《Slay Hero》 Chapter 1 Shin stared out of the window at nothing in particular. In the four years he''d spent confined to this room, there shouldn¡¯t have been anything he hadn¡¯t seen before, but he never truly looked at the outside. Day after day, month after month, he stared, always beyond what could be seen, always fixated on nothing. A gentle breeze flowed past the drawn curtains and ruffled his hair, his light blue robe unmoved, worn tight as it were. Silk of the highest quality, as were the sheets on his bed of a value to match. The clan had spared no expense for his comfort though he had never asked for it. The soft click of an opening door saw the first reaction of the day since he had awoken. He turned his attention to the woman in nurse¡¯s attire, early twenties and beautiful, sporting a loose classy dark blue bob cut and eyes too sharp for a simple nurse to have, as she walked into the room paying no effort to conceal her disdain. ¡°Good morning, Fuyumi.¡± Shin greeted her with a casual tone, close and friendly. His expression had not changed since he turned away from the window, a calm subtly distant face behind a slight welcoming smile. By all accounts, he was beautiful, ethereally so. Long silky black hair, slightly curled, and skin like jade, it would not be out of line to call him outright bewitching, were it not for his most distinct feature. Eyes, just as empty and focused as they had been, sported pitch black irises, deep and dark as the night forest, and pupils of pure white. Unassuming at first, as they always were, but the more one truly looked, the more they would find themselves drawn into the deep eerie certainty until it threatened to swallow them whole. A slight frown was the only response Shin¡¯s greeting received. ¡°The young masters and ladies are here to visit.¡± Fuyumi said as she stepped to the side of the door at attention of sorts, her tone indicating she only spoke even those few words out of duty. No sooner had she finished, a tall young man entered the room. His black hair styled and professional and an impressive physique evident even beneath his expensive clothes aided his stern commanding expression in projecting the bearings of a leader. Behind him followed another man, seeming a few years younger, with shoulder length curly red hair and a smug attitude, two children not yet ten, blonde haired and mischievous with identical faces, a young woman in her early twenties, beautiful with color streaked blonde hair tied in a fashionable twist and a clear desire to be anywhere else but there, and finally a girl closer in age to Shin¡¯s appearance with long silky black hair and the only one among them bearing a genuine smile. ¡°Shin.¡± The first and eldest of them greeted him first. ¡°Renzo.¡± Shin returned the greeting. ¡°Congratulations on your nineteenth.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± It was an utterly sterile and corporate interaction, as one would give a unrelated associate. Professional but distant, though it didn¡¯t seem to bother Shin in the slightest. Renzo turned to his younger siblings with a certain look to which they mimicked his words with even less effort and affection. ¡°Happy birthday, Shin.¡± The last girl being the only one of them to congratulate him as a normal family member would. ¡°Thanks.¡± It was subtle but the tone of his response differed from that given to his other siblings, more friendly and genuine. The older sister glanced around the room, which only made her frown deepen. Barren and devoid of personality, had the occupant not been sitting right in front of her there would be no indication that someone even lived in it. ¡°At least make an effort to pretend you¡¯re normal.¡± ¡°Mai.¡± Renzo calmly admonished, to which she went silent. Shin glanced over at her, bundles of resentment slowly coming into form only he could see. ¡°Three?¡± Mai¡¯s face twitched, more annoyed than creeped out. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°You will stay.¡± The oldest once again reproached her. She hesitated for a moment but held her tongue and walked over to a seat in the corner of the room opposite his bed, seemingly no longer intending to participate in this visit beyond the absolute bare minimum. This seemed to be enough for Renzo. His intention as always was merely to make a showing of what was expected. He himself only remained for that reason. The room fell into silence but not ten seconds of that passed before Yugo lost his patience. ¡°Why are we even here?¡± ¡°Control yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, I¡¯ll be a gold star student.¡± The red headed second brother glanced at Shin whose expression still had yet to change in the slightest. ¡°Look at him, he doesn¡¯t even care.¡± ¡°I look forward to this every year.¡± Shin¡¯s tone so casual it was impossible to tell whether that was sarcasm or not. ¡°Yeah? I can tell.¡± There was no doubt to Yugo¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°Shin can¡¯t be normal because he¡¯s a demon.¡± ¡°Everybody says so.¡± The fraternal twins chimed in having moved by the bedside. From the start they seemed eager to mock him, only emboldened now by Yugo ignoring Renzo¡¯s orders. ¡°Hey, turn into your true form.¡± ¡°We can be heroes if we kill you.¡± Renzo was about to open his mouth to keep the twins from going too far but Shin spoke first. ¡°I already am?¡± An eerily casual tone. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell? That¡¯s not good.¡± The twins couldn¡¯t respond, out of confusion and a little fear. The look in his eyes, calm and indifferent and so sure, threatened to draw in and smother all in its gaze. ¡°If you keep looking, you¡¯ll see it.¡± ¡°S-shut up! We can kill demons like you. Idiot!¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± The twins ran out of the room, clearly unsettled behind the shallow bravado. Mai rose from her chair and calmly walked to the door. ¡°It isn¡¯t time yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been long enough.¡± She rebutted, not missing a stride as she took her leave. ¡°Stop pretending like anyone gives a shit.¡± Yugo jabbed at him far less tactfully as he too left. Renzo seemed slightly displeased but not all in disagreement with the sentiment. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave, then.¡± ¡°See you next year.¡± Renzo paused briefly at the response before exiting the room, leaving just Shin and Yuna. ¡°Less than two minutes this time.¡± She said, more as a compliment than a report. ¡°Renzo¡¯s less strict now.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ How have you been?¡± ¡°The same.¡± Shin didn¡¯t seem too interested in talking about himself. ¡°Shoko said your dissertation was approved.¡± ¡°Unofficially.¡± It did the clan no good to be more public than necessary and a 16 year old earning a doctorate would draw far too much attention. She was the smartest of them, not just among the siblings, but the clan as a whole. Possibly the whole world at that, but Shin couldn¡¯t exactly say he was well traveled enough to make that claim. Still, he was proud of his sister. His smile seemed more genuine. ¡°The Rhun proved Stonehenge was a rune circle a few weeks ago.¡± Yuna changed the topic. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°A magical ritual to call spirits of the dead. Undeniably the domain of the Rhun. The Pendragons are quite displeased. It¡¯s revived some friction between the two houses over which bloodline is the true successor to the predecessor clan-¡± ¡°Can they do the ritual?¡± Shin¡¯s calm focus seemed to deepen unnaturally. ¡°...not fully. The circle needs to be repaired and runes redrawn, but the Pendragons are preventing further study.¡± Shin thought in silence for a few moments, his casual demeanor unchanged even now. ¡°The clan could kill them.¡± An unseen, vague tension emanated from his words, a strange pressure that could only be felt in the back of one¡¯s mind. The subtle hint of seriousness wrapped around him. ¡°There would be consequences¡­ Grandfather would not consider it.¡± Yuna answered carefully, her posture unbroken. ¡°Mm.¡± Shin sunk back into thought, the tension fading with it. ¡°I guess not.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. A silence and calm fell over the room again. ¡°Well, I should be going. There¡¯s a gathering later.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin¡¯s tone almost seemed downtrodden. ¡°Yuna.¡± She delayed her leaving and turned to Shin. ¡°Yes?¡± Shin tilted his head, very uncharacteristically seemed to have trouble finding the words to speak. ¡°No... See you next week?¡± ¡°Yes. See you next week.¡± She smiled before taking her leave. No sooner had Yuna left the room, than the nurse reentered, her cold attitude unchanged from before. ¡°What would you like to eat this morning, young master?¡± The same generic words in the same irreverent tone as she had done hundreds of times before. ¡°Where do people go when they die?¡± ¡°...what would you like to eat this morning, young master?¡± Fuyumi pretended she didn¡¯t hear him. Shin looked at her in thought for a few moments, tilting his body slightly. ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡± ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Her words were more strained, more hostile now. ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± It was Shin¡¯s turn to ignore her now. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Fuyumi¡¯s scowl twisted into outright hatred. ¡°You bas-¡± The world froze. Colors turned to inverted negatives. Time returned and Shin found himself standing in a dark space that seemed to stretch on without end, surrounded by amorphous silhouettes. He tried to move but found he couldn¡¯t take a step from where he was. The same seemed to be the case for the crowd of silhouettes, which stretched on as far as this limitless strange space they inhabited. Before Shin could think more, a brilliant light shone in the distance up high and from it emerged a towering woman adorned in silk and jewels and a circlet of light above her head with eyes to match. With beauty and bearing no mortal could ever hope to match and a somber gaze, she emanated the majesty of an infallible Greek goddess. Just as she seemed to be about to act, something caught her attention, her eyes slowly shifted to the direction of a boy with eyes of piercing focus and bottomless greed. Her gaze lingered on Shin¡¯s unnatural deepening aura enveloping an unassuming posture, as if waiting for something to happen. But only for a moment before returning her sight forward once more. ¡°Rejoice. You are among the worlds chosen to enter the Tower. Blessed be your salvation from the outer sea.¡± Grand words delivered with a tone of apathy and without hint of further explanation. ¡°As Initiates, you shall receive a number of gifts. Assess them along with your status.