Echo Of Infinity: 100× exp

The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 10 - Point of No Return

The silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions. Kael kept his eyes down, focusing on looking weak and injured, while his mind raced. Deny? Confess partially? What could he possibly say?

Finn, despite his leg injury, was also watching Kael intently. The conveniently falling pots, the impossible burst of speed, the 'spark' – even in the chaos, it hadn't added up.

"I... I don't know what happened," Kael finally mumbled, sticking to his flimsy script. "It just... comes out when I'm terrified. Like adrenaline, maybe? A weird quirk of my Weave attunement?"

Elara knelt in front of him, forcing him to meet her gaze. Her eyes were piercing, missing nothing. "Kael. I am a Tier 2 Guild Officer with Levels in [Swordmaster] and [Scout]. I've seen panicked recruits, I've seen adrenaline surges, I've seen latent talents flare under pressure. What you did back there... the speed was easily Tier 1, maybe higher for short bursts. The control, weaving through Goblins without directly engaging most of them, suggests skill, not panic. And the mana manipulation, however minor, is not something a [Basic Combatant Lv. 2] manifests spontaneously."

She wasn't angry. Her tone was measured, analytical. "You saved us. Finn's life, possibly mine. Your actions, whatever their source, were instrumental in getting us out of there after the plan went sideways. For that, you have my gratitude and the Guild's."

She paused, letting the appreciation sink in before continuing. "But you are clearly not who or what your status window proclaims. Hiding significant abilities is dangerous, not just to yourself but to those who rely on you based on false information. In the Guild, trust and accurate assessment of capabilities are paramount."

Kael swallowed hard. This was it. The facade had crumbled under pressure.

"Who are you, Kael?" Elara asked again, softly but firmly. "And what are you hiding?"

He looked at Elara's stern but not unkind face, at Finn's wary curiosity, at the tiny Wood Sprite that now peeked out from behind Finn's good shoulder, saved by their collective actions. He thought of Oakhaven, of Marcus's condescending pity, of Hemlock's simple trust, of the stifling weight of his secret.

He couldn't reveal the Accumulator. That was too much, too unbelievable, too dangerous. But perhaps... perhaps a partial truth was necessary now. A truth that explained his power without revealing its source.

"My status... it's not entirely accurate," Kael admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I... found something. A long time ago. An artifact, maybe? Or... I don't know. It changed things. Let me learn faster... access classes I shouldn't have yet." He focused on projecting a *slightly* more impressive, but still heavily edited, version of his status via the Accumulator. He revealed [Swift Blade] and [Shadow Scout], but kept them at low Tier 1 levels (Lv 11), hiding his true progress and omitting [Mana Weaver] entirely for now. He kept the absurd EXP multiplier hidden.

*‘Accumulator: Modify fabricated status. Show [Swift Blade Lv. 11 (Tier 1)], [Shadow Scout Lv. 11 (Tier 1)], [Gatherer Lv. 6 (Tier 0)]. Remove [Villager], [Basic Combatant]. Adjust attributes slightly upwards. Conceal EXP values and multiplier.’*

Elara's eyes flickered as she presumably scanned his newly projected, fabricated status. Surprise registered on her face, quickly masked. Tier 1 in two potent combat/scouting classes, obtained secretly by a village boy? Highly unusual, bordering on impossible through normal means, but the 'artifact' explanation, while vague, was a known, if rare, phenomenon in Aethelgard's history. It was a plausible lie.

"Tier 1 [Swift Blade] and [Shadow Scout]..." Elara murmured. "Acquired how? And why hide it so thoroughly?"

"Fear," Kael answered truthfully, the emotion raw in his voice. "Oakhaven... it's small. People talk. Something like this... it draws attention. Jealousy. Suspicion. I didn't know how to control it, didn't understand it. I just wanted to be left alone."

Elara studied him for a long moment. "Fear is understandable. But hiding Tier 1 abilities while undertaking dangerous tasks is reckless. You put yourself and others at risk by not allowing proper planning based on your true capabilities." Her tone softened slightly. "But you also used those abilities, at great personal risk of exposure, to save us. That speaks volumes."

She stood up, looking towards the direction of Oakhaven, then back at Kael and Finn. "We need to get back, report the Shaman's death, and get Finn's leg treated. Borin's diversion likely drew off some pursuit, but we shouldn't linger."

She turned back to Kael. "Your secret is safe with me and Finn, for now. But things have changed. You cannot go back to being just Kael the [Villager]. Oakhaven is no longer the place for you, not if you wish to understand and control these abilities, let alone grow them safely."

She extended a hand. "The Adventurer's Guild deals with unique talents, Kael. We provide training, opportunities, and a degree of anonymity impossible in a small village. Your 'artifact' story, while needing verification, gives you a starting point. I can offer you provisional Guild membership, under my sponsorship and observation, back in Riverbend. A chance to leave Oakhaven behind legitimately, learn control, and use your skills where they are needed."

Kael looked at her outstretched hand. Riverbend. A proper city, the Guild headquarters nearby. A place filled with adventurers of all Tiers, where his abilities, even if partially revealed, might not stand out quite so starkly. A place to learn, to grow, maybe even find answers about the Accumulator. It was the path he had vaguely considered, now laid bare before him by circumstance.

Leaving Oakhaven meant leaving the only home he'd known. It meant stepping fully into the dangerous, uncertain world his secret power had prepared him for. It meant living under the watchful eye of Elara, constantly managing his fabricated status, his secret still coiled tightly within him.

But staying? Staying meant inevitable discovery, suspicion, and the stifling weight of pretending to be less than he was. The ambush, his actions, Elara's offer – it was a point of no return.

He took a deep breath, the scent of pine and damp earth filling his lungs. He looked at Elara's hand, then met her gaze, a new resolve hardening within him.

"Okay," Kael said, his voice clearer now. "I accept."

He took Elara's hand. The grip was firm, steady. It felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown, but for the first time since the Accumulator had appeared, he felt a flicker of hope alongside the fear. The echo within him pulsed, ready for a wider world.

End of First Ark.

Publishment Date: 4/4/2025