Ascension of Chaos

Ashley

After we reach the man, he's already wiping down his lab coat and turning towards us.

"Thank you, kids," he says, almost making my eyebrow twitch slightly. But I don't say anything. "You probably just saved my life."

I doubt it. That hound only had a simple smelling skill. Unless the hound was planning on pushing him off a platform or something.

On the other hand, if it was the first hound I fought then it may've been saving his life. Since it had Dark Bite.

Assuming it had it unlocked, that is. Since it may not have unlocked the skill yet.

Didn't get a chance to see.

"No worries!" Sean says, sounding proud of himself despite all of those misses with that skill of his. "It's only right to help others!"

Why do I get the feeling he wants to be an enforcer when he grows up?

"Let's introduce ourselves," James says, having clearly calmed down from the action again. "I'm James Smith. A second year in high school."

"Sean Peterson's my name," Sean says with a smile on his face. "Also a second year."

"Julianna Anderson, sir," Julie says, sounding quite a bit different from when she introduced herself to me. "Second year in high school as well." Then she reaches for me and says, "And this cutie is Ashley…"

She blinks as she realizes she doesn't know my last name. And I don't expand further on it.

After an awkward second she turns to the man again and says, "Well, she was-"

"The one who entered the tutorial late, right?" the middle-aged man says with a glance towards me from Julie. Then he asks with a slightly worried look on his face, "How're you doing? The notification said you were in a coma before the System."

I don't say anything for a few seconds, and Julie eventually says, "She said she has amnesia."

The man's eyes widen a little at that and he quickly says, "I'm sorry. I'm sure we'll-"

He goes on to say some things about how everything will be fine and stuff. But I eventually get sick of this crap and fight through the discomfort to state, "I'm twenty years old."

Silence fills the platform.

Eventually Julie asks, "Um, you're sure?" I nod my head. "Completely sure?" I nod my head again. "Even though you have amnesia?" And one more time.

Silence returns.

"Sounds like she has selective amnesia," the man in the lab coat says, breaking the silence. And when everyone, me included, turns to look at him, he expounds on that, "She remembers some details but most of it is just blank." He focuses on me. "Do you remember anything about your life before this System thing started? Other than your age." When I shake my head, he continues, "Then do you remember anything at all outside of that?" I nod my head. And he focuses on Julie and the others again. "See?"

The kids grow awkward as they no doubt realize they were treating an adult like a kid.

But I don't pay them much mind now that the misunderstanding is cleared up. Especially when I do look rather young for the age I remember myself being.

Instead I open that status profile thing.