¡± The goddess raised her hand and a transparent screen appeared in front of Shin, the strange overwhelming presence fading as his interest focused on this new development. [Human - Lesser Peasant] Strength - 18 Agility - 25 Constitution - 28 Vitality - 24 Dexterity - 27 Perception - 29 Force - 21 Spirit - 42 Control - 33 Willpower - 36 Skills: Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, ¡°Race and¡­ level? Grade?¡± Shin guessed. He looked down to the most striking section of his status board. There was nothing he could properly compare his stats to, however, based on Strength, a normal person¡¯s max would be around 10 or 11. ¡°The others¡¯ physical stats should look more like the numbers at the bottom¡­¡± Shin focused his desire on two of the attributes. [Force - Potency of magical abilities.] [Spirit - Sensitivity, Capacity, and Resistance to mana.] The Igarashi clan was not one blessed with magic so their numbers were unusual, although Shin himself wasn¡¯t exactly the most usual member. He gave the other attributes a cursory glance before moving on. There was not a single item under the section labelled ¡®Skills¡¯ but the two items under the ¡®Traits¡¯ category were more pressing to him. [Body Supremacy (mythic)] ¡®Manipulate one¡¯s body with extreme precision.¡¯ The clan ability, without a doubt. All other members would have this as well, but the second trait¡­ [Eyes of the Spirit King (mythic)] ¡®None among the ethereal may escape the gaze of the king of spirits.¡¯ There were other clans who could perceive ghosts like Shin but with far less ease and depth than he could, and none within the clan could claim the same ability. Though the description of these eyes Shin had from the time he was born indicated they could do more than he had experienced. The ¡®tiers¡¯ next to his abilities did not escape him either but he moved on with nothing to compare them to. The final sections held no great revelations. Under Titles there was only ¡®Initiate¡¯ which tripled the ease of mastering and improving abilities as well as granted a Universal Translation perk which seemed to be automatic, and Identify, which allowed a surface assessment of a target. Under Achievements there was nothing at all. But there was something more demanding of his attention. [Bloodline of the Banded-Eyed Tyrant] ¡®???¡¯ A name and a name alone. The status sheet gave him nothing else, but there had to be a connection between it and his eyes. Shin could feel it. As if on cue, the emotionless goddess spoke again. ¡°Now, choose your class. Choose wisely.¡± A different screen appeared in front of Shin, with eight options to choose from, all Common tier. Warrior, Priest, Mage, Rogue, Ranger, Bard, Druid, and Monk. Shin inspected the warrior class just for comparison but it only gave a description and nothing else. Without hesitation, he chose the priest class, not even bothering to check the others. [Acquired common tier class Priest.] [Acquired common tier skill Treat Wounds.] [Acquired common tier skill Holy Screen.] Shin gave the skills a cursory inspection. The first sped up the natural healing of bodily injuries slightly and the second a weak magical shield made of holy energy. But those were not what he was interested in, as another prompt appeared, asking him to choose a third option. Shin scrolled through the long list before trying to focus his will on what he was looking for. A desire for anything including ¡®soul¡¯ was met with a blank screen. ¡®Ghost¡¯ netted a skill to detect undead and another to temporarily raise the spirit of the dead to talk, neither of which was what he sought. He thought for a moment before searching for ¡®Spirit¡¯. Call Petty Spirit caught his eye but upon reading the description his interest cooled. Shin wouldn¡¯t be able to admit he wasn¡¯t disappointed, though it didn¡¯t show on his face. But he was not discouraged. Based on the traits he started with, he had little doubt there would be opportunities to access higher tier skills in the future, and those may hold what he seeks. For now he should focus on increasing his power. A quick inspection was all he needed to make his choice. [Acquired common tier skill Summon Angel.] ¡®Summon a celestial warrior to control as you command. Duration: 15 minutes. Limit: 1.¡¯ The summon seemed tied to his own grade- [Rank has advanced to Lesser Peasant. 10 Attribute Points awarded.] [Class has upgraded to Inferior tier. 5 Attribute Points awarded.] [Class has upgraded to Common tier. 10 Attribute Points awarded.] ¡­Rank. And its stats were the best physical ones among his choices. Only slightly better than Shin¡¯s, but he wasn¡¯t planning on enhancing his physical attributes beyond the bare minimum, so a warrior type guardian would become more necessary as he ranked up, as the notifications had just kindly confirmed his assumption of it being possible. In fact, he could just about do so with the 25 attribute points he was just granted, however he held off on using them. The goddess had given them no hints as to what exactly was waiting for them beyond this dark space nor had he anyone else to compare himself to properly. It would be best to wait and see what the best course of action would be. ¡°The Tower is just. All mundane ailments will be healed.¡± The goddess spoke again the moment Shin had finished. It was impossible for all initiates to have finished at the same time. Something grand must be at play. ¡°The Tower is wise. All will be granted the privilege of entering the baptismal zones where power flourishes.¡± ¡°Ready thyselves. Glory awaits all who seek it.¡± The goddess spread her arms out at her sides, her tone grander and absolute. However, she seemed to linger for a moment before speaking less formally than she had been. ¡°Do not waste your time.¡± A few sparks of red lighting shot around her body as she vanished. There was no time to assess that incident as the dark space illuminated in an instant, enveloping everything in pure white. The light receded as quickly as it came, revealing a green sunlit woodland. Shin did not even have time to take a breath before the earthy green was shattered by a prism of shifting colors. Pain shot from his eyes deep into the core of his being. He tried and failed to suppress the pain. It wasn¡¯t physical, but something deeper. Pain he had never had to endure before brought him to his knees, the pitch black irises on his blank face replaced with iridescent splendor. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong?!¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded from his side and he felt a hand on his shoulder, but paid no attention to it. The pain that threatened to split him asunder was all he could focus on. A feeling in his gut told him he could suppress his eyes themselves but his efforts so far had solved nothing, a tiny nudge in the direction of soothing but little more. He closed his eyes and the pain started to fade but reopening them brought it back in full force. Keeping his eyes closed forever was not an option. He needed to find a solution. With his attempts bearing no fruit, he opened his status by the will of his mind, the screen visible to him without need for sight. He scanned it quickly before inspecting two attributes. [Control - Accuracy and precision in wielding abilities and mana.] [Willpower - Mental tenacity, resistance, and endurance.] Control seemed to be the most suited of the two. He put 5 of his 25 stat points into it. A drop in the bucket was all it felt it amounted to, but Shin felt it clearly. [Rank has advanced to Intermediate Peasant. 25 attribute points awarded.] ¡°Hey.¡± The woman lightly shook him, concern in her voice. ¡°What¡¯s the problem here?¡± Shin heard another voice speak up, this one a man¡¯s, gruff and stern. He ignored them both, as well as the prompt asking him to choose two more skills. All were less pressing that his current troubles. He put 10 more points into the Control attribute receiving another two drops of ease in suppressing his eyes. It wasn¡¯t enough. Shin put the entirety of the remaining 35 points into Control, bringing the total up to 83, not far from three times what he started with. The difference was noticeable but still not enough. ¡°I asked what the problem is.¡± The man spoke again, his tone lacking patience. Shin looked in his direction. Through the swirls and flow of colors he could make out a rough glowing outline, contrasting the world around. Tall and a solid build. His posture was good, trained, one that displayed confidence. Shin cast his Identify. [Human Warrior - Lesser Peasant] No indication of stats, let alone abilities. ¡°A curse. My eyes.¡± Shin lied. ¡°Ailments were supposed to be fixed¡­¡± The warrior¡¯s tone was suspicious. ¡°The angel said mundane though¡­¡± Another man¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Angel?¡± Someone else spoke up, his tone slightly mocking. ¡°What the fuck else do you think she was, then?!¡± The first snapped back. ¡°Anyway, this whole shit is magic, right? His problem might be too.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s contagious¡­?¡± A woman¡¯s quiet voice spoke up amidst the tension. The others fell silent and Shin could feel their focus on him. ¡°Well? Is it contagious?¡± The first man asked Shin. ¡°Don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s that, then.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you making the call?¡± ¡°Because someone needs to be in charge.¡± The man put assertiveness into his voice. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, the kid¡¯s the only priest here. You have some kind of¡­ magic that heals, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin didn¡¯t have to lie this time. ¡°Alright then. That woman wouldn¡¯t give us these weapons and armor if we weren¡¯t meant to fight something. Which one of you wants to get injured without a medic nearby?¡± The rest of the group fell silent. ¡°Didn¡¯t think so. Now, we need to get moving and find shelter before the sun goes down.¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± One of the members shouted in fear, falling on his back, giant rat the size of a dog lunged out of the the bushes, gnawing at the bow the man was desperately using to keep it at bay. Before anyone else could react, the warrior bashed the giant rat off the archer and split its head open with his axe, blood spilling onto the ground. He wrenched the axe out of the twitching rat¡¯s skull as it died. ¡°Any objections?¡± None dared raise their voice. ¡°Then let¡¯s move.¡± All others stood in awe of the violence they just witness, save for one, a boy who lost interest the moment he saw how the warrior moved and drank in another prompt that appeared in the midst of confusion. [First Trial] ¡®Duration: 30 days.¡¯ ¡®Move.