As Aiden stood spaced out from Jackson, he found himself nervous for several reasons.
The main one was the fact that Jackson had almost three times the mana he did.
And even if that was not the problem, Jackson had a combat soul skill.
An A-rank one, at that.
"You asked to do this why again?" Will asked inside Aiden's mind.
Aiden could practically picture the nervous worry etching itself into Will's bones as he looked through Aiden's eyes.
Because we have to fight Ymer and his group whether there is a level difference or not, Aiden thought back. It is better to see what we are up against now, rather than when we are in a situation where they are trying to kill us.
He spun his spear behind his back.
More as a calming motion than anything.
Jackson drew their twin revolvers from their holsters and met Aiden's eyes.
"Hey, Aiden," Jackson asked, "you sure about this?"
"Why does everyone keep asking that?" Aiden grumbled to himself.
Then he nodded and started his Revolution Core.
As they both began to move, Jackson seemed to hum with latent speed.
"I'll give you the first attack."
A twinge of irritation ran through Aiden.
He rushed forward, strain in his voice as he snapped, "Just how much are you looking down on me?"
Jackson dodged to the side of Aiden's spear.
Then they rolled over his back and kicked off him.
"It's not looking down," Jackson said. "There is a twenty-level difference. If I didn't do this, it would be bullying."
"Oh, how charitable of you."
Aiden hissed the words as he shifted his spear back.
The pommel struck Jackson in the side.
Jackson rolled with the hit and sprang up to their feet, a surge of electricity arching around them.
Enemy "Jackson" has used skill Burst of Agility (E).
Enemy "Jackson's" reflexes and speed have been enhanced.
You have used item Revolution Core.
The Revolution Core V2 is online.
You have shifted the Revolution Core V2 into Idling.
Your Strength and Constitution are increased by 30.
You have used item Spear of the Seven Hunts (D).
Your attack has missed.
You have used item Spear of the Seven Hunts (D).
Enemy "Jackson" has taken 46 damage.
For a moment, stillness settled over them.
Jackson took a second to feel at their now-probably-bruised side.
Then they looked up.
The expression on their face was probably not meant to be insulting.
It still was.
Mostly because of just how surprised they looked.
"AIDEN, DODGE!"
Will roared inside Aiden's head.
Aiden snapped his focus to Jackson's guns as they raised them.
Jackson dashed to the side and began circling.
Aiden rushed to follow.
A shot struck the ground where he had been standing.
He ran.
But he was not fast enough to keep pace.
Jackson rocketed ahead, moving at practically triple his speed.
They began circling him, their outline blurring as Aiden readied his spear to block.
"JUMP!"
Will yelled.
Aiden leapt into the air.
The shot flew beneath him.
Then Jackson stumbled, dodging their own bullet as they continued around the circle.
Aiden spun, swinging his spear down like a glaive.
He felt it miss.
He looked up, trying to find where Jackson had gone.
Then he felt a cold barrel press against his left shoulder.
"You did well," Jackson said. "But I think this is game."
Aiden spun his spear, trying to knock the revolver away from where it was pointed.
He felt his spear connect.
A surge of hope flared through him.
Then he found himself sitting bolt upright in a small circle of flowers.
Beatris was next to him, one paw held out as healing magic mended his shoulder.
Across from them, Jackson was sitting on their knees with both arms raised over their head.
A pouty expression sat on their face.
Standing over Jackson and yelling was the rabbit girl, who had said her name was Emi.
"What part of sparring didn't you get?" Emi snapped. "That last shot would have killed him if you hadn't jerked your gun away. Non-lethal intent or not!"
Groaning, Aiden pulled up the combat log to see what he had missed.
Enemy "Jackson" has used skill Overcharge (D).
Their shots crackle with lightning.
Enemy "Jackson" has used item Double Tap Revolver (D).
The attack has missed.
Enemy "Jackson" has used item Double Tap Revolver (D).
The attack has missed.
Overcharge (D) has granted "Jackson" speed to attack again.
Enemy "Jackson" has struck a vital point.
CRITICAL HIT.
You have used skill Parry (E).
You reduce the damage by 42.
Enemy "Jackson" has attempted to reduce the damage.
The damage dealt is halved.
You have taken 64 damage.
You have taken too much damage and pass out.
Current HP:
-23 / 41
Aiden just sat there, stunned.
"Dang," Will said unhelpfully inside his head. "We got owned. Like, badly."
Aiden took a moment while Beatris healed him to drift inward.
He stared at Will and crossed his arms.
"Your comments," Aiden grumbled, "are not helpful or constructive."
He shifted back outward.
Selene and Thalia were giving him worried looks.
Though Aiden could hardly comment.
He had barely exchanged a single blow before he would have been killed.
Even after the shot was reduced by his new Parry skill and by Jackson trying to reduce the damage, Aiden had still been knocked unconscious.
He had thought he had grown stronger.
It seemed he was still severely lacking.
Hell, he had even heard that Selene went toe-to-toe with their tank and almost beat her.
On a fundamental level, he understood.
Selene had a combat class.
That was what let her fight their tank.
Jax had a combat class.
That was why he had almost beaten Aiden in a single punch that shattered his ribs.
Yet as Aiden looked at Jackson, he saw the truth of the situation.
