BXBX NOVEL Chapter 98: Don’t Move
Angus\' horse slowed to a trot and while he would have liked to urge it to keep riding, he knew if he nudged it in the sides anymore, the horse would rear hard and buck him off.
It needed rest.
Henry knew Nyx could still keep going but he urged her to slow to a trot as well to keep pace with Angus.
Plus, he received a few notifications just a few minutes ago that told him, that at least for now, they were safe.
[You have survived Angus Dionisio\'s daring attempt at robbing the Black Manor]
[Quest Completed]
[You have received 1500 Exp]
*[Nyx has received 750 Exp]
[Level Up!]
[You are now Level 11]
[Hit Point Maximum increased to 110]
[Mana Point Maximum increased to 120]
[You have received 6 Stat Points to Allocate]
[Nyx has Leveled Up!]
[Nyx is now Level 3]
[Nyx\'s Hit Point Maximum increased to 80]
[Nyx\'s Mana is now 90]
[Strength: 40 ———> 45]
[Speed: 70 ———> 80]
[Stamina: 35 ———> 40]
"I don\'t think we\'re being chased," Angus said as he looked behind him while his horse\'s trotting became increasingly slower.
"I don\'t think so either," Henry agreed as Nyx slowed down even more.
"Let\'s find somewhere to make camp," Angus said,
"We\'ll rest for no more than an hour and get back on the road. The earlier we get back to the Hadron Mansion, the better."
They deviated from the path they were traveling and delved deep into the woods where they found a clearing good enough to rest. With strong trees that they could hitch the horses to and rest against.
In a minute, they had sparked a fire for warmth. It was a risky move as the smoke of the fire could prove a marker for their location but seeing as they had both agreed they were not currently being chased, they decided it was worth the risk.
"How do you think the others are faring?" Angus asked suddenly. He looked to be doing better.
Having watched Tony and many others in his past life bleed to death, Henry wondered if that was also going to be the case for Angus but he looked fine.
Henry sighed,
"I\'d like to think they got away," he said, "I mean the signal says they got started but… who knows?"
Despite Henry\'s even tone, he was actually worried. If not for Devon and Dana the lovebirds, then at least for Triss and Charles. And Stefan too. He was cool enough whenever they actually talked.
"Ah, I\'m sure they\'re fine," Angus said clearing his throat.
\'No you\'re not,\' Henry thought somberly, \'If you were sure, you wouldn\'t have asked me.\'
"You tossed my entire saddlebag at that bastard," Angus said.
"Yeah, I didn\'t have time to pull out the explosives," Henry said and didn\'t sound too apologetic.
"Ah, it\'s alright," Angus said,
"If you had asked me first though, I might have told you to spare some of my rations that were in there."
*Rumble*
The sound came from Angus\' stomach and he placed a hand on it with a small smile,
"Wielding all that magic… well, it makes one very hungry," Angus said.
Henry eyed him for a bit before getting up and walking over to Nyx. He opened up her Saddlebag and pulled out the food he had stashed away in there. Wrapped tight to avoid too much contact with the explosives that used to be in there too.
"Here," he said as he handed the rations to Angus.
"Many thanks," Angus told him with a smile as he unwrapped it and pulled out some bread to start biting into,
"Mmm," he said after some chewing, "It\'s good."
As Angus munched away, Henry looked over at the Vinculum on his chest. The item was clearly damaged. Whatever Angus did back at the Black Manor had put that large crack on it.
How long would it be capable of breaking bonds?
Was the energy inside it limited now?
Would Angus even be willing to use it to free Yelena?
\'He\'s weak,\' Henry thought and his hand inched toward his gun in his holster,
\'I can just kill him and take it.\'
Henry\'s hand inched even closer but then he stopped himself. He couldn\'t bring himself to do it. Not like this. Not while Angus was taking such hearty bites out of that bread.
Sighing, Henry pulled his hand away and leaned his head against his tree.
Looking for something to do, he turned his attention to his Stats and decided where best to allocate all Six Stat Points he just received.
\'Put it all into Perception.\'
[Are you sure?]
\'I\'m sure,\' Henry answered in a final confirmation.
It was time he started paying attention to the Stat that only he seemed to have in this world.
[Perception: 15 ———> 21]
[Perception has surpassed 20]
[Conditions have been fulfilled]
[Skill Level Up!]
[Insight is now Lv.2]
Henry raised his brow at that and then he remembered a detail that had been attached to the description of the <Insight> Skill when he first got it;
[Note: This Skill levels up exclusively with your Perception Stat.]
\'So 20 was the requirement? Does it increase every 20 Stat Points or is it every 10?\' Henry asked but the System remained mute.
\'Okay, moving on,\' Henry thought with the corner of his lips twitching as he called out the skill\'s updated description;
[Insight Lv.2:
• Effect 1 (Active): With the combination of your Magical energy and your extendable Perception, you have gained the ability to observe the details of the Physical, Mental, and Magical abilities (stats) of the creatures around you.
Costs: 1 Mana Point per 1 minute of continuous activation.
• Effect 2 (Passive) -New-: Your Precognition has been boosted. Capable of picking out the slightest shift in the elements of the world around you be it a person\'s change in mood or shift in intentions.
You will pick up negative changes more sharply than positive ones.
Note: This effect can be warded off by targets possessing Mental barriers.
Does not cost Mana Points and is always active.]
\'Seems a lackluster upgrade but okay,\' Henry thought.
The passive effect he gained from <Insight> hitting Lv.2 just seemed like a fancy way of saying he was going to now be very perceptive. An \'ability\' he had had in his past life even without a system.
Yes, Henry was aware that this effect was different and would work better in this new world of magic than his old perceptive mind ever did in the old world but he found the thought of the similarities interesting all the same.
Henry closed his eyes then and leaned against the tree like he was trying for a quick nap. But then, something thrummed in his head. A vibration— A tingle that caused him to flinch as he slowly opened his eyes.
<Insight Lv.2>, in all its constantly active glory, was picking up on something and pulled Henry\'s eyes to Angus who was no longer leaning against his tree.
The Dionisio Gang leader was only a few feet away from Henry now and was kneeling close to the fire, staring into it. A faraway look in his eyes.
"Angus?" Henry called out to him gently, his head still thrumming,
"You alright?"
Angus looked up and smiled with ease,
"Of course I am," he said.
The thrumming got more intense and Henry winced as he leaned away from the tree as his body went on high alert.
"What\'s with you?" Angus asked when he noticed this.
"Nothing," Henry said but his body was still tensed. His hand moved to his gun so smoothly that Angus almost didn\'t notice.
Almost.
\'Something isn\'t right.\' Henry thought as the thrumming intensified and his entire body seemed to feel the tingle now.
He had to act.
This warning was too intense for him not to.
Henry grabbed his gun and pointed it at Angus who seemed like he had been expecting that and said calmly,
"Drop it."
The command gripped Henry and his hand loosened around his gun until it fell to the ground.
Angus\' smile slipped then and he moved two feet and got closer to Henry whose eyes were wide.
"Don\'t move."
As the command gripped Henry and locked him in place, Angus lifted his hand and placed it on his shoulder as the Vinculum on his chest began to glow a dull but still-capable purple,
"Don\'t worry, Son. It\'ll be over soon."