¡¯ Chapter 2 The party moved through the woodlands in the formation Barnes had decided. The rogue woman in front, scouting ahead as the fastest member with relevant skills. Barnes followed about ten yards back with a warrior and the monk trailing close behind. In the center of the squad was Shin and the two mages, flanked by two warriors with the ranger bringing up the rear. It wasn¡¯t a particularly dense forest. The party of ten could keep formation with relative ease without being bottlenecked, although the generous environment was no help for their personal incompetence and lack of experience. Still, there was enough shrubbery and clusters of trees to make scouting difficult. With danger potentially lurking behind every corner they had to maintain vigilance at all times, the strain of which was already becoming apparent in the short hour since they started moving. All things Shin had taken note of from the start but paid hardly any mind to now. His focus was entirely spent on controlling his eyes, which he had gotten significantly better at, his vision now shifting between swirling colors and a blurry normality. In his trial and error, he found the more strongly he desired it, the more he could affect it. But it was still proving to be an issue and the strain on his mind growing ever more taxing. However, in the last ten minutes or so, his progress saw little improvement, a natural bottleneck of sorts had been reached, he suspected. So he turned his attention finally to the prompts which had been haunting him since this ¡®trial¡¯ began. Options for two new abilities. Shin had been saving them in the event that his vision couldn¡¯t be solved himself, whereby he would then seek the help of an ability. But it seemed like it would be something he could fix without wasting a choice. Shin first did a cursory sweep of the skills with the same intentions as he had in that starting space but the results were the same. Thus, he scoured through the long list of skills and traits in more detail. His first choice was rather easy for him, selecting it without a second thought. [Acquired common tier skill Cushion.] ¡®Create a thin layer of mana around the target that reduces physical impacts. Duration: 7.5 minutes.¡¯ A shorter duration than his angel but also less costly. Shin¡¯s physical stats were decent, at least compared to his party members and the few monsters they had encountered thus far, but he had no plans on improving them. Defensive skills would become increasingly important as others grew stronger. His second option, however, made his hesitate. He had written off ¡®spirits¡¯ due to them being unrelated to the afterlife, but some of the things he had seen through the Eyes of the Spirit King made him reevaluate. If he let his eyes look freely, it was as if he could see through the world into another one, one where glimpses of mystifying creatures and environments tested the imagination. And as he had to remind himself, it was these eyes that had allowed him to see ghosts. A connection was there and perhaps it was a good idea to explore it further. As such, he pulled up a skill he had written off before. [Acquired the common tier skill Call Petty Spirit Lvl 1.] ¡®Call forth a common tier spirit from the ethereal realm to command.¡¯ From the single time he summoned it, his angel seemed to have some form of intelligence but it behaved more like a golem than a sentient being. A spirit might be different from his celestial summon. Something he could interact with. Question. Shin could see and hear the prompts clearly but based on the lack of reaction, it seemed the others could not. No one had realized he advanced his rank either, but that likely wouldn¡¯t last much longer. He had until the sun set at the latest, providing they didn¡¯t find a suitable place to make camp before that. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± The mage woman asked in a caring tone. ¡°Better.¡± Shin turned to the woman who had been lending him a shoulder while they walked. His vision wasn¡¯t good enough to make out her face properly but he could see her rough profile now. She was average height, light skinned with shoulder length sky blue hair and by the sound of her voice, somewhere in her twenties. Grace was her name, something he had learned in the brief conversations they had on the move. They both had summon skills, Shin with his angel and her¡¯s being a small ball shaped elemental called a Wisp. A major difference, she had explained was that her summon drained mana over time as opposed to his being a one time cost. They had been instructed to only use them if the group couldn¡¯t handle things on their own. Given the costly nature of summons, it seemed the self appointed leader wanted to keep them as reinforcements they could fall back on. ¡°If you need to rest¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s easy to walk, thanks to you.¡± Shin couldn¡¯t see but Grace¡¯s face flushed slightly around a nervous smile. He also couldn¡¯t see the less than pleased reaction to that of the other mage behind him. ¡°Yes, you should be grateful someone as kind of Grace is in our party. We all should be, really.¡± The thin pale mage spoke out, his second comment aimed more directly at the woman of topic as he tried to sound appealing. ¡°Grace, I could take the burden off you for a while, it must be tiring.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright¡­ It¡¯s no problem really¡­¡± She made an effort to keep things cordial, despite her obvious aversion. But the mage didn¡¯t relent with that. ¡°That¡¯s no good. Magic dps like us need to conserve as much energy as possible. The party relies on us.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Eyes up, mouth shut! Stay sharp!¡± Barnes commanded, raising his voice loud enough to be impactful but not quite enough to be a shout. An understandable demand given their situation unrelated to the petty social dynamics of the center, but one that saved Grace from having to think up a response to pushy mage. Milton clicked his teeth and muttered something under his breath but Shin paid no attention to him. His focus was already back on his new skills. He needed to level them up, and more importantly, he wanted to summon the spirit, but as things stood, it was still better to keep them a secret from the others. They were only a party by chance, after all, with no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Faint rustling from his left reached Shin¡¯s hears but he took no action other than turning his attention to that side, waiting quietly. It only took a few moments before a figure lunged from the brush and struck the shield of the warrior who managed to hold it up in time, if only because of the snarls of the creature. ¡°Monster!¡± The man shouted as he took an amateur stance to face it down. Standing about 4 feet tall, green skinned with piercing yellow eyes, long pointed ears and a pointed chin, it wore only a dirty fur loincloth and carried a worn down iron axe, drool leaking through its sharp teeth and out its mouth. ¡°Goblins!¡± The rogue woman shouted as she sprinted passed Barnes and the vanguard. Several more of the creatures followed after her close behind and the vanguard engaged. The warrior on the other side back away closer to the center, holding his longsword out and forward with both hands, glancing at the foliage sporadically. The left warrior engaged with the goblin seemed to struggle a little. Milton held his hand out ready to cast a spell but the warrior was too close to chance the friendly fire. ¡°Knock it back!¡± He shouted. ¡°Shut up!¡± Mendez snapped back, completely on edge and focused on the threat in front of him. He willed himself forward and thrust a shortsword at the goblin but only managed to graze its cheek. A snarling roar startled him off balance slightly as the goblin swung its axe. The warrior¡¯s leather armor couldn¡¯t block the impact fully and it buried an inch into his thigh. ¡°Fuck! Jeter!¡± ¡°Y-yeah!¡± The archer moved up to a position with the goblin in his line of sight and anxiously nocks an arrow. He took aim with unsteady hands at the ensuing struggle. He shot and the arrow lodged firmly into the tree behind the goblin. ¡°Shit!¡± He nocked another arrow in a panic and raise his bow again. This time the arrow found its target, sinking into the side of the goblin¡¯s torso, not enough to kill, but enough to slow it down for the warrior to pierce through its throat. The death throes of the goblin didn¡¯t last long as the warrior stabbed down on it again and again, cursing all the while, until it stopped moving, then kicking it once for good measure. At the same time, the vanguard finished off their enemies, with far less difficulty, partly thanks to the rogue darting around, throwing knives at the goblins. The warrior of the vanguard even releasing a victory shout, while Barnes walked back to assess the rest of the party. ¡°Hey, healer!¡± The long blacked haired tan man with the wounded leg shouted. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Whatever, hurry the fuck up!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Grace hurriedly replied, leading Shin over to the injured warrior. The wound left by the goblin¡¯s axe wasn¡¯t too bad but it would certainly impact his ability to fight. All of them were given healing potions by way of the spatial bags the system had granted them, healing wounds better than Shin could, albeit over time, as Barnes had elected to make someone test once. As such, he had also elected to save them for when they were truly needed. Along with the potions, Shin the bags came with a block of bread called Manna, an inferior tier Hatchet which seemed to be a normal steel woodcutting axe, a tent, and a long cord of rope. Valuable tools for survival certainly, though there were of little help against the danger of monsters. Shin raised his arm and cast Treat Wounds. The bleeding soon stopped and the wound slowly began to close, leaving behind scar tissue in its place. 6 spirit to heal that small injury, something that would take him nearly an hour to regenerate. [Treat Wounds has reached Lvl 3.] Shin didn¡¯t get anything further prompt or any change to his skill description, much as it had been the case for the first level up. But it likely would bring the same effect as lvl 2, increasing the speed of healing slightly. Subtle at the moment but noticeable, even from the small sample size. ¡°Creepy fucker.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Shin¡¯s blank smile had remained unchanged since they started moving, the source of the warrior¡¯s hostility. His tone which could be mistaken for vague sarcasm hadn¡¯t done him any favors either. With that issue sorted, Barnes turned to the archer. ¡°Get your arrows. Can¡¯t shoot if you don¡¯t have ammo.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± The ranger rushed to do as their party leader said. The rogue woman in the distance was already retrieving her knives without needing to be told. ¡°Anything from your side?¡± He asked the longsword warrior on the right who had remained guarding the flank. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move before all this blood attracts more of these things.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t need to worry much if people didn¡¯t stand around doing nothing.