Jackson was a Courier.
A Production class, like him.
All the combat skills Jackson had were from a class evolution.
And yet, that was enough to defeat Aiden in a single shot.
"Your skin and muscles are mended," Thalia said, beginning to weave her threads together with a few sticks to make a makeshift sling, "but we're going to have to cast that shoulder and have Beatris tend to it for the next two days or so before it's fully recovered."
Aiden did not say anything.
He simply nodded.
He refused to meet anyone's eyes.
Shame swirled in his chest.
Jax put a paw on his uninjured shoulder.
"Hey, man," Jax said. "It's okay. Nobody was expecting you to win against a twenty-level difference."
Aiden was sure it was meant to be comforting.
Maybe even kind.
But in that moment, it felt like his ribs were being broken all over again.
He stood.
"Hey, Liora," Aiden called. "How long until we plan to head out?"
Liora walked over to the door of the trailer.
After a moment, she leaned out.
"Just after we make and eat lunch, I'd say," she said. "Why?"
Aiden nodded and turned toward the treeline.
"Just want to take a walk before we're cooped up," he said. "I'll be back in a little bit."
He could feel everyone's worried looks digging into his back as he walked away.
He could hardly blame them.
He had just gotten his ass kicked and was now walking off to be alone.
Hell, he would be worried if any of the others did that.
But he needed this.
Some time to be alone.
Some time to think.
As Aiden walked, Will did not say anything.
Probably sensing what mood Aiden was in and choosing not to add fuel to the proverbial flames.
Aiden walked for a few minutes before finding a small clearing, the trees' branches preventing most of the sunlight from falling through.
He swung his arm in a punch.
His fist dug into a tree.
He pulled it free with a small cracking noise, leaving a shallow indent in the bark.
His hand bled slightly as he stared down at his knuckles.
Jax and Selene filled their roles.
They blocked and fought at the front.
Liora stood in the middle, attacking with power and range.
Thalia and Beatris fought at the back, supporting everyone else while they fought.
And yet…
Where did he fit?
He could not fight at the front.
He had been destroyed in a single hit.
He could not be damage.
He had barely hurt someone who was not even a tank.
He could not be support.
His skills were too low to do anything worthy of helping.
Aiden stared down at his shaking hand as the realization of his own uselessness sank in like a deer struggling in tar.
He stumbled forward, placing a hand over his eyes as if that would stop the tears from flowing.
It was not fair.
He did not want this adventure to end.
But in his attempt to be something he was not, he had become mediocre at everything.
Aiden stumbled forward.
Choked sobs escaped his lips.
Then a voice called out.
"So it seems the moth from the library seeks even more light."
Aiden froze.
"But is it aware that the sun may burn it?"
An otherworldly presence settled over him.
That oppressive feeling of being an ant before a mountain.
From a nearby tree branch, Indigo floated down.
When she landed, the ground itself froze, as if the grass was not so foolish as to bend under her foot.
Aiden dropped to one knee.
A quiet shiver barely suppressed itself as fear coursed through him.
He wanted to ask a million questions.
But it was as if his mind was terrified she would see him questioning her and refused to move.
"Ah," Indigo said. "So it seems Mr. Lee has taught you about who I am. You certainly seem more reverent than this one."
As if plucking lint from clothing, Selene was grabbed from a nearby bush.
She stood rigid, clear fear on her face as Indigo placed her on the ground.
Selene quickly copied what Aiden was doing.
Indigo watched them silently for a moment.
Then she asked, "Aiden, it seems you did not tell your friends about me."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Explain."
Once again, that sickening feeling of Will being forced to move came over him.
Aiden felt his mouth open.
"Because we were warned about knowledge hunters," Will said through him, "and we were unsure if you wished your presence to be known or not."
Fragmented Will (E) has taken control of your mouth to speak.
The Influence of Indigo has released control of your skill.
Selene turned her eyes toward him, bewildered.
Aiden wanted to explain.
He was not dumb enough to move.
Indigo opened a small hand fan in front of her face and chuckled.
"Interesting."
Then her gaze shifted to Selene.
"Now, what is a girl like you doing following little Aiden into the middle of the woods?"
Selene did not stay silent.
She could not.
Just like with Aiden, before such a force, even Indigo's voice and requests were law.
Not suggestion.
"I-I wanted to check on Aiden after he lost to Jackson," Selene said, her voice trembling, "because he seemed to be spiraling a bit."
Indigo looked at Selene for a moment.
Then she chuckled again.
"Ah, I see."
Her fan tilted slightly.
"In that case, would you like to be in on our little discussion? After all, it involves Aiden."
Her eyes gleamed.
"Though I do not see why it cannot involve you as well."
A jolt of primal fear rushed through Aiden.
Adrenaline pumped through him.
His body screamed.
Flight.
Flight.
Flight.
They needed to leave.
But nothing obeyed.
This was a deal from a being far above him.
And from what Aiden had learned, Indigo was not one for charity work.
So this had to be for a reason.
A reason that might get everyone killed.
Yet despite his fervent desire to run away from such an offer, a small, annoying part of him drooled at the potential power such a deal promised.
Maybe it was the same part that had been dragging him into a spiral.
Maybe it was the part of him that hated feeling useless.
Either way, it listened.