"Miss Nisha, I have a question."

"Hm?"

​​

A few days have passed since the group has met Cynthia and her husband and there have been a few changes of real estate in the Encampment. But still, even with the screams that filled the night, there were no losses in life and change in population in the Encampment.

If anything, the Encampment could be considered peaceful.

Right now, the 4 houses nearest to the Portal officially belonged to Van and his group. There were, of course, a few resistance at first when they were taking it. But as soon as they saw Van, they could only click their tongue as they quickly vacated the premises. Van didn't even need to lift a finger. Perhaps calling it peaceful was not correct, it was… boring.

With them taking the houses, the balance between Rick and Grant's side was starting to become unstable, but nothing had happened so far. So, boring… boring is a bit nice, is it not?

The 5 were currently sitting in front of the Portal, with Gil talking with Cynthia and her husband. While Van was with Nisha, casually talking through the night.

"...What's with the suspense? What's your question?" Nisha threw the stick on her hand as she waited for Van's question, who seemed to have zoned out all of a sudden.

"Oh, it's a question about Status Points."

"Status points? Do I look like a teacher to you?"

"How many points do you receive when your Base Level goes up?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" Nisha slightly raised an eyebrow as she looked at Van straight in the eyes, "Didn't you learn anything in the Academy?"

"Well… I wasn't really that good of a student. Did you know I couldn't read in the first week?"

"Tch, lie some more."

Gil, Cynthia, and her husband also started to become curious when they heard Van's question.

"I receive 3 to 4 each time my Base Level goes up," Gil said as he moved closer to the two.

"I receive 3 to 4 as well," Nisha could only sigh as she answered Van's stupid question, "5 if I am lucky."

"You get 5!?" Gil could not help but lightly jump back from Nisha's words, "T… that's amazing!"

"Why don't you bow down to me, then?" Nisha crossed her arms as she raised her head.

"...Five?" Van placed his hand on his mouth as he muttered.

Cynthia, who was listening in on the conversation, squinted her eyes as she looked at Van's slightly confused expression. "Why do you ask?" She questioned.

"Oh, nothing," Van quickly stood up as he heard Cynthia's question, "I was just curious if we receive the same points."

"...Do we?"

"Yeah, of course. Psh," Van scoffed before walking away from the group.

"What's with him?"

"No idea, always been weird since I met him," Nisha furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Van's back slowly disappearing to the distance.

She remembered the first time she saw him, in the Portal surrounded by the bodies of dead monsters. She always wondered how Van was capable of doing something like that as he was obviously just a freshman from the Academy.

She knew Van was lying when he said he gets the same points as them, but she didn't really want to pry any further, afraid of the answer she would get. But still, one could not help but be curious-- just how much does he receive?"

Van continued to walk around the Encampment, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

Do the others only really receive 5? He had been receiving 10 points every time he leveled up, so he just assumed that they were the same. But coming to the Pit, he realized that some, maybe most of the Prisoners here were… weaker than him.

Could it be that's why he was not receiving Skill Points? His System was putting it on his Status instead? It somewhat makes sense, does it not?

No, what about Charlotte? Charlotte was clearly of a different breed from the rest of the Enhancers. She was also most likely receiving more points than the rest… and was most probably still receiving Skill Points.

What was it, then? Was his System good, or bad? No, what kind of question was that? The fact that he was stronger than most of the Prisoners here has already answered that question.

His System… is good, right?

"What brings you to our spot, boy?"

"Hm?"

Van's numerous and ceaseless thoughts were then disrupted by the sound of an irritating voice. He looked up, only to see 3 men in front of him, obviously blocking his path.

"...What level are you?" Van suddenly blurted out.

"Heh? What kind of question is that?"

"No, it's nothing. Have a good night, sirs." Van slightly bowed as he turned around. But alas, he once again found his path blocked with 3 other men.

"..."

Van recognized two of the people in front of him, they were the owners of the house that Nisha and Cynthia were now staying in.

"You're really causing a lot of trouble for our leader, brat."

"...Leader?"

"Why are you targeting Grant's side!?" One of the men waved his hand as his roars pierced Van's ears, "If you were also taking Prick's side, we would have let it go… but this is too much already!"