¡± The sword warrior glared at Milton. ¡°You were in the blast range¡­ it¡¯s not my fault. Mages need to conserve mana anyway for when something warriors can¡¯t handle shows up. You should just fight better.¡± ¡°You wanna fucking die?!¡± The warrior pressed towards the mage as he balked in fear. ¡°Cut the shit! We can talk about who did and didn¡¯t fuck up when we¡¯re in the clear.¡± The two fell silent under Barnes¡¯ assertiveness. ¡°Everyone ready to move?¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± The rogue spoke up, her icy cold eyes focused on Shin. ¡°I can¡¯t read his rank.¡± The suspicious stares of eight pairs of eyes was almost tangible. Shin felt a subtle prickly sensation. They were using Identify on him, he guessed. It was a tenuous situation to say the least, but one wouldn¡¯t have thought so seeing Shin¡¯s unbothered expression. Barnes walked towards him, the presence he gave up every bit as imposing as his physique, until he was right in his face. ¡°Did you increase your rank?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Did you get anything for it?¡± ¡°25 points.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± The leader¡¯s grim expression grew even more intimidating. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to share this with the rest of us?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I see.¡± His tone remained grim and calm. ¡°Well now you have to share everything you learn with the group. Understood?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The bearded leader stared at Shin¡¯s casual, unfaltering expression for a few moments before turning back around. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± The confrontation ended without incident but the suspicion remained. Shin could feel the wariness and distance between him and the others. Only Grace was different, her attitude seeming more confused and concerned than anything. ¡°Can I use your shoulder?¡± Shin asked her as if nothing had happened. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ Yeah.¡± He put a hand on her shoulder as he had before, and the party started to move at Barnes¡¯ signal, everyone back in formation. Shin tested his control over his eyes again. His vision was still blurry but he could sustain it for extended periods of time. By sundown it would probably be enough to fight unskilled enemies at least. It would have to do. Shin fell into silent thought, the look in his eyes a bit deeper than normal. ¡°This party isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Chapter 3 The party bunched together far more tightly than usual, the four warriors and monk positioned around the rest on guard. Gray furred wolves circled around them, the vicious low snarls and starving eyes putting the party on edge. They seemed little different from the animals they were familiar with, but a quick identify revealed them as Lesser Peasant common tier, meaning they were at least as dangerous as goblins. A worrying truth as there were no less than ten wolves in the pack eyeing them down as food, the largest group of monsters the party had faced so far. The party kept silent as the wolves continued to circle around them as they had been for the past minute, as if trying to find weakness. Beads of sweat dripped down some faces, more out of fear than exhaustion. With a sharp growl, one of the wolves lunged at the monk without warning. A swift kick knocked it away without issue but it let loose the restraint of the others. Chaos broke out in an instant. Most wolves were blocked or knocked away. One lunged into the longsword of a warrior and fell still with muffled yelps. Milton cast a fireball at one which had been knocked to the ground, burning it to a crisp in mere moments. Jeter shot arrow after arrow, but he was moderately helpful at best, save for one lucky shot between the eyes. The flash of fighting had lasted less than half a minute but the pack of ten had been reduced to four, and some of them injured. A second staredown lasted mere seconds before one of the wolves turned tail and fled and the rest quickly followed, one with a broken leg, falling behind with its limped stride. The party remained in formation out of caution until they were reasonable sure they were alone again. ¡°Fuck! Shit¡¯s getting harder. Should we really keep going this way?¡± Mendez cursed. ¡°If you know the safe direction then point it out.¡± Aisha, the rogue woman, curtly shot back to the shield and sword warrior who clicked his teeth in response. ¡°Healer.¡± The monk walked up to Shin, blood stains on his right thigh. A claw must have caught him when he kicked, Shin guessed. ¡°Shin.¡± The enigmatic boy replied though he immediately began healing him. The monk started to open his mouth, but closed it without saying anything. Half a minute rolled by and the wound closed up. The monk nodded at him before headed over to Barnes. [Treat Wounds has reached lvl. 7.] By the location of the sun and the dimming light, there was less than two hours into nightfall. The party had been on the move for about ten hours now, with their exhaustion and the level of Shin¡¯s healing skill to show for it. Monsters seemed to appear more frequently than they had at the start though the majority were still inferior tier. The wolf pack was something of an anomaly in their journey, and not a welcome one. Shin spared the time for an Identify on one of the dead wolves. When used on a live target, it only showed the race and rank, but the dead gave up their full status. It was useful information Shin could use to compare. [Wolf (common) - Lesser Peasant] Strength - 23 Agility - 36 Constitution - 24 Vitality - 27 Dexterity - 30 Perception - 35 Force - 19 Spirit - 21 Control - 24 Willpower - 18 Skills: Gnaw, Scratch, Pounce, Traits: Good Nose (uncommon), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Faster than goblins and his angel, as reflected in Agility, its skills were quite mundane. The wolves had been like most monsters they encountered, without any wondrous magic, but it wasn¡¯t like monsters had no such abilities. Even disregarding the two summons the party had at their disposal, they had encountered a horned rabbit like monster called an Almiraj which could concentrate a visible coating of mana over its horn that allowed it to pierce through a shield. Fortunately for the shield warrior, it had not damaged the bones in his forearm as even now it didn¡¯t seem like Treat Wounds could fix something that serious. Shin glanced over to the shield warrior, who had gravitated over to Barnes¡¯ inner circle, which seemed to be in the middle of deliberating their next move. Rather than inner circle, it would be more accurate to say that Shin was the sole outcast of the group, Grace reluctant to leave his side, Milton simply too unconfident to insert himself into the discussion and the Longsword Warrior relegated to standing guard for the casters. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯ve had to heal a lot¡­¡± Grace asked. Casters knew better than anyone that spending mana comes with mental strain, though Shin had to take her word for it since he had not personally felt it. Nothing even close to the strain his eyes had put on him, though he did not reveal that. ¡°Yeah. You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She replied, not chock full of confidence. ¡°You had to cast twice just now.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright. I have enough to summon.¡± Barnes had told them to always keep enough in the reserve to use their summons in an emergency, though that was not Shin¡¯s concern. Grace looked quite clearly fatigued, both physically and mentally. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough! We got a couple hours at best.¡± The discussion was heating up and it didn¡¯t seem like they were reaching a consensus. Barnes stood quietly with his arms crossed, listening to the others in silence. ¡°We¡¯ll go in the direction the wolves just ran.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still animals. They need to sleep and the pack wouldn¡¯t stay somewhere they weren¡¯t at least somewhat safe.¡± ¡°They¡¯re monsters, you don¡¯t know if they need to sleep or not.¡± ¡°You got a better idea?¡± Barnes was met with silence. ¡°We¡¯re running out of daylight and we need to sleep. Finding their den is our best bet.¡± He looked over to Shin and the rest. ¡°Up. No telling how far that den is. We need to find it soon.¡± The Longsword Warrior rose to his feet on command, though Grace and Milton did so with drained expressions and a slower speed that Shin mimicked. He placed his hand on her shoulder, putting no weight on it as he had done so all this time. ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you see the lady is tired. Walk on your own.¡± The other mage snapped at Shin. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay. He¡¯s taking advantage of your kindness!¡± Grace¡¯s expression started to shift, fatigue loosening her restraints towards the man¡¯s frequent pestering. ¡°Is there a problem there?!¡± The leader shouted to bring things under control and Milton fell silent and his eyes shifted to the ground. ¡°No.¡± Grace responded for them. ¡°Then get into formation. There¡¯s no more breaks until we find somewhere to set up camp.¡± --- Dusk threatened to usurp the day and the wolf den was nowhere in sight. The party moved briskly but fatigue had made the formation sloppy, a shell of its former sharpness. The day had taken its toll. The two casters had it the worst. Those who had taken melee classes certainly had superior physical stats to begin with and they doubtless spent their initial points reinforcing that gap. Milton was clearly the least fit of them all at a glance, drenched in sweat and gasping for air as he willed his legs forward in sporadic stride, but Grace was not much better off, her own breathing labored, sparing no energy to stay vigilant of her surroundings, merely following the person ahead thoughtlessly. Shin made his body sweat to match his peers but paid no effort to make a show of breathing heavily. No one was paying that much attention. ¡°Pick it up.¡± Mendez snapped at the unathletic mage who started to fall behind. Milton glared back but picked up the pace without a word, his lack of snide response a testament to his exhaustion. The rogue woman jumped out of the brush near Barnes though she didn¡¯t seem to be in any sort of panic. ¡°There¡¯s a cave just up ahead. But four goblins are standing in front of it.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Identify doesn¡¯t work.¡± Barnes fell into silent thought at the information she brought. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not thinking of changing up the plan now, right? We¡¯re out of time, it¡¯s just four green bitches.¡± The large dark skinned bald warrior of the vanguard spoke. ¡°They¡¯re higher ranked.¡± ¡°So¡¯s the kid, and he still ain¡¯t shit.¡± He gestured at Shin. ¡°Fuck it.