The Gamer's POV Chapter 16: Aura

Chapter 16: Aura

’Gosh, I’m a fraud.’

Despite speaking up in that very brave manner, I was currently shaking in fear... Because there was just no way I could stand up to Levi; his stats were just too high.

At the sound of my voice, silence had fallen and everyone had turned to look at .

I could see confusion flash across Audrey’s face, while Levi’s expression held a mixture of confusion and anger.

I decided to think about my next words properly. I couldn’t afford to taunt Levi; after all, he had the Berserker attribute and was easily driven to rage.

And so, I decided to stun him instead. Since he didn’t know I had a bond, if he suddenly saw

unleashing my aura, he would be imdiately stunned and left thinking how the hell it was possible for

to do so. And if I kept up my brave face, he wouldn’t attack, as he would be wary of . Granted, the previous Cedric had never behaved so bravely.

Well, I could be wrong and everything goes to shit. But what else could I do in this situation?

I closed my eyes for a mont focusing on my mana core, and then I expelled a vast amount of mana into the air.

Instantly, a chillingly eerie sensation crept into the air, and the world around us seed to dim slightly.

When I opened my eyes, I saw that Levi’s eyes were wide, now filled with even more confusion.

"What? Th-this is..." Audrey stamred in disbelief.

Then Levi completed her thought, utterly stunned: "...Aura."

"How can that be?" This ti, it was Levi’s bond who spoke in its chillingly nacing voice. "Wasn’t he bondless? How can he emit aura?"

’Good, they are now stunned. Now for the follow up.’

I tilted my head and glared with half-lidded eyes that had now turned black. Then I made my voice even colder.

"I do not have the bandwidth to deal with any of your shit right now. So... if you’ll excuse ."

I slowly began walking past everyone.

While I moved with deliberation, I could see their expressions through the corner of my eye. Both bonds and dominants had the sa look of utter bewildernt.

By the ti I was a few ters away from them, I closed my eyes and prayed. ’Please don’t co after . Just let

go.’

But that prayer wasn’t answered, because at that mont, Levi’s bond jumped down from his shoulder and a burst of flas erupted around it. Its form then instantly changed into a muscular man with red hair, red eyes, and lots of scars.

He wore only a pair of red pants and tendrils of red flas danced around his bare body as he landed heavily on the ground.

Then in the next instant, he lunged at

with clenched fist aiming to strike

down.

Seeing him suddenly attack, Audrey yelled out in panic. "No!"

But before Levi’s bond, Ifrit, could reach , wisps of black smoke and feathers burst out of my shadow, and Aika appeared, lunging with her fist extended.

Boom!

Both fists connected with a shockwave that sent shrieking red and billowing black flas blasting into the air.

Then, almost imdiately, they both leapt back, creating distance.

"A bond? How?" Ifrit asked in a stunned voice.

Aika didn’t answer. Her cold eyes that were now black and filled with killing intent stared balefully at Ifrit, and wisps of black smoke and feathers danced around her figure.

After a brief mont of tense silence, she pivoted and walked gracefully back to . As soon as she reached my side, we turned in unison and continued walking away.

When we were a safe distance away, I finally let out the breath I hadn’t even realize I’d been holding.

’Gah... we made it.’

I turned to look at Aika, who walked by my side in her short black and blue kimono. My gaze imdiately fixed on the arm she’d punched Ifrit with. The limb was visibly shaking, and thick wisps of black smoke encircled it.

"How bad is it?" I asked in a tight voice.

Aika let out a sharp sigh. "It’s broken."

At that answer, I felt my chest tighten. A bond’s current power level was reflected by its dominant’s level, and since my level was so low, she got hurt defending . Gritting my teeth, I cursed inwardly, then exhaled and said, "I’m sorry about that."

Aika didn’t say anything for a mont. Eventually, she yawned, covering her mouth with her other arm and said, "I’m going back to sleep. Call

out if you need ."

Before I could say anything else, her form dissolved into wisps of smoke, and made its way back to my arm forming a tattoo of a raven.

I sighed, rolled my sleeve back and looked at it for a mont.

Then barely a few seconds later, I heard footsteps behind .

Looking back, I saw Audrey hurriedly approaching

with a look of betrayal, disbelief and confusion.

"What the hell Cedric?" Her voice was no longer timid. "You were a Dominant all this ti?"

I struggled to stop a frown from forming on my face. ’Aissh! This is why I didn’t need any friends. Now I have to co up with an explanation. Tsk. What a pain.’

I forced a smile, then decided to tell the truth. "Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I had a bond suddenly miraculously appear to

two days ago. Who knows, maybe, it could be that the gods took pity on ."

"What?" Audrey’s confusion seed to grow even more and her brows furrowed.

I could understand why. After all, everyone knew that if you did not manifest a bond at the age of twelve, it ant that you would be stuck a human the rest of your life as one would never appear later.

Still, I wasn’t planning on telling her anything more.

Audrey fidgeted with her glasses and looked away, seemingly lost in thought. We ended up walking the remainder of the way to the training grounds in silence.