NOVEL NEXT 80
Something Asai suddenly came to a realization with, is that no one else had the system. He had been taking the system for granted so often that he now never questioned it. The others had no way of quantifying overall combat ability like he did. This lead him to understand how much the RFC and Robin actually believed in him.
Hell, if he told them they could fight someone who was level 99 they'll probably try in good faith.
"I wonder if they realise how strong they are? That they're stronger than those adventurers they used to look up to." Asai wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to even inform them of their potential and current strength. It could've very well lead them into arrogance which then lead to carelessness. It wasn't as if Asai would forever be around to baby sit.
"If my personal knight force grew large in membership. I honestly can't imagine boosting them all..." There was only so many dungeons to farm after all. Asai chuckled to himself. Whilst others saw dungeons as potential one way trips into the afterlife, Asai saw them as goldmines.
It was at this point that he decided, rather than create a large army of relatively decent fighters. He would concentrate on the peak and create a force of elites. One he could delegate control and resources to.
Perhaps, Clam, Benny and Gary's dream of becoming a powerful and famous person might come true after all.
...
One evening, whilst the group was resting.
"Can't you see it?" Asai would rotate his fist in the open, closing and opening it. "You can't see it?" In Asai's eyes, his fists were blazing with golden mana. Whilst in the others' point of view. He simply looked like mad-man.
"Clam, boss is doing that weird thing again..."
"Sssh. Say nothing Gary, say nothing."
Already used to Asai's weird tests and shenanigans. The RFC deigned themselves to focus on their jerky and bread. The usual provisions that adventurers carried. Washing the dry food down with generous amounts of water from their water skins. Whenever they travelled with Asai, they didn't have to worry that much about food stock. The guy seemed to have a penchant for finding it from all corners and acres of land.
"I can see it-" Robin exclaimed.
"W-Wah!? Huh?" The RFC choked and spurted out remnants of the bread before staring unbelievably towards Asai's hand which was completely empty.
At this point, Asai decided to go all in and trust in the lads. "They had sworn their oath of fealty after all. I believe I can trust them with this."
"Robin. Listen closely, what you see here, the black tendrils that are swarming around my hand is called mana." The slithers of mana turned golden. "And this is what happens when you mix an element into your mana. This golden one you see is called [Divinity]."
"Mr, please teach me!" The desire to grow stronger evident within her starry filled eyes.
"I have a friend, I've been searching for her. When I find her, she'll help you open your mana channels."
"M-mana channels..." Robin willed herself to remember as much as she could.
"Yes, these mana channels run through your body. Most of the time, your mana lays dormant within your heart. And only when it is willed into action does it course through your body, towards your limbs and body that require it. So, you see my mana is only converging around my hand correct?"
Robin nodded adorably.
Asai picked up two rocks, one in each hand and demonstrated. Whilst his left which most people know as the weaker off-hand was covered in mana, his right dominant hand wasn't. He squeezed and only managed to crush the rock with mana. His right hand became pale and white, as if he had squeezed the blood flow out of it.
"You see, will your mana to your body part and it will-" Before Asai could finish his explanation. Robin was staring down towards her hands. Both daggers were imbued with her pale yellow radiance. "Well what the fuck- I had to go through pain so bad, I fainted! Heavens! This is unfair!"
To the eyes of the RFC, they now had two mad men or women. Just taking turns looking at their hands, opening and closing them.