¡± The big warrior marched in the direction the rogue came from, greataxe at the ready. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s too risky!¡± She warned. ¡°On me. Get ready to fight.¡± Barnes ordered the party, following after. Aisha scowled but followed along cautiously as did the rest of the party. Over the brush and through a thin wall of trees, they spotted the goblins through the clearing. 100 yards away, sitting on a rock surface not far from the cave opening Aisha had found. It was on the smaller side, but looked large enough for a grown man to walk through and wide enough to fight in. Most seemed relieved they would soon be done with their endless trek but some, Shin included, focused on the monsters. Physically these goblins looked similar to the ones they had faced before but their equipment was much better. Metal and leather armor with weapons not too unlike what the party¡¯s warriors carried, iron by the dull gray sheen. Rusted, dented, and broken in some places they may be but iron was iron, a clear upgrade to the wooden and stone weapons of their lesser counterparts. Shin also took note of their slightly thicker, more muscular builds, and more importantly, the sharper look in their eyes. [Goblin Warrior - Intermediate Peasant] A type, maybe the monster equivalent of a class, Shin thought. This was a first and more concerning than their rank. Shin turned his focus inward to sense the amount of mana he had. Three quarters of his max, maybe a little more, about 32 mana, he assessed. Enough to summon two angels. This wasn¡¯t the time to gamble on a spirit so he paid it no mind. Shin looked around at the exhausted party. ¡°Shields up in front. Jeter and Aisha take point as soon as it starts. Casters look for an opening as soon as you can. Everyone else on me, we surround them as soon as they charge Mendez you- Hey.¡± Avon walked off before Barnes made the call. ¡°Shut up¡­ Talking too damn much when we just need to kill ¡®em.¡± The goblins perked up at warrior¡¯s appearance and took to their feet, weapons drawn. Rather than blindly charge, they seemed to be wary of the enemy that just revealed himself. One of the goblin warriors shoved another forward, who reluctantly set out to meet him in combat. It wielded a hand axe, more of a hatchet, and was the only one of the four wearing leather instead of iron. Avon towered over the goblin, a mass of muscles, like a giant facing down a man. He raised his axe with a roar, and in a flash of green, the goblin warrior cut off his leg. The giant collapsed to the ground, face in shock as he looked at the severed half of his leg, warm blood spurting out of the other, and screamed. The largest warrior of the party who once looked so formidable now flailed on the ground, clutching the remaining half of his leg and wailing in pain. The goblin warrior who had been so apprehensive before, stared in a daze at the big human for a few moments before its face twisted into a malicious sneer of glee. It lunged and sunk its hatchet into Avon¡¯s face, ending his screams, and then again and again and again, until the warrior¡¯s face was a bloody mash of bone and pulp. A shrill howl of victory culminated its gory revelries, sending chills down the spines of the party frozen in shock, and then it turned towards them, with the other three bearing down with the same twisted sneers. Chapter 4 ¡°Summons!¡± Barnes roared. He kept no pretense of having things under control, fear and adrenaline emanating from his face. Grace snapped out of her stupor and called forth her elemental, almost on reflex, this one an icy blue emanating a frosty chill around it unlike the one of flames she had called before. Shin didn¡¯t spare the effort to identify it but it wasn¡¯t hard to guess its nature. He focused on his skill and summoned his own, but with it he felt the drain of more mana than he expected. Too much more. Shin looked at the angel he had called forth. A being of subtle holy splendor in the shape of a man 6 feet tall, golden hair flowing out of the helm covering half its face, draped in white cloth and wielding a simple bronze shield and spear. On its back was a pair of large white feathered wings, though the angel floated in place a few feet off the ground without needing to use them. Shin scanned over it in a moment seeing no difference from what he had summoned before. [Angel (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 39 Agility - 35 Constitution - 30 Vitality - 32 Dexterity - 38 Perception - 26 Force - 27 Spirit - 31 Control - 28 Willpower - 26 Skills: Enhanced Strike Lvl 2, Block Lvl 2, Traits: Holy Presence (common), Simple Levitation (common), Petty Poison Resistance (common), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Petty Curse Resistance (common), Petty Paralysis Resistance (common), Petty Petrification Resistance (common), Its stats were about 25% higher across the board, evenly. The skill levels, both common tier, reflected the level of his summon skill, and all of the traits remained the same. The only change Shin could see, was in its rank, the source of its higher stats and certainly the source of the higher mana expense. Around 20 mana, Shin guessed. This was a miscalculation as he no longer had the ability to summon another. Still, that might be a fair trade off for the stronger angel. The goblins were more of a threat than he expected, such that two lesser angels might not have even mattered. Shin scanned his eyes across the emerging battle and sent his angel flying towards the monk. He¡¯d need to make use of the party more now, and that meant keeping them alive a bit longer than planned. Help couldn¡¯t have come for the monk soon enough. The two shield warriors Barnes and Mendez could block the attacks of the goblins, albeit with great difficult and little room for anything else, but it was all the monk could do to dodge and evade. The constant use of his skills rapidly draining his energy and mana. It was clear he had some background in martial arts, as the only thing keeping him alive was anticipating his opponent¡¯s attack before the creature struck. Still, even the effectiveness of that was wearing thin, as the monk tired while the goblin¡¯s speed did not. ¡°Archer, get your ass in gear!¡± Barnes showed some restraint in his frustration of Jeter¡¯s delay, or perhaps he simply couldn¡¯t spare too much effort under the onslaught of the increasingly confident goblin. Either way, it jolted the ranger to his senses, eyes darting around before sprinting off to a spot where he could put the goblin¡¯s in his line of sight. It was to their rightmost side, where Longsword Warrior was fighting for his life with everything he had, and already injured to show for it. ¡°Mage!¡± Mendez yelled, far more desperately and less tactfully than Barnes. Milton hesitated but moved up as well, in the direction of the monk and angel, who seemed to be doing the best of them. Shin followed suit, quietly leading Grace by the shoulder to decrease the distance between them and his angel, all while keeping a close eye on the flow of battle. The angel and monk had start to push their goblin back, by virtue of the two on one and the reach advantage of the angel¡¯s spear. Although the monk was helping somewhat with counters after the angel blocked, his attacks didn¡¯t seem to be doing much damage. The two shield warriors were still hanging on, much in part to the rogue woman¡¯s well timed assists, though Milton seemed stuck, unwilling to get closer to danger but having no clear opening to use his skills from his position. Longsword Warrior was in the most trouble. Blood now streaked down his limbs as his movements became more erratic and desperate. An arrow whizzed past his goblin¡¯s head, hitting nothing but air. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Hit the thing or I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± Lanzo bellowed at Jeter. However this only seemed to worsen the archer¡¯s nerves as he rushed another shot only to miss again. But a third shot, after he took a moment to collect himself, found its target in the goblin¡¯s thigh. Jeter nocked a fourth and took aim, focus catching its stride now, and loosed, hitting the goblin in the shoulder. A yell of victory and relief left Jeter¡¯s mouth involuntarily. After so long he was finally succeeding, hope seeming just within reach. A hope immediately crushed by the enraged shrieks of the injured goblin, who exploded in a flurry of attacks at Lanzo. Jeter snapped back to the present and nocked an arrow once more but Shin made his move. Having taken his hand off Grace¡¯s shoulder long before, waiting for this moment, he moved, swiftly and quietly, not even the casters near him realizing his actions beneath all the noise. He cocked back his arm, stone in hand, and threw it behind the archer. The sudden and loud rustle of leaves made the ranger spin around on reflex to aim at whatever was behind him. Confusion took hold over fright as nothing showed itself, and that confusion was supplanted by fear at the sound of a heavy weight hitting the ground. He turned around to see the longsword Warrior¡¯s body motionless on the ground and his head settling from a roll yards away. The goblin ripped the two arrows out of its body and sprinted towards the one who put them there with a vicious screeching snarl. Jeter already had an arrow nocked and loosed catching the goblin in its side, but it slowed only for a moment, its eyes having lost none of their viciousness. Before he could aim again, a sword shot through the air, piercing his shoulder, the impact knocking him to the ground. The ranger tried to scramble to his feet but a green clawed foot stomped on his chest. He looked up at the goblin, whose fury now started to turn into cruel malice, and his face turned a ghostly pale. Grace raised her arm and but a hand from the side grabbed her arm before she could form the skill. She looked over at Shin in confusion who didn¡¯t takes his eyes off the bitter pair. Shrill screams of agony snapped her attention back to Jeter and the horror befolding him. The goblin clawed at his face and throat, shredding, ripping, tearing away. Screams turned to strained gurgles as blood filled the ranger¡¯s throat and then to muffled whimpers and finally silence. With blood soaked hands and red splattered over his armor, the goblin let out a unsettling yell, almost like a cackle. Shin waited calmly, watching for the creature¡¯s next move. The goblin initially turn back to the fray of its kin but stopped and glanced over at the casters, a smirk stretching across its sharp face. It broke out into a sprint, charging straight towards Shin and Grace. She tried to raise her arm again but was stopped by Shin again. The goblin drew close in an instant, almost upon them now, eyes mad with evil. ¡°Shin!