"Are you okay?" Aiden turned and asked Laela.
She nodded affirmatively without saying a word. Of course she was still dazed from all of it. The beast that nearly succeeded in attacking her and Aiden’s sudden appearance.
Katherine was also descending toward them at this point.
Kayden and Arianna had just arrived to see the body of the beast scattered into several tiny parts, and Arianna asked with a puzzled expression, "Your magic did this?"
Kayden immediately followed with another question, especially as he noticed that Aiden’s eyes had gone back to normal. "When you spotted that dungeon lord, your eyes looked different. What was that?"
Aiden simply smiled without giving him an answer. In fact, he sort of loved seeing the confused look on Kayden’s face.
"Perhaps a supplementary magic spell that allows special sight? You also called out that there were more beasts before we even saw them. Answer me," Kayden demanded.
Aiden, with a devious smile on his face, lowered his head down a bit so that he could look Kayden in the eye when he said, "No."
This added to Kayden’s frustration, and he was just about to make another fuss when Katherine approached the team.
She said to Aiden, "That was good work."
Katherine decided not to ask how he did what he did. What mattered most was that he used that magic technique at the best possible time and made sure his teammate was free of danger.
Then she looked at all of them and said, "In my many years as guild captain, I have never been this surprised by the capabilities of Academy mages. That was exceptional."
They all seemed happy with the shower of praise from their guild captain.
"I’m sorry I’ve been a bad captain. I usually don’t ask for the names of new Academy mages until they are my initiates. I know Lord Kayden and I know Arianna, but you two I don’t," she said.
"I’m Aiden, Captain," he said respectfully.
Kayden rolled his eyes and shook his head. It was also the first time he was hearing his roommate’s name. They had been living together for about two days, and he had never asked.
"I’m Laela, Captain," the elf introduced herself as well.
"Alright. Now excuse me for a second, I need to check the surrounding woods one more time. Given the number of Kimian Kats you all just faced, I can never be too careful."
So once again she slowly rose up into the air and flew out.
Arianna stared at Aiden. He was way more than he let on, but it didn’t matter. All she needed to do was make sure she guided him on the "right path."
Then came the best part of it all, the system rewards. It was as if it intentionally waited for the right time to roll out the accumulated rewards from the just-concluded mission.
It put a smile on Aiden’s face when he saw them appear.
Kayden saw the smile and immediately questioned in an annoying tone, "What are you smiling about?"
Aiden shook his head. "You’re becoming an unbearable nuisance, Kayden."
He sighed and left to a different corner to tend to his rewards.
"He’s right, Kayden. You’re quite frankly being embarrassing," Arianna said, sighing and moving away, rather disappointed.
"Arianna, wait!" Kayden called out as he followed behind her.
This left just Laela alone, who turned in both directions with a confused expression, not sure who she should go with.
Now alone, Aiden could review the system’s messages and rewards:
[Special Quest: Finish the Dungeon break mission without taking Damage → Complete]
[You have gained bonus reward of 3,000xp]
[You have gained outstanding performance reward of 1000xp]
[+10 stats points available]
[You have gained a new Space Authority Skill: Space Portal]
[You have gained a new Destruction Authority Skill: Genesis Zero]
[You have gained a new general skill: Dragon’s Fear]
[Technique Copied: Lightning Magic Raging Bolts (A)]
[Technique Copied: Tree Magic: Tree Binds (A)]
[Technique Copied: Mass Magic: Expansion (B)]
[Sage Level Supplementary Spell Copied: Levitation]
Aiden couldn’t hide the grin on his face. This was absolutely beautiful!
"I take it that supplementary spell is from the Captain?" he asked the system, even though he had already guessed correctly.
[Yes] the system replied.
"I mean, I’m not complaining, but Outstanding Performance Reward? How did I merit that?" he asked, intrigued to know why so that he could keep it up for extras like that.
[Your usage of Dragon’s Sight, alongside Void Step and Fist of Destruction was impressive. You are getting adept at using the authorities and as such should be rewarded] the system replied.
"Heh," Aiden smiled. "Alright, let’s review the new techniques, shall we?"
The system responded by displaying the descriptions of his newest skills:
[Space Authority Skill: Space Portal → Host is able to make a portal to anywhere he has seen or has been at. This is the current limitation due to your current level]
[Destruction Authority Skill: Genesis Zero → Host is able to release a white light that destroys all matter in all directions, within a certain range. Due to level, your maximum range is 100 meters]
[Warning: Genesis Zero is indiscriminate. Host is the only one person safe from it]
[General Skill: Dragon’s Fear (Lv1) → Host is able to release an Aura of Fear and cripple the will of those who stand in his presence. This skill does not work on those who are stronger or on the same level as Host. Due to level, current range of effect is 100 meters]
[Warning: Dragon’s Fear is Indiscriminate. Host is the only one person safe from it]
[Lightning Magic: Raging Bolts (A) → This is a copied technique that lets the host release powerful bolts of lightning]
[Tree Magic: Tree Binds (A) → This is a copied technique that causes tree vines to ensnare the target. It has the additional effect of draining mana from said target]
[Mass Magic: Expansion (B) → This is a copied technique that lets the host expand the size of any physical object of choice]
[Supplementary Spell: Levitation (Sage Level) → Host is able to achieve flight with this spell]
"By the Gods..." Aiden said, expressing profound surprise.
"Is there no limit to the power of the System?" he asked the system, genuinely curious.
[The Dragon King is the Embodiment Of All Things Destruction, Space and Replication. In those Authorities, he has no limits.] the system replied.
[The system’s only function is to guide the current host to become this Great Existence known as the Dragon King]
Then an intriguing question came to mind. "System, are there other authorities?"