Chapter 67: Grateful Hearts
[Replication Authority Skill: Self-Duplication → Host is able to make duplicates of himself. These duplicates can also be called avatars or clones]
[These avatars are in themselves sentient and can operate independently from the original]
[The avatars possess their own mana pool and health pool]
[The avatars and the original possess a hive mind]
[The avatars can make more duplicates]
[These are your limitations for Self-Duplication due to current level →
- You can make only a maximum of 3 avatars at any given time
- Mana cost for initial creation of these avatars will be deducted from host’s pool
- Your avatars can make a maximum of 3 other duplicates at any given time
- Avatars are unable to use Destruction and Space Authority skills
- The avatars cannot go too far away from the original—right now, beyond the borders of the kingdom]
[Space Authority Skill: Switch → Host is able to swap places with anything or anyone within a 100m radius]
[XP Boost Badge → A temporary inventory item that lasts for only 3 days. Your experience points gained in that time will be doubled]
[Demonic Magic Technique copied: Exterminate Blast Shots(B) → Host is able to release several blasts made of demonic magic energy]
[Warning!: Demonic Magic is forbidden and is not to be practiced within Xathia]
"Okay, these skills look interesting," Aiden said with one hand on his jaw as he looked at the screens contemplatively.
"A hive mind, so we possess a collective consciousness and intelligence," Aiden said to himself, easily figuring that part out.
Then an interesting question came to mind, and he asked, "Can these avatars do the system quests in my stead?"
The system replied: [With the exception of Permanent Quests, yes, your avatars may do quests in your stead]
"And to be clear, I would gain the rewards attached to those quests?"
[Yes, all rewards accrued to the quest will be transferred directly to you]
Then a devious smirk appeared on his face, especially knowing that all those mission and guild requests were about to be handled by "different Aidens" the very next morning.
He knew that stacking those multiple missions plus the XP badge would be absolutely perfect.
Aiden understood the Switch ability well enough from the explanation.
For the demon magic, however, he felt like discarding it.
The only reason he felt this way was that these very demons had committed the most vile deeds against people he considered friends and had even murdered one. Having to keep possession of something like this magic felt inappropriate.
He sighed and decided to let it be for now; and also decided to hold off on using the experience points until he was done racking up double points with the XP badge he had been rewarded with.
He took another deep breath, and the thought of a few minutes ago crept back into his head.
Making out with Laela felt like a dream that was definitely not real. He was sure that he had even felt a drip run past her laps at some point.
With a smile on his face, he proceeded back to bed.
...
The next morning came along, and mages were already stepping out of their rooms; some in their uniforms and some in regular wear.
Laela, Elena, and Arianna had been sitting at a table in the corner when Aiden stepped into the main guild room from the corridors.
Aiden’s eyes met with Laela’s for a second, and they both briefly smiled before Aiden made his way out of the guild room.
Laela had gone red on both sides of her cheeks as she smiled, and both the other girls noticed.
Arianna spoke up, "That smile looks different. And for some reason, you also seem to be glowing differently." She had that expression on her face that looked like she was playfully scrutinizing Laela.
Laela simply turned her face away in shyness and said, "Oh, it’s nothing."
Arianna squinted her eyes at her again and let it be. Elena said nothing in particular except smile at them both.
However, both girls had one guess; something had definitely happened between those two in the dungeon.
Aiden made his way to the infirmary to see how Alaric and the others were doing.
He arrived not long after at a room with different beds placed side by side. There were a couple of mages in white overalls using the healing spell, Goddess Embrace on various patients, most of whom were victims of missions gone bad.
Alaric was seated upright and was having a conversation with Rakan. Ingrid still lay on the bed, quiet and with her arm placed over her face.
However, it looked like they had already recovered from most of their ordeal in that dungeon. Atleast the parts of it that came with bruises and wounds.
The trauma however, was going to be a different thing altogether.
When they saw Aiden walk in, their faces looked more excited than before, and even Ingrid sat up from the bed.
"If it ain’t our posh lad in knight’s armor," Alaric began. He had a grateful smile on his face as he placed his right arm on Aiden’s shoulder.
"We owe you our lives," Rakan said with a slow bow.
Aiden simply nodded to them both, then looked toward Ingrid, who was slowly stepping out of her bed toward him.
Frankly, he was worried about her the most. Nobody should have had to experience what she did.
"Hey, don’t stress yourself too much," Rakan said immediately, rushing to her side to give her support.
But she gestured with a slight wave of her hands and said, "I’m fine."
Aiden had also walked toward her at this point, with some concern in his eyes. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. This, along with the stream of tears that followed, was uncharacteristic of her, to say the least.
She simply said, "Thank you."
The others, Rakan and Alaric, had smiles on their faces, and it looked like Alaric’s eyes had even grown teary.
Aiden hugged Ingrid back, with a gentle smile on his face.
...