¡± Grace¡¯s pleading yell was answer with a bronze spear thrust at the goblin. The vicious creature managed to escape the spear with a mere graze but not the shield which pummeled into its face. The angel didn¡¯t let up on its unrelenting attack but even with a now broken jaw and three arrow wounds, the fight seemed evenly matched. Had the goblin not been slowed by its injuries, Shin¡¯s position would be quite dangerous. But still, he showed not a trace of concern, watching every move like an eerie hawk. ¡°Get ready.¡± Grace didn¡¯t fully react to his words, spurned by a turn in the struggle, but her body moved on its own sharpened by fear. ¡°Now!¡± A bad block of the spear had disrupted the goblin¡¯s balance and it faltered, just enough. A swirl of mana coalesced into a ball in Grace¡¯s hand and she cast it. The goblin¡¯s head turned just in time for the Mana Ball to slam into its head, knocking it to the ground. It was only enough to do that much, but that was all the opening needed. A spear thrust through the goblin¡¯s throat and again straight through its unlatched mouth, silencing the creature forever. The pair was given no time to relax, however, as a shout of pain came from their left. Shin turned to see the monk was missing half his forearm and retreating away frantically as the goblin taunted him. Before Shin could react, Milton finally made his move. A ball of fire formed in his hand and he shot it a the goblin¡¯s back. Flames slammed into its armor and wrapped around until its whole body was ablaze. Pained and angry yells were met with another fireball as it turned around to face the mage. The fire scalded its skin and burned its throat as it thrashed around, trying to stamper the flames. But before it could, a bronze spear pierced through its neck, leaving the flames to finish it off. Shin turned his eyes to the remaining two goblins, who Mendez and Barnes had managed to hold up against, though they looked worse for wear. Aisha darted around with her knives, landing one right in an eye and Barnes lunged at the opening. Slim red aura coated his one handed axe as it cleaved through the goblin¡¯s neck. Grace¡¯s Wisp fired a ball of frost at the fourth and final goblin before fading away. Mendez mustered all his strength to slam the edge of his shield into the frostbitten goblin, fracturing its skull. As the goblin hit the ground, so too did the chaotic mess of noise die with it, save for the monk groaning in pain. Barnes looked around at the battlefield, taking stock of what was left of the party, and Shin took stock of him. Seeing the severity of his injuries, the boy looked over to the monk hunched up against a tree, quietly cursing at his spatial bag, which had been torn in the fighting and the potions fallen out and broken on the ground. Shin casually walked in his direction without a word. ¡°Hey!¡± Mendez directed at Shin but he received no response. Veins bulged across his temples as he stomped towards Shin with gritted teeth and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Why the fuck did you take the angel away?!¡± ¡°Had to.¡± Shin subtly motioned at the creature in question, showing no concern for the warrior¡¯s threatening behavior. He turned back to the monk. ¡°I need to heal him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna heal the fucking rest of us too!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have enough mana. Use your potions.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Mendez clutched Shin¡¯s tunic by the collar, almost holding him off the ground. ¡°Calm down!¡± Barnes shouted, seeing the situation was quickly falling out of control. ¡°How the fuck am I supposed to calm down?!¡± Mendez snapped back with no restraint. ¡°Three dead! One crippled! For what?! A fucking place to sleep?!¡± ¡°Let the boy heal Zhang.¡± ¡°And then what, huh?!¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Milton¡¯s voice reached the others through the gap in argument. He had moved nearer to the den since the fighting ended, standing rather listless as he stared at the entrance. ¡°We needed a camp without blood or bodies, right? So other monsters don¡¯t come looking for food? ¡­what are we supposed to do now?¡± He pointed at the entrance of the den and everyone¡¯s eyes followed to find four wolf carcasses strewn about, chopped up and half eaten, blood and chunks of flesh and bone all over. A quiet fell over the party, the silent realization that all the loss and suffering had been for nothing. There was no camp to be made here. Chapter 5 Weathered and worn, the party moved in a formation unlike what they had become accustomed to, no longer having the leeway to defend from all sides. Mendez and the now one-armed Zhang trailed behind the three casters at each side, with Barnes heading the vanguard and Aisha just out of sight scouting ahead. It was firmly night now, with only the stars and half a moon to light their path. The party¡¯s pace slowed to a crawl as they were all forced to double check each step they took, wary of every shadow in the dark. None of them spoke a word. It had always been a rule to keep distractions to minimum but it had never been properly adhered to until now, the bitter taste of tragedy sapping any willingness to open their mouths. The rogue, crouching behind a tree, raised a hand to signal Barnes, who walked to her side with vigilance. ¡°Don¡¯t see anything around.¡± The two scoured over the clearing in the forest, large enough to make camp with a decent buffer between anything monsters could hide behind. It was hardly ideal, but they had little choice. ¡°Spread out. Search every tree and rock. Make sure we¡¯re alone then we can make camp and rest up.¡± The party did as ordered, peering behind bushes and poking around trees, most only tentatively at best, but Barnes let it slide without a word. A cursory search lasted only a minute before they gathered into the center and began setting up the tents in their bags. His preliminary preparations to help others who didn¡¯t know how went to waste as the tents pitched themselves with a thought, the benefits of a magical item. ¡°Mendez, Zhang, Milton take first watch. Stay in the center, backs against each other. Don¡¯t slack off. Wake the rest of us up in 4 hours.¡± All three seemed to have objections but none voiced them. The remaining left to their respective tents with no complaint. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Shin wished Grace, as though the events of the day hadn¡¯t happened. She mustered a tired smile before entering hers. Shin did the same for his, taking a seat and looking through his spatial bag to take out a half eaten brick of what looked like bread, food identify had labelled Manna, and took a bite. It had a decent savory taste, though nothing to fight over. The important part was it gave more nutrition and energy than any food available on earth, a single loaf, scarcely more than the length of his hand was enough for a full day of activity. Unfortunately it had no effect on his mana, which in the time spent searching for a camp site had only recovered to less than a third of his maximum. Shin had spent the bulk of his mana after the fight healing Zhang and as he had expected, Treat Wounds was hardly a valuable skill. It was only able to close wounds faster, evident by the flat stump where the upper half of Monk¡¯s forearm should be. Equally as he expected, Barnes had allowed him to heal the monk instead of sparing a potion, all of which from the dead he had taken for himself under the excuse of rationing them efficiently. He wasn¡¯t the type to let control slip from his fingers or waste valuable resources on someone who might not even be worth it anymore. Speaking of control, Shin figured it wouldn¡¯t be long now until Barnes made his move to solidify his. Shin was their only healer which was one of only two reasons the self appointed leader hadn¡¯t acted more forcefully against him, but the second, the assumption of weakness, was lost. The shrewd military man had to have recognized that his intermediate angel was stronger than any of them. That made Shin a threat. Shin recalled the status of the dead goblin warriors he had inspected. [Goblin Warrior (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 49 Agility - 51 Constitution - 38 Vitality - 44 Dexterity - 47 Perception - 45 Force - 25 Spirit - 32 Control - 26 Willpower - 33 The others had been the same, exactly the same. Both were around 390 in total, more than his angels of now 312, up from the starting total of 250. Classholder type monsters seemed to be 25% up from the norm, and the goblins were leaned more to the physical side of attributes, the warriors having 10 to 15 points over his angel¡¯s. Although not as dangerous, the angel still unquestionably was stronger than any among them. Shin doubted he would do anything just yet, but there was no reason to get careless. Plus, he had drawn the ire of the monk, who lost an arm because of his actions, and the sword and shield warrior seemed to be growing more hostile by the hour. Such types can be irrational and unpredictable. Still, neither of them were a threat, nor was the party as a whole for that matter. He has thinned their numbers a bit and taken care of the biggest concern in the archer. The mage¡¯s magic might have been a problem had he not lacked the skill and mindset to wield it effectively. Everyone else could be dealt with without issue. Prismatic splendor bloomed from his eyes and he entered a world of wondrous color. Glancing around he could make out the shape of things within the scope of a blue outline, living beings glowing distinctly. Grace laid still, already asleep it seemed. And¡­ the rogue woman had quietly found her way into the leader¡¯s tent. Not surprising, it was obvious she had chosen a side in the party from the start. The three lookouts seemed on alert and doing their jobs suitably but there was no reason to. For as far as his sight went, he found no other glowing silhouettes as bright as them or the monsters they had encountered. Trees, small animals, and insects were all that accompanied them. Shin channelled the feeling of control he had found and the spiritual brilliance was suppressed back into the still black void. He stared at his hand, slowly motioning it around, as clear as the dark of his tent allowed. Everything could be dealt with. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. --- Barnes winced under a giant bat¡¯s piercing screech before burying his axe in its soft underbelly. The bat dropped to the ground and writhed in pain before a stomp to the head put it out of its misery, one of many whose sleep they had accidentally disturbed to the creatures¡¯ great irritation. But inferior tier monsters as they were, all were put down quite easily. They had a screeching attack which caused a sharp ringing in one¡¯s ears but that was all. Their only offensive capabilities were the sharp teeth in their large mouths, which didn¡¯t stand a chance at reaching their target before being cut down. The giant bats didn¡¯t seem to have much intelligence, nor even a working sense of survival, attacking the party to the last creature to no avail. They checked their surroundings before moving on without more than a few words from the leader. Such encounters had become commonplace. Just as they were about to leave, the distinct roar of a bear accosted them, followed by the sudden sound of rustling and stampeding footsteps, putting them all back on edge. To the surprise of all, a man wielding a bow rushed out from the beyond a boulder, who stopped in his tracks. Silence followed, evident that neither side had encountered another group of players before. That pause lasted only a moment before the ranger¡¯s fellow members rushed out behind him, a woman in warrior¡¯s gear and a man in equipped the same, carrying a woman in cloth. The ranger whipped around to face the direction he just came from, bow drawn at the ready. ¡°Help us, please!