Code Collector

Chapter 17: Skill Altar

After his conversation with Philip, Allen headed to the Skill Altar. The two men agreed to meet in a cafe after Philip's shift, which was in four hours.

Allen walked inside the gate after the guards made him enter. The guards quirked their brows up after seeing the boy. They didn't know Allen's new face, and they always know everyone that enters their camp.

"Hold up!" one of the guards yelled before Allen could enter. "Who are you and how come I don't know you?"

"Oh, I'm new," Allen said. "I'm August Skylark. I moved here just yesterday and wanted to check the forest first."

"How come we didn't know someone was moved here?" the other guard asked. "If you really are new, there should be a notice. We can't just allow anyone here."

"You can ask Jake Summers for that," Allen said. "He's the one who helped me move. I didn't know there was such protocol."

The guards looked at each other, both clearing their throats, "You know Jake Summers?"

"He's my friend," Allen said. "If you want, you can ask him yourself."

"If you're really Jake Summer's friend, what's the main feature of living room?" the second guard asked.

Allen smirked, "A giant tree that reaches up to the roof."

After hearing his answer, the guards were satisfied and let the boy inside. Allen nodded to them before walking in the doors where the humans built a temple around the Altar.

It was a large temple that was ancient Greek in style. The columns, the colors, the flowers, and the gold features. Inside was a large open hall with the Skill Altar in the middle.

The Skill Altar was a stone altar that had a circular platform with twelve steps before could reach the top. In each step, one of the Primordial Beasts are carved. On top of the altar are two small but slender cylindrical colums standing opposite to each other.

In the middld were C-shaped holes in both colums that forms a circle. A dark blue orb of flame lit up at center of a circle.

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Allen knew how the Skill Altar works. His previous group had taken him to place when be first joined, everyone telling him that he could be the one in the platform enhancing his skills too.

Remembering their words from his current state, Allen could only laugh. He now knew how pathetic it was for him to actually think that they meant all their words. Of course, they didn't. They just said that to encourage him in becoming their slave. If they actually cared for him even just a little, they would've showed it to him.

"Are you done?"

Allen awoke from his thoughts when a man spoke behind him. He turned around and saw that it was one of the men from his previous group. He forced hismelf to calm down and stop any reaction.

This man was Kyle Morgan. He was the ranger of their group before they disbanded. His skills were average when it comes to rangers, but he was the one who boosts their morale.

Allen could still remember that Kyle was the one who first introduced him to the Skill Altar. The latter demonstrated how they would trade their Codes for Skill Points and distribute it to their stats.

With a small smirk at the tip of his lips, Allen made a move.

"I don't know how to use this," Allen lied. He wasn't too worried that anyone would recognize him apart from his actions since he was mute before. They don't know his voice or how he would speak. So if he just acted more masculine and feel his larger build, he would go under anyone's radar.

"Oh," Kyle suddenly paused. His nonchalant expression was replaced with a smile as he walked forward. "You just need to hold that orb in the middle. There will be a message that pops in your screen. Just agree and you're good to go."

"Oh," Allen formed an O with his mouth while nodding continuously. "Like this?"

He grabbed the orb and flinched after feeling its heat. It wasn't so hot that it could burn your skin, but it was warmer than Allen had thought.

[ Skill Altar ]

Open?

< Yes > < No >

This must be the message Kyle was referring to. With his free hand, Allen tapoed on the Yes and a screen opened. It was like the Crafting Table, but instead it had two divisions. Below was the list of Codes while the upper division had a box with an arrow pointing down below it.

'Select the Code to trade.' The message inside his head spoke.

Allen asked Kyle what to do next, and since Allen was the only one who could see his interface, Kyle just instructed him step by step verbally.

"When you drag the name of the code in the box above the list, empty space where the arrow points would display a number. Basic grade Codes gives you one Skill Point while Rare grade Codes is equal to three," Kyle said.

"What about Grand grade Codes?" Allen asked.

Kyle pursed his lips and shrugged. "I don't know about that yet."

"Oh," Allen nodded. "Thank you very much for helping me."

"No problem," Kyle said and took a few steps back.

He didn't have much. Allen only had eleven Basic grade Codes and five Rare rade Codes. Since he had duplicate codes from the wasp, the frog, and a lizard he hunted a few days back, Allen traded them and got three Skill Points.

He also experimented on his questions earlier. He selected the lion's Code and dragged to the box.

'Only Basic grade and Rare grade Codes can be traded in this Altar.'

The notification made it clear to him that this Altar doesn't transact what doesn't "belong" in its world. By "belong", it means the Skill Altar in Haven will only accept the Codes that are found in Haven, Basic grade and Rare grade Codes.

Satisfied with his new Skill Points, Allen removed his hand from the orb and the interface vanished. He turned to Kyle and thanked him again before bidding farewell.

He was now wondering where he'll spend his next few hours while waiting for Philip's shift to be over. When he got nothing in his mind, Allen decided to explore the camp.

It was still the same camp when he left a couple of days ago. He figured that not much will change, but something in the town was different. Physically, it all looked the same to him, but the way he feels a she steps on the brick pavement and walk past the shops and stores, it was unfamiliar to him.

Maybe because he sees the world differently now that he has a new life. He no longer feels weak, he doesn't have to be submissive. Right now, with the Snake's Code, the world was his oyster. He can freely do what he wants.

A grin plastered on Allen's lips when he remembered that Jake gave him money. The man wasn't just interested in keeping Allen satisfied with the equipment he gave, he wanted Allen to see him as a boss and have him money.

Jake said that it was his monthly allowance, but the amount was more than what Allen saved up for a year back then. He shivered at the thought of what money could do. They were in the new world, but economy still played an important role in their lives.

"What was he even thinking?" Allen grunted as he walked inside an equipment shop. "How could I spend all these money"

He immediately stopped himself as he walked inside the shop. He gulped and watched the luxurious Code shop. It was like Jake's collection, but with Codes.

"So, this is how they spend their money."