I Hate Systems

Kieee!

An Eagle Invoked Spirit let out a chirp as it sailed through the skies, flashing its metallic body as it carried a man on its back. He was Duketace, the same individual that had chased after Pilkan before. And now, he was fleeing for safety.

He had been flying for the past hour, feeling bouts of exhaustion creep into his mind, having expended most of his Mental Energy. He looked around, noticing that his children were even worse off, for even though they were Common Invokers like him, their foundation was lacking in comparison.

"We're almost there. Hold on for a few more minutes." His wife, Sturrala said, not breaking a sweat, for she was a Superior Invoker. Currently, she was carrying most of their valuables, for it was safer in her hands.

All four of them had used a Superior Invoker Crystal to forge their Nascent Souls. So, all of them had the potential to become Superior Invokers in the future.

"Heppeturn Town is close by." She said, noticing the silhouette of a row of buildings far away. She then scanned through the region, pointing at a place nearby to say, "We'll camp there."

"Okay," Duketace nodded and descended immediately, sighing as he retracted his Invoked Spirit and began to rest, lying flat on the ground.

His children though, set up a comfortable seating space before resting. They had been in the Lan Clan from childhood. Therefore, struggling due to a lack of necessities was never their concern.

This was why, instead of just taking a seat on the ground, they ensured their comfort needs were met first, even though they were fleeing for their lives now.

Sturrala shot a glance of disappointment at all three before turning around to walk towards the town, "Stay here. I'll return with a carriage."

"I'll come with you, mom." Kowla, the girl got up with a start and followed her mother, accompanying her to the town. The reason was simple. She felt safer with her mother than with the rest.

Following her mother wasn't a decision that stemmed out of concern but was spurred by selfish motives.

"Alright." Sturrala nodded and continued to walk, not sparing another glance at her daughter. All four had pretty crappy personalities in one way or another.

Once they went far away, Duketace sighed, staring at his son, Fenn that went into a meditative state immediately after, not wasting even a single moment, "Are you close to attaining a breakthrough?"

"Not yet," Fenn replied, "My Dreamland isn't harmonious enough with my Invoked Spirit. I plan to become an Ascender, so I won't rush through things and lay out a solid foundation in my Dreamland."

"That might be better." Duketace nodded, expressing mild regret, "I had rushed through things back then, which is why I'm still a Common Invoker. My Dreamland's foundation isn't enough to make me a Superior Invoker."

"But dad…" Fenn said after a while, "Why did you screw up this bad? I mean, it's unheard of for a thief to break into our Clan's treasury."

"Who exactly was this thief?"

"A brat from a branch family." Duketace gritted his teeth, "He went and died in the end under the Bottomless Mist Valley. I can't even bring up his corpse from there."

The Bottomless Mist Valley was where Pilkan fell through at the start and became a Human Invoker. It was a region rarely frequented by the people, because it was simply a death trap. None that entered the place managed to return and hence, it was dubbed to be bottomless.

"It's somewhat strange that a branch family brat managed to slip through all the defensive patrols of the treasury." Fenn then raised an eye of suspicion at Duketace, "Were you slacking on the job? Or did you receive a bribe?"

"Are you mad?" Duketace glared in anger, "Would I risk our lives and status just for a mere bribe?"

"I thought you might…" Fenn muttered under his breath. Though, even though he didn't intend for it to be audible, Duketace still managed to catch it, gritting his teeth in response.

The two stopped talking, for it seemed that if they continued, the father and son might engage in a conflict soon after.

'Where did I go wrong to end up with these leech-like children of mine?' Duketace sighed, massaging his forehead as he drank a medicine that helped with a faster recovery of his Mental Strength.

Once he drank the medicine, he began to meditate.

Fenn observed his actions, not commenting on the matter as his eyes trailed upon the trunk where the most valuable of treasures were kept. The contents in the trunk were taken right out of the Lan Clan's treasury.

So for a moment, Fenn intended to slip away with it. But after some thought, he refrained from that, 'I cannot guarantee my safety as a Common Invoker.'

At present, only his mother was a Superior Invoker. And he had to rely upon her strength to ensure his safety, 'At least, until I become a Superior Invoker.'

His lips curled up a little, flashing a subtle smile, 'After that, I'll establish my own Clan by taking over a village.'

His hand clutched a mysterious crystal in his sleeve, one that allowed him to morph his Nascent Soul's type a little. Of course, it was one of the, if not the most important treasure in the Lan Clan's treasury.

Fenn had used his father's authority to slip into the treasury to snatch this. And it was his actions that resulted in Pilkan having an easier time going through the treasury.

Fenn had no intentions to reveal his actions, for he planned to betray his own family the moment the opportunity arises and venture out to forge a life of his own.

That was why, he was rather content with the current state of things, focusing on bettering his strength without wasting a single moment. 'Hitlawn should be catching up to us by now.'

Yawn!

After a while, Duketace yawned, feeling bored as he muttered, "What's taking them so long?"

As he stretched his limbs, his feet nudged the trunk a little, causing him to frown in response upon seeing it shake, 'Considering its weight, it shouldn't budge this much though.'

He then nudged it, noticing it move easily, startled in shock as he hurriedly unlocked the trunk, screaming, "That bitch!"

He looked at Fenn in rage, "She betrayed us!"