterfly net. Most of these quests are tedious and appealed by the lower class. Despite earning a small amount of 20 bronze gems a day, Zeid didn't care as long as his system would count these mediocre quests and complete his daily quest.

The daily quest had begun to give random stuff specifically, bandages, bread, few amounts of bgems, and if he was lucky, a high-grade hp potion. Zeid had realized a week and a half ago where all those missing loots went. And embarrassingly, he was at fault. All those loots were collected by his inventory and the cause was its feature called auto-loot.

Zeid didn't bother asking for forgiveness nor did he return those accumulated loots. All of them were mostly flesh, fangs, and pelts. To him, as long as it would benefit him, the status quo didn't matter. So the goal at his hand was to gain more power and prepare himself for the onslaught of the hunters. If he wanted to gain better things, he had to be prepared for the risk of his actions.

Zeid had been kicked out twice from two different inns before since he couldn't pay, and for a week they slept on the street. Aqueshia didn't care since her life had already been living in the harsh open woods but Zeid was different; the cold harsh floor attacked his senses.

"…98, 99, 100, 101…"

"I have to get stronger. Stronger, so that I'll be able to live an easier life. Stronger, that when the risk of the hunt won't threaten me. Stronger, so that I'm able to defend the witch and myself!"

"Stronger!"

"…168, 169…"

Realization struck him and Zeid propped himself upright. He had overdone his sit-ups. His muscles were screaming in pain!

Although he had [Pain Tolerance], it only pacifies the pain received in battle and from lower-level beings. This hidden truth was uncovered when the pinky of his toe struck the edge of the door, and to which he almost turned monstrous green. The pain was surely unbearable.

However, it was not a disadvantage for him. Truly life is full of pain, and to which one does not feel pain is not living at all. Pain is a vital part of survival, it is the trigger that tells us what's happening around us. A neutral evil that cannot be erased. An evil that serves the good a purpose.

"Pain is an old friend, right dad?" Zeid clenched his fists.

"I'll become stronger. So sit right there and watch me from the heavens, you stupid old man." His eyes moved towards the firmament to which it held a sullen gaze.

"Main Quest."

Zeid flicked his finger and a panel appeared.

[Main Quest!]

Obtain the artifact hidden in one of the dungeons in Freedom Forest

The artifacts that had been known to hold the power to subdue even the witches had revealed its aura three months ago. The aura could not be felt by commoners, but it can be felt by the hunters. While the artifact stays under the fortified walls of the dungeon and behind the dungeon boss, you are tasked to retrieve it before it falls to the wrong hands.

Time left: 39:23:03

Rewards: 10 Status Points

Failure to complete will result in system removal or otherwise as death.

[End]

"It has been since I've completed a quest that gives status points."

"Can you tell me why you have been training every day, my dear master?" Altair spoke within his mind altogether a star flickering HUD at the edge of his vision. The moment Altair went silent, the star faded gray.

Zeid glanced at the upper corner of his vision where the bar of his HP and Mana could be seen.

"To become stronger, Altair. I am indirectly increasing my stats. While allocating points does increase my power, it surpasses my threshold. So even though my stats don't raise whenever I work out, I am still indirectly increasing it and allowing my body to become a better vessel when I'm about to allocate my points." He pulled a vial out of his inventory and used [Create Water] to fill it.

"Take this for an example; this vial is my body and the water I pour onto are the points I'm allocating. As you can see, the surplus will spill and the vial will not be able to contain it. So in order for the vial to confine all, it must change to become a better and larger vial. Remember the time I woke up so frail? When my stats improved, my body was forced to change. So I'd rather not waste the points' potential on improving my body forcefully but instead allow it to boost my well-earned physique."

"I see, master." Although Altair only understood half.

However, Aqueshia couldn't take her eyes off her master's virility. As Zeid took his shirt off to wipe his sweat with a woolen cloth, her eyes were engrossed on his damn chiseled body. His obliques flushed red and the sweat that trickled down revealed the edges of his muscles. Just by gazing has caused Aqueshia to be in the heat.

Her hands agreed with her emotions. The past two weeks held an eventful night filled with pleasure, but the latter week had halted her satisfaction. Without a safe place to sleep, the cold streets offered unamiable nights that had ceased Zeid's amorous actions. His favors sure well filled her belly with the help of contraceptive from [Aphrodisiac]. Memories of his body pinning against her, his sweat digested by the skin of her slimy body, and the cock to which ravaged her front left a lasting memory engraved in her heart. The scenery of Zeid's body had triggered those memories to come crashing back to her, causing her playful hand to rub and caress her front thus subtle squeals left her lips.

"Oh? What's wrong with you?" Zeid turned his head and asked upon noticing Aqueshia's reddened face.

"N-nothing!" Aqueshia flinched and turned her head away. Her blue skin morphed back into her human disguise, forming all sorts of aesthetic clothing, and hid of her self-love.

Intercepted, Zeid went to her and grabbed her wrist.

"Huh?" Her eyes widened in surprise, she didn't think that she would be ravaged here out in the open between the city's walls and Freedom forest.

"It's time to raid some dungeon, let's go."

Her excitement quickly sank and an embarrassing tone escaped her lips as she stifled a sheepish smirk. She retorted with a rant.

"But it's too early!"

"I see nothing wrong. Besides, I have to finish those fields later in the afternoon and play with some children."

Her eyes gleamed and a subtle smile escaped from her lips.

"Perhaps I missed two additional things to observe. He found a bit of his joy harvesting herbs with a sickle and made a small bond with the children who asks for butterflies."

Aqueshia nodded, Zeid grabbed his cardigan, and both of them headed towards the forest.

*****

"Have you got eyes on that support? What's the info?" A husky voice spoke behind the shadows.

"It seems all he had done was complete two G Graded Quests and work-out daily. Nothing much." A hooded phantom spoke. Its dark flame-like aura waved under the sheets of its cloak.

"It's been three weeks already. Didn't he try hunting in the forest to increase his level? Why would he work-out instead of leveling? No matter. Report to me something unusual, I still haven't given up. I know he's a witch's spawn."

The phantom nodded and disappeared like a smoke crashing down the floor.

"I, Aurelion, will never cease, Cursed Support."

The sage tapped his staff on the floor and disappeared.