Level Up Family

The morning was out in full as brilliant rays shone at all corners of this mountain range. The chirping birds fluttering about as some danced in the riverside while others made their way through trees. One such bird flew towards a window of a wooden house, it perched itself on the windowsill before making a few chirps.

As if someone was disturbed, a few rustling sounds were heard as a person had awoken. Looking inside, one would see that Grevlin had seated himself from the bed and stretched his limbs with a cute yawn.

Grevlin rubbed his eye corners and looked around the room in surprise; he thought to himself, 'Where's mother and father?'

Not knowing where they went, Grevlin didn't panic, but jumped down from the bed and went to the window, he climbed the other bed and used it as a foot stand to look out the window as he inspected the area.

Not long after, he saw that his mother was currently playing with his little sister at a lakeside, her legs were dipped into the water, as Little Rose giggle cutely as she was being tickled by Ria.

"Oh, mother is playing with sister, hmm... maybe I'll join them later," Grevlin muttered softly as his eyes showed a slightly sneaky look.

Not bothering to hurry to her position, Grevlin jumped from the bed onto the floor before he looked at his arm binders. He thought for a moment before unzipping it to look at his arms.

Soon, Grevlin saw somewhat dark reddish arms that slowly transitioned to the color of his mother's hidden horns. He saw that a few tiny spikes were growing around his knuckles as one slightly large spike was on his elbow.

'It's growing worse...' Grevlin thought with a frown on his face, he really disliked his arms, they are the very reason he was mocked while in school and treated like a handicapped as he had to pretend that they were disabled to hide them.

However, when Grevlin recalled what Marius said to him yesterday evening, his innocent eyes showed a firm look as he grit his teeth before thinking, 'I... I have to be strong; I must protect everyone,'

Once Grevlin finished his thoughts, he clenched his fists hard, causing the air within it to make a slightly loud noise due to the force.

Grevlin was a bit startled by this, he felt that his strength was even stronger than yesterday. He did what Marius thought him once he turned ten years old, and spoke in his mind, 'Show Status...'

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[Name: Grevlin Edgewick]

[Level: 1 | Age: 10]

[Status: Stage 1 Growth Lock - Leveling cap is limited to 10, due to physical immaturity.]

[Race: Human + Hellian]

[Stamina: G]

[Strength: G]

[Agility: G]

[Dexterity: G]

[Msytic Power: G]

[Inborn Abilities:]

[Passive Strengthen – Arms | Level 1]

[Mastery: 200/500]

[Description - An inborn skill that allows the host to strengthen their arms passively, the ability will increase in mastery for each use and non-use over time.]

[Effects: Harden's arm and increase its strength by Two ★ Stars, because of the host's current Mystic Power, there are no side effects to this technique.]

....

[Call of Darkness | Level 1]

[Mastery: 0/500]

[Description - The inborn ability to call upon an entity of darkness; each subject to the master's whim and are duty-bound to protect the master.]

[Effects: Based on current Mystic Power, the host can only summon Grade 1 Dark Entities.]

...

[Learnt Skills: None]

____

Grevlin was surprised as he thought, 'Wow! It increased! My arms skill is higher in mastery... I... I should tell father later.'

When Grevlin thought to here, he then inspected the Call of Darkness skill and spoke with a puzzled look, "I was never able to use it before, but I wonder what this will do, what's a Dark Entity?"

After thinking for a bit, Grevlin looked around cautiously before he pointed his palm on the ground and spoke, "Call of Darkness..."

As if the world heard his voice, the shadows clustered and formed a diagram on the ground. In moments the room became shrouded by a diabolical aura, causing the Mountain Ax Senior to look at the room in alarm.

Ria, who was playing with Little Rose, also looked at the room, but as she knew that the Mountain Ax Senior wouldn't do anything, she didn't show panic. Instead, she had a smile on her face as she thought to herself, 'Little Grev-Grev... the talents you've awakened are far beyond even those elders, I hope you can master them in time...'

Unlike Ria, the Mountain Ax Senior had a shocked look as he spoke out loud, "What astounding darkness mystic power? It's as if it's connected to a different realm of existence, how can such power come from a child hellian? Wait... they had only arrived from that other world, could it actually be an inborn skill?"

Felling alarmed, the Mountain Ax Senior's body vanished as he appeared in a hidden section of the room upstairs. However, at this time, the technique was already ending.

The Mountain Ax Senior and Grevlin looked at the circle, which was now as large as the entire room, their eyes showing different looks as one had solemnness as the other was purely of curiosity.

In moments, a black pillar of light bolted from the diagram as it hit the ceiling of the room. It lasted for two seconds before it faded, and the scene within the room returned to normal.

However, much to the Mountain Ax Senior's and Grevlin's surprise, once they looked at the direction of the summoned entity, their expressions once more changed.

Pff! The Mountain Ax Senior tried to hold back his laughter as he stared at the small fellow that appeared. It was a gray-skinned humanoid that was the size of a child and had no body armor. It wore a flowing dark combat robe with a small black knife in its hand, even its eyes that glowed in purple light seemed no different from a child's.

Currently, it was trying to kneel on the ground as it made a polite gesture towards Grevlin, but it ended up toppling over in an unsteady and cute manner. It tried to fix its posture, but the robe had fallen over its head, causing it to become confused about its surroundings.

Crash! With a loud collision sound, it accidentally ran into the cupboard, falling onto its back as the cape fell from its head.

As he had been into the mountains for so long, the Mountain Ax Senior, who renounced society had long forgotten what it was like to see something in this manner. He was no longer able to control himself as he fell on his back in laughter, "Hahahaha!"

Grevlin was startled that the old man appeared out of nowhere, but right now, his attention was on the clumsy looking knight lying on its back. His face had an embarrassed expression as he thought, 'How is he this clumsy? This is not cool!'

Grevlin clenched his teeth before trying the other command Marius had thought him with his mind, 'Inspect!'

____

[Name: Darkness Soldier]

[Level: 1 | Growth Limit – Level 20]

[Race: Dark Being]

[Stamina: G]

[Strength: G]

[Agility: G]

[Dexterity: G]

[Mystic Power: G]

[Inborn Abilities:]

[Darkness Return - Max]

[Description: The ability to merge with darkness at any point and any time.]

...

[Dark Slash| Level 1]

____

When Grevlin saw its stats, he was bewildered, but before he could even promptly inspect it in a hands-on contest, the Mountain Ax Senior who had recovered stared at the Darkness Soldier with a strange look in his eyes.

After a while, his eyes had a trace of surprise as he sighed and spoke, "Kid, your ability is something else. I can tell you want to fight it, but you won't beat it. Though it looks clumsy, its skills are more or likely superior to your own. So for right now, you need to learn a combat skill at the very least, follow me downstairs; I have the perfect thing for you."

The Mountain Ax Senior had taken a liken onto Marius's children; even that laugh just now reminded him of old times, he wanted to pay him back.

Grevlin looked at the old man as he left the room, his eyes showing a curious look as he thought, 'A Skill? Father said I should listen to the Old Grandpa; I cannot let him wait!'

As he said this, Grevlin then ran out of the room with beaming eyes, his mood a bit excited as he had temporarily forgotten about the poor Darkness Soldier that was now lying on its back in the room.

The Darkness Soldier looked behind it with oddness before it faded into the dark as if it merged with the surroundings, filling this scene with a dark and mysterious vibe.