"...I'm not really targeting anyone," Van let out a small sigh as he looked at the men surrounding him, "It just so happened you had the houses nearest to the Portal."

"Tch. You think that just because you are close to Boss we would just let this go?"

"...Please, let me pass."

"Pft," the man on the left scoffed as he slowly stepped forward, "I am sure if I bring your head to Grant, he would surely reward me ba-- Eh?"

Before the man could finish talking, he saw his vision shift, with Van now suddenly in front of him… No, perhaps it was better to say he was behind him.

"You..." Was that man's last words before his body dropped to the ground.

"!!!"

Those who were near him could not help but slightly back away. They didn't even see what happened, the next thing they knew was that Van was already behind them and that their friend's head, who was in their right, was twisted the wrong way.

"W… what did you fug ju-- Hm!?" The man on the left felt something warm inside his mouth, causing his words to be muffled. He slowly turned his eyes below him, only to see a small arm sticking out from the back of the man beside him, stretching all the way inside his mouth.

"Grwarck!" A distorted and disgusting shrill then resounded from inside of him as the sound of flesh and bone tore through the air. His feet instinctively backed away, only to find a part of him missing… and only to find it instantly in the hands of the little boy.

"!!!"

The three men who first blocked Van's path all started running away.

"M...monster! Call Grant!"

"Run! Run!"

But alas, their screams abruptly stopped as their visions slowly darkened.

"..."

After a few seconds of silence, a small sigh resounded in the night.

"...I need new clothes," Van whispered as he looked at his shirt, which was now once again covered in blood. Afterward, he looked at all the experience that was floating and flickering around him as they danced in their dark silhouette.

"..." He really is different from the rest, he thought as he started collecting the Dark Souls. If the normal System Holder only receives 3 to 5 points… then he is level 27 now. Won't that mean that--

"Ugh!" Van scratched his head as the complicated numbers appeared in his head. No matter, all he had to know was that he was stronger than most of the people here… and it should remain that way.

Stronger, he thought. He must get stronger so that no one could shackle him again. Strong enough that if his friends one day tried to rescue him, he could reach his hands with no one being able to stop him.

Van's whispers slowly disappeared, echoing through the night as he walked away. His whispers, reaching one hiding behind a nearby house.

"..." The man slowly stepped out, his long hair waving in the air as he looked around the dead bodies scattered and mangled in the ground.

It was Reed. "...What a mess," he muttered as he let out a small sigh, "Boss isn't going to take this well."

Pit Encampment population, 99 -> 93.

***

The sound of water and the rustling of the leaves waved through the night as Van kneeled in front of the lake, staring at the moon and the stars reflected on it.

There really was not that much of a difference between this place and the outside world, Van once again thought. It makes one wonder what the Portals really are, even the last one that he explored during their excursion in the Academy was similar to this one. Besides the fact that he has not seen even a single monster here, of course.

There were too many mysteries surrounding the Portals and the Pit, but alas, he could not be bothered by it. All he needed to do now was to get stronger and survive, as he had always done.

Van shook his head from his thoughts as he splashed the cold water on his face, letting out a huge and deep breath as they trailed down his neck, once again polluting the lake with blood.

But then, he quickly opened his eyes as he felt a tickle on his face. He quickly moved his hand towards his cheek, only to find a feather sticking on it.

"...Eh?" Van stood up and quickly scanned the trees for birds, but the only sound that followed was the ripple of the lake. Van turned his eyes back to the water, but he quickly backed away as soon as he saw someone standing in the middle of it.

Someone was standing on top of the lake.

"!!!"

Van gulped nervously, blinking a couple of times as he stared at the individual that appeared out of nowhere. Her bright golden eyes that were brighter than the moon were also looking at him, her long silver hair that mimicked the light of the skies waving at him in the air.

"...Hello? Who--"

Before Van could ask the woman who she is, a strong flap of wind caused him to put his guard up. And as he opened his eyes once more, the woman was no longer there.

Van's eyes widened in shock as his breaths started to become erratic.

"A… ghost?" Van whispered before quickly running back to Nisha and the rest of the group.