Chapter 9: Fatty Fatty Fatso

Aaron shivered.

On hearing Zagadat Sorcery, the red-haired girl suddenly charged at Damien and knocked him unconscious. Her knocking Damien unconscious was not really what bothered him. What bothered him was he and Damien did not see her move.

He was crouching directly in her face, yet he did not notice her leave his presence till the damage was already done.

She could have easily taken him out instead. And... and he wouldn’t even notice.

’I... I said a minute. I wouldn’t last a second!’

The girl finally dropped Damien and turned to him with a dark, cold, and oppressive gaze.

’’Who are you? Where did you hear that? Who sent you? Depending on your answer, I might really have to kill you,’’ she said, with all traces of boredom gone from her voice.

Beads of sweat appeared on Aaron’s face.

’She’s dangerous.’

Swallowing hard, He tried suppress his shaky voice.

’’I... I, I am from Earth. I heard the word from Earth. It’s the name of a very popular game. And the game sent me here... I think.’’

The girl’s hard gaze softened a bit and inspected him once more.

’’You opened the secret level?’’

’’Yes! Yes! My friends tried to play the level. I just watched!’’ Aaron answered, louder than expected.

The girl placed her index finger on her lips.

’’Shhh... You’re loud.’’

Aaron sharply nodded and quietly stared at her.

She held his gaze too.

They locked eyes for a few long seconds before she suddenly asked:

’’What’s your Nature?’’

Aaron raised an eyebrow.

’’My Nature?’’

The girl nodded.

’’Yes, your Nature. I can’t sense it.’’

Aaron frowned in utter confusion. Of course, he knew what natures are. They are the individual abilities characters in the game possessed. In the game, characters ventured into a dangerous mystical dungeon and relied on their natures to survive. It was basic sense. They fought unworldly monsters with their natures, ventured deeper in the dungeons, and became even more powerful when they got to the portal that led to the exit. In the end, they used their acquired power to elevate their families’ status outside the dungeon and protect their real world from harm.

Nature was power. Nature was everything.

But still, that did not mean he had one!

Characters in the game awakened at an awakening ceremony that would be conducted four years from now. No teenager was supposed to already possess a nature!

However...

Aaron held her questioning gaze with a confused gaze of his own.

’’I... I, do not have one.’’

The girl frowned.

’’What? You should. I got one from birth.’’

Aaron’s eyes widened in bewilderment.

’’How? I didn’t get anything from birth. I thought natures only awaken when characters are about to enter the dungeon!’’

The girl slowly shook her head.

’’That’s for people of this world. We are reincarnates. We awaken our powers from birth.’’

’’Well, I did not!’’ Aaron lamented, louder than intended.

The red-haired girl briefly glanced at the door.

’’You’re loud,’’ she rebuked with a harsh whisper.

Aaron frowned and averted his eyes.

He stared at the dim candlelight for a few seconds, then he asked:

’’Was there anything you did? Or...’’

’’Nope... Nothing. I was born with it.’’

Aaron gave her a betrayed look.

’’What?’’ the girl asked, awkwardly scratching her cheeks.

’’I was also surprised, myself. I thought you really had one.’’

Aaron sighed and looked away.

The red-haired girl observed him silently for some time before quietly adding:

’’Actually, your current lack of nature might actually be a blessing in disguise.’’

Aaron scowled and proceeded to sit on Damien’s bed.

’’Don’t try to console me. It’s unnecessary.’’

’’No, I am not,’’ the girl rebutted with an overly serious tone that made Aaron look up at her face.

Now that her mask of nonchalance was completely gone, the look on her face depicted nothing but pain and misery.

Aaron eyed her from her hair to her toe, reevaluated her appearance, and realized she had actually been through a lot. It was obvious.

This world has not been very kind to her.

’’What happened to you?’’ he asked with a concerned tone.

The girl chuckled bitterly.

’’Why do you ask? Is it that obvious?’’

Aaron smiled slightly.

She forced a smile back and sat beside Aaron on the bed. After a long moment of silence, she began:

’’Zagadat Sorcery wanted to reincarnate just seven people from Earth.’’

Aaron’s brows flew up.

’Seven? Soran, Ren, and I never knew that.’

’’I was the fourth person to go,’’ she continued.

Aaron’s eyes widened.

’’Wait!’’

She slowly turned her head to him.

’’Fourth person? You’re Velma!’’

The girl chuckled bitterly.

’’I guess you’d know me. I was quite popular then.’’

Aaron immediately jumped on his feet, then turned to her with a wide smile.

’’You should know me. We’ve seen each other.’’

Velma squinted her eyes.

’’I have seen so many fans during my gaming years. I don’t think I’d remember.’’

Aaron shook his head.

’’No, you should. Do you remember Ren?’’

Velma raised an eyebrow.

’’The richest teenager in the world? The teenage boy that got entrusted with his family wealth at a very young age? The teenage boy that publicly professed his love for me and even tried to lure me with money? That boy?!’’

Her eyes widened in realization, and she suddenly sat up with a terrified expression on her face.

’’Don’t tell me you’re–’’

’’No... No... I’m not,’’ Aaron hurriedly interrupted, waving his arms.

He did not know why, but for some reason, Velma was terrified of Ren.

’Ren, what did you do to traumatize her this much?’

’’I’m his friend,’’ Aaron announced with a confident smile.

Velma squinted her eyes thoughtfully for a moment, then she asked:

’’The green-haired wanna be MMA fighter who follows him around?’’

Aaron palmed his forehead in frustration.

’’No. The second friend.’’

Velma’s eyes widened comically.

’’Wait, you’re that Fatso!’’