Craving Scarecrow

"What, a ceiling? Ahh! I'm feeling so much weaker," Livio muttered as he woke up.

"So you woke up. It's about time," Ethan said, bringing a basket of fruits.

"Did you help me? Ahhhhhhh! Thanks," Livio exclaimed as he left his bed and stood on the floor.

"No, you idiot. Sebastian and Nitin helped you the most. All the others came by to check on you too. Actually, I'm waiting for Marcel's payback," Ethan said, punching the air.

"I think you're overestimating me," Livio replied nervously, rubbing his head.

"Not really. I checked your branch. You're the only Pbv user there; nobody else is even interested in mastering it. They're living in delusion, thinking they'll be safe. When you enter the battlefield, your life is never safe," Ethan said, biting into an apple while sitting on the couch.

"So, are you ready to go?" Nitin asked, entering the room.

"I don't want to fight Miles. I'm really not good at fighting," Livio said, turning his face away.

"It's up to you, but you have to fight. Remember that. Let's go; today will be our last lesson before our first mission," Nitin said as he left.

Everyone gathered in the field, waiting for the instructor. When the instructor arrived, he began to speak.

"I'm going to tell you something really important today. Listen carefully. Let's talk about abilities. We can all have different abilities. Some people can conjure things from thin air, some can fly, some can transform their body parts into weapons, and so on. It all depends on your imagination. However, I recommend creating your own ability only after level fifteen. Right now, you don't have enough experience or mastery over Pbv. So, take your time," the instructor said, preparing to leave.

"Excuse me, sir, can we have two different abilities at the same time?" a boy asked, standing up. Everyone turned to look at him.

"It's possible, but it will be useless. Suppose you create an ability to produce fire. It will take time and practice to master it. For example, at first, your fire's temperature will be low, but with practice, it will rise. You could shape your fire differently and even measure the surrounding temperature if you master it further. If you create two abilities, they'll only be basic. For instance, if you create fire and snow abilities, your fire temperature will remain low, and your ice will only be as thick as a snowflake—really weak. Most players create one ability and spend their time mastering it. There's a lot more to learn, and I'll teach you gradually," the instructor explained before leaving.

"Those bastards only taught us surface-level stuff," Miles muttered, pulling out some grass.

"You're right. They didn't teach us the rest of the applications. They didn't even mention the use of conditions. They don't want us leaving the kingdom," Williams said, lying on the ground and staring at the sky.

"I think we should train. Who knows what might happen to us?" Ethan said, chewing on an apple.

"You're right," Sebastian agreed.

"What about you, Livio?" Tomasz asked, standing up.

"I think I need some alone time to practice," Livio said, pulling his knees close to his chest.

"Fine. See you later," Nicola said as he began to walk away.

Everyone except Livio went off to train.

Livio headed to a nearby forest and sat under a tree, enjoying nature. He listened to the birds chirping, watched butterflies flit by, and noticed small animals running around.

"I think I should start practicing too," Livio said, standing up.

He tried to activate his Pbv, but it didn't work. Nervously, he sat under the tree for a while before starting to count backward to calm himself.

Finally, he stood again and meditated properly. After a few minutes, his Pbv activated. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked at his palms. He felt a warm energy radiating from his body.

"Oh, that lady who healed me...I felt a similar warmth radiating from her," Livio thought, but he quickly lost all his strength and fell to the ground.

"What? I only managed to maintain it for a few seconds. Damn it, I need more practice," he said, trying to stand up. Suddenly, he heard voices behind him.

"Hey, they're coming. Get ready; we're going to frame them," a soldier said, holding a small white container filled with blue powder.

"Yeah, since he works in the king's palace, everyone will believe he's the thief," another soldier replied, leaping onto a tree in one go.

"What should we do about the cook?" the soldier on the ground asked.

"We'll kill him. We'll kill anyone who knows about us," the second soldier said, hiding among the leaves.

"What should I do? I want to help the innocent, but my legs won't move. I'm too scared for my life. I can't even outrun them. That means I don't have a chance," Livio thought, shivering as he put his hands over his mouth.

The soldier on the ground suddenly glanced toward the tree where Livio was hiding.

"I think I sense a faint amount of Pbv," the soldier said.

"Leave it. It's probably a mouse or bird, just slightly stronger than usual," the soldier in the tree replied, keeping an eye on the target.

When the target came into range, both soldiers vanished.

"That's it. My Pbv is so weak they mistook me for a bird or mouse. I should escape," Livio thought, crawling slowly out of the forest. Too frightened to stand, he didn't even notice the soldiers leaving.

He eventually reached the palace, where his friends were gathered in the common room, enjoying themselves.

"Hey, Livio," Nitin called from the couch.

Startled, Livio reacted like a frightened cat.

"Is something wrong? You're panting," Tomasz asked, crossing his right leg over his left.

"Should I tell them? No, what if they tell the guards, and I get killed? But they've helped me so much—how could I doubt them?" Livio thought, avoiding eye contact.

"Did you see something you shouldn't have?" Ethan asked, putting his hands in his pockets as he stood from the couch.

Livio's eyes widened, and his body began to shiver. He felt a chill run down his spine.

"Man, you're easy to read. I guess you saw some corruption or black marketing," Ethan said, placing a hand on Livio's shoulder.

"How can you tell?" Nitin asked as he picked up a croissant from the table.

"Livio isn't the type to mess with animals or people. Miles and the others are still in the palace, so it was just a hunch," Ethan replied, pouring himself a glass of wine.

"It's alright. If you don't want to share, no one will force you," Tomasz reassured Livio.

Taking a deep breath, Livio looked at his friends with a genuine smile that came straight from his soul.

Scene shifts:

"So, you escaped a near-death situation. Thank God!" Luka exclaimed, looking up and praying.

"Hold on, how couldn't they sense Livio?" Oliver asked, crushing a piece of toast in his mouth.

"Actually, Livio's Pbv is similar to that of a small, harmless animal for now. Look at us—if we start sensing each other, we won't be able to distinguish harmless animals from ourselves. All living things possess Pbv. That's why they ignored him. When we get stronger, we'll be detected more easily," Ethan explained, finishing his wine.