¡± He implored, though his voice retained some authority. He loosed the arrow and an angry roar followed, close by. The ranger turned to ran again as the beast barrelled out from behind the rocky path. A bear, twice the size one would expect and twice as ferocious, took one glance at the increased number of enemies and roared. ¡°Uncommon tier!¡± Rogue Woman shouted, saving Shin the need to inspect the beast himself just yet. ¡°Brace!¡± Barnes bellowed to sharpen up the party. He and Mendez moved up to confront the bear but a single thrash of its paw knocked the sword warrior a few yards away. He rose to his feet quickly but it was clear he felt that impact deeply, even from behind a shield. Another thrash had Barnes dodge back instead of blocking it, although the difference in reach and power was too great to capitalize on anything. To the credit of the other party, the ranger peppered the bear with arrows and the two warriors rushed to reinforce the vanguard once they put the woman safely beside the party. The four warriors standing around the bear finally caused it to stand still enough for the ranger to put an arrow in one of its eyes, but not deep enough to kill. The enraged beast flailed recklessly, forcing the warriors further and further back. The erratic movement prevented the ranger from repeating his feat and any arrows that found its body didn¡¯t penetrate its hide enough to be fatal. ¡°Summons!¡± Barnes called out. An angel and sylph formed into existence and flew at the great bear. Shin¡¯s angel didn¡¯t seem to do much better than the normal warriors aside from being able to take the impact of a thrash better. Its spear drew blood but much like the arrow not deep enough to kill, at least for the torso. Shin couldn¡¯t give his summon commands more complex than ¡®protect¡¯ or ¡®attack¡¯, otherwise he would have long told it to aim solely for the neck. The wisp Grace summoned this time was a silvery gray, which immediately took to the air and fired out small blades of wind, drawing a splash of blood where it struck. These seemed to have more of an effect than the arrows and spear but not to a great extent. A good amount of the bear¡¯s fur was bloodied now and it seemed to be loosing some vigor. Under attack from all sides, it snarled and let out a deep grim roar, one that shuddered the bones. Shin felt a pull on his mind that quickly went away but it seemed the rest were affected differently. The vanguard who were right in front of the roar, seemed frozen in place, trembling. The bear thrashed out, knocking the new male warrior away like a ragdoll. ¡°No!¡± The priestess stumbled towards him, unsteady on one leg and quickly pulled out a healing potion and fed him before using her healing skill. The bear turned to thrash at Barnes who through gritted teeth managed to raise his shield in time to weather the brunt of the attack. Hitting the ground at a bad angle knocked the wind out of him but he willed himself to shout a raspy command. ¡°Milton¡­ everything!¡± The mage let fireballs fly at the bear, three in quick succession, setting it ablaze. The beast roared in pain and flailed about but its focus was now turned on the fire enveloping it than its mortal foes. Arrows and wind and spear rained down on it whittling its life until it came to a smoldering stop. As soon as the fight seemed over, the ranger and woman ran over to their fallen comrade¡¯s side. ¡°Derrick!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± The warrior grunted, straining himself to sit upright. ¡°Just a little banged up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move yet.¡± The woman in cloth scolded him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He assured her. Seeing there was no cause for alarm, the ranger walked over to Barnes to greet him. Dark skin with short hair, broad cleanshaven face with firm, hardened eyes no lesser than Barnes¡¯. ¡°Thanks. We might not have gotten away if it weren¡¯t for your help.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± He jabbed back. ¡°Yes¡­ I am sorry about that.¡± ¡°The rest of your party?¡± ¡°We lost two on the first day¡­ the rest to that bear.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The look in Barnes¡¯ eyes didn¡¯t change. They had been assessing the ranger since the conversation began. ¡°You should join us. We¡¯ll be safer as a whole.¡± The ranger seemed to understand the implication of them joining as opposed to banding together, but gave no argument. ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°And the rest of your team?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t complain. But there are eleven of us.¡± The ranger looked around. ¡°Parties only fit ten.¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± Barnes looked over at the silent boy eerily standing in place. [Summon Angel has reached Lvl 3.] ¡®Summon a celestial warrior to control as you command. Duration: 25 minutes. Limit: 3.¡¯ Each level increased the duration by 5 minutes and maximum number he could have out at once by one, although anything above two didn¡¯t matter for the moment. Shin turned his attention to the status of the fallen bear. [Cave Bear (uncommon) - Lesser Peasant] Strength - 83 Agility - 46 Constitution - 80 Vitality - 68 Dexterity - 44 Perception - 77 Force - 22 Spirit - 25 Control - 26 Willpower - 29 500 stat points in total, easily the most of any monster they¡¯ve encountered so far. Over 100 more than the goblin warriors and even more heavily skewed to physical attributes, which made sense given its power and toughness but vulnerability to magic. Still, it had over twice the strength of his angel and high numbers for every other physical stat too, including agility and dexterity, which was a surprise, as it certainly didn¡¯t move like it, aside from the swipes. Shin reckoned body structure came into play here, meaning stats are not completely universal. Which made sense. Regardless of constitution, eyes were weaker than bones. It stands to reason that agility and dexterity applies more to some parts of the body than others. [You have been removed from your party.] A prompt interrupted Shin¡¯s analysis. He glanced over at the newcomers and identified them. A ranger, two warriors, and a priest, all lesser peasant rank. Shin knew as soon as the priest woman starting healing what Barnes¡¯ course of action would be. As he thought this, the man in question stepped in front of his face again with an air of subdued threat. ¡°Hand over your potions. Resources need to be pooled together and managed efficiently.¡± A shallow excuse, likely because he felt he didn¡¯t need it. Shin handed over his two healing and two mana potions without resistance. ¡°You¡¯ll be following along with us.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± With that, Barnes took off, in the direction of the rest of the original party, probably to let them know the situation, Shin guessed. It didn¡¯t really matter. Barnes had made his decision, which meant it was about time to act. Shin looked at the replacement ranger the party had just acquired. He had been composed and competent in the fight, a far cry from the archer they started with, meaning he was a much bigger threat. ¡°Him first then.¡± Chapter 6 The newly unified party had decided to leave the bear carcass behind. Warrior Woman had argued that bear meat and guts could be eaten but was rebuffed with the fact that they can¡¯t be sure these animals are the same as the ones they are familiar with, and there being no reason to press their luck while they still had reliable and safe food. Priest Woman spoke up saying she had the common tier skill Treat Disease but even then, no one was eager to take the risk. Shin had little interest in talk of bear meat but the other priest¡¯s skill was of concern to him. She was not only better support, but presented no threat to anyone, the ideal pawn. Barnes had already made up his mind, that much was clear, but the rapport he was showing with the new members and the subtle but definite increasing distance between himself and the others were signs he¡¯d have the confidence to take action very soon. Shin watched his angel dispatch a few ordinary goblins. The group they had encountered was on the larger side, a dozen strong, but nothing that warranted using a summon on. A bronze spear through the chest heralded the end of the fight but not Shin¡¯s role. ¡°Healer.¡± Barnes called. Shin walked over to vanguard and began using Treat Wounds without complaint. Most had minor injuries at most, undeserving of the mana spent to patch them up, but Shin healed them all the same, each and every one, as he had been made to do all day. ¡°Um, I could help¡­¡± The new priestess spoke up. It seemed the New Ranger had not let them in on the loop, though by Warrior Woman¡¯s expression she had figured things out mostly. ¡°No, you need to save your mana for curing illness. Never know when we¡¯ll need it.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Yeah.¡± Priest Woman accepted that excuse, half out of balking under the militant leader¡¯s presence. ¡°Done.¡± Shin announced. ¡°The fuck you are, I still got cuts.¡± ¡°Out of mana.¡± Shin casually and bluntly explained to the hostile sword and shield warrior. ¡°Use your skill.¡± Barnes commanded, having walked over to Shin¡¯s side. Shin glanced at him then cast Treat Wounds only for the mana to splutter pathetically, the effect of lacking the mana to use a skill as many had discovered themselves. The leader had eyes on him like a hawk then turned his head to the rest of the group. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back to camp before we lose the light.¡± The party had discussed their next course of action after teaming up, and landed on the decision to scout the directions around the clearing to get a better idea of what they had to work with before making their next move. The camp had proved to be a safe enough place with no monster attacks the first night and the new party members had not come across a better place themselves, so Barnes made the call. Dusk had already reared its ugly head but that was of little concern. By the way the party conducted their excavations, they were always no more than a few hours away from camp and their path back safer having cleared out any monsters they came across. Barnes led the march and the rest followed in formation, even the new members by now already fallen in line. Shin too followed along, a hand lightly on Grace¡¯s shoulder, nary a hint of concern or vigilance. ¡°Are you okay, Shin? Can you make it all the way?¡± She turned to ask him, worry clear on her face. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s fine.¡± --- They reached camp just as the last traces of the sun fell beneath the horizon, the moon and stars once again their guiding light. ¡°You know the drill! Spread out, search everything.¡± The party moved into action, newcomers included, having been filled in on the protocols for camp. It lasted only a few minutes as before, with no incident, thus they turned their focus to set up camp. ¡°Richard, I want you to head out west, check if anything¡¯s follow us. Boy, you¡¯re with him for support.¡± Barnes said, rehearsed, try as he might to hide it, but Shin followed all the same. Some of the members seemed to know exactly what this was, others guessed as much and returned to minding their own business. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The new ranger led the way, bow at the ready, and Shin followed a few yards behind. They were about 200 yards from camp now, Shin estimated, well out of sight but not yet shouting distance, at least not by the standards of a player. Shin glanced behind, carefully scanning the forest. Barnes had not sent the rogue woman to observe, no doubt thinking it unnecessary for a manaless priest. ¡°Take the front. I think I heard rustling on the left.¡± Richard ordered, feigning caution. Shin walked right past him, close enough to reach out and take his life, but he kept walking, a flash of iridescent color in his eyes that the archer missed. The ranger turned to face him but Shin veered to the right putting a tree between them, keeping the same steady pace. Richard followed him with vigilance only for the boy to manage to find cover incidentally each time. Shin made his way through the forest calmly and assuredly, twisting and turning through trees and cover but always in the same general direction. Richard said nothing, and followed along, finding the bow heavier in his hands. A small clearing opened up in their path and Shin stepped into it without hesitation. The dirt was hard and solid, ideal for moving and fighting, but only he would acknowledge that. Shin slowed his pace just slightly as the archer stepped into the clearing, just enough to evade notice. A realization hit the ranger a few yards in, as he came to a slow stop. With a glance at the open back of Shin, he took a deep breath and started to raise his bow. Shin¡¯s body jolted into action, from an easy stroll to maximum speed in an instant, a backwards lunge into a spin, hatchet appearing in his hand as it tore through the air. The axe cleaved through the spot New Ranger¡¯s neck had been, just barely missing it, his body having shifted back at an unnatural speed for the untrained. ¡°A skill.¡± Shin deduced, pulling the hatchet in front of him, hand on the flat of its head and dashed forward. Richard¡¯s reflex kicked in before his mind, loosing his arrow, which deflected clean off the metal of hatchet Shin shifted to an angle. He raised his hatchet back behind him in exaggerated motion and threatened a swing down on his amateur execution. Another blur back put the ranger out of range of the swing before he even brought it down, but Shin let go of the weapon, turning it into a throw, the hurling axe lodging itself into New Ranger¡¯s collar, unprotected by his leather armor. The ranger staggered back from the impact and with a grunt of pain. Two steps and Shin darted up to him, swatting away his bow, two hands taking hold of his skull and chin and snapping his head horizontal. The ranger¡¯s body fell limp and slumped to the ground. Shin pull out the hatchet lodged in his shoulder and removed the blood with a swift swipe in fluid motion. Shin glanced at the ranger, not yet dead but that wouldn¡¯t last long. He turned his attention to the bow and arrow on the ground, picking them up. Shin fiddled with the weapon for a few moments to get accustomed to it. He had handled guns before but bows and arrows were hardly relevant tools of the trade in this age. Some in the clan practiced the art as a hobby but that was as far as it went. Shin found a way of holding it he liked, copied from what he had seen in recent days and the little he had observed in his life before. A prism of colors coated his eyes as he turned to the direction he had been moving this entire time. The world of colors revealed several glowing figures with vigorously flapping wings. Shin bent down and picked up a small stone by his feet and aimed it at a bush between himself and the nearest giant bat, which jolted at the sound and flew towards him along with two others. Shin drew the arrow as he aimed, hands as still as death and loosed three arrows in quick succession, each piercing the bats¡¯ foreheads. Shin suppressed his eyes and hurried of to the bodies, carrying them back to New Ranger. He held open the mouth of one and used it to tear out a chunk of the ranger¡¯s neck, then burying the arrow from its head into its neck and placing New Ranger¡¯s hand at the base of the arrow, the bat slumped over his body. With the work done, Shin unlatched the spatial pouch from the dead ranger¡¯s belt and a single attempt at equipping it worked. A welcome success as a single bag wouldn¡¯t be able to hold all he need to. He placed the bow into the pouch and ran off towards the camp, bag in hand. Barnes paced the camp grounds. Richard was taking too long. He only needed to be out of sight before he killed the boy with no need to cover it up. An obvious execution would send a message to the rest of the party and keep them honest. The civilian had almost certainly never killed another person before but two days of madness is enough to push anyone to pull the trigger. Plus, he seemed smart enough to know who to side with and who not to make an enemy of. Still, it had been too long. Shin burst out of the trees behind him in staggered sprint towards the center of camp, panting heavily, stopping in front of Grace. ¡°Shin?! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shin pretended to be too out of breath to answer. ¡°Where is Richard?¡± Barnes made little attempt to hide his animosity. Shin glanced over with deep breaths. ¡°Bats. Dead.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The new warrior man pushed through grabbing Shin by the shoulders, the other two of the party aghast. ¡°Are you serious?!¡± ¡°Where?¡± The leader asked. Shin pointed in the direction he came from. ¡°Couple minutes.¡± Barnes glared at him. ¡°Give me your bag. Unequip it.¡± Shin casually unlatched the sole pouch on his belt and threw it casually at the bearded warrior, slowly arcing, and landing in his hand without issue. The warrior equipped and searched through it, finding nothing more than what there should be. ¡°Aisha, Zhang, you two, with me.¡± Barnes signaled the two warriors of the new party, then looked to Shin. ¡°You lead the way. Fast.¡± Shin under the veil of fatigue walked back in the direction he had pointed out without hesitation and the five singled out followed, none able to see the depth of his eyes. Chapter 7 Shin weaved through the forest under the heavy scrutiny of the leader. He made an effort of turning his head to look around, though just shifting his eyes would have sufficed. None of the five trailing behind had spoken a word, leading to building of palpable tension. Shin walked into the clear and a bit to the right, turning to face the others, eyes taking note of their positions. ¡°Richard¡­¡± The warrior man seemed to have not accepted the ranger¡¯s death until he saw the body, energy and vigor left him. Barnes gave Shin a look as he walked towards the body, first gleaning what he could from a distance, then inspecting things more closely. He took note of the ranger¡¯s hand resting near the shaft of an arrow buried in the giant bat¡¯s neck and push the creature away to see the area of the neck ripped out. His eyes then turned down to the ranger¡¯s belt and he froze. The spatial bag wasn¡¯t there. He grabbed the body by the shoulder to turn it over, to check if it was on the other side or at the back and the ranger¡¯s neck creaked, shifting over at an unnatural angle. Nerves ablaze he jolted his head back just in time to see Shin snap the neck of the rogue and sprint back into the forest. ¡°Get him!¡± Barnes roared as he charged in pursuit. Mendez and Zhang were the first to react, but the two new warriors caught on to the situation quickly enough. However, they couldn¡¯t catch up. Shin cut through the trees with a speed and deftness unthinkable of a priest. There was no hesitation in his movement, no second guessing or assessing the path. He just flew. Shin grabbed a spatial bag hidden in the bushes as he lunged out into the camp clearing, to Grace¡¯s surprise. Shin¡¯s eyes only met hers for a split second before checking his sides and sprinting to the right. The priestess froze at the sight of the boy dashing straight for her, half confused. Before she could understand what was happening, a hatchet appeared in his hands and cleaved through her neck. Before her body could even hit the ground, Shin pivoted and burst back in the opposite direction with no loss in speed. Grace¡¯s knees gave out as she slumped down in shock and terror, but Shin rushed right passed her without a second glance, barreling straight for Milton. ¡°Jolene!!!¡± Shin ignored the howl of grief, his eyes trained solely on the mage, and hurled the hatchet with all his might. The hatchet sailed right over the mage as he tripped over in his clumsy fright back. A second hatchet appear in Shin¡¯s left, unfazed by the failure of the first and hurled again. Milton yelled pathetically, arm raised as he shot a ball of mana in desperation, striking the hatchet off course. Shin couldn¡¯t help but be a little impressed by the skeevy mage¡¯s luck but that¡¯s all it was, and it would run out. He slipped a second mana ball without lowering his speed but a whistle in the wind made him roll away as two hatchets sailed through the air where he had been. ¡°Murderer!¡± The new warrior man charged towards him in blind rage. Shin glanced at the mage who had taken the opportunity to scamper off in the direction of the rest of the party just crossing through the tree line. Without a second thought, Shin turned his attention to the enraged warrior. Not getting the mage was less than optimal but he had taken care of the biggest problems already. It was just a matter of time now. Shin dodged a swing of the axe and then another and another. A barrage of blows coating in the mana Shin knew to be the Enhanced Strike skill. The warrior raised the axe above his head and Shin took the opening, a bow and arrow forming in his hand as he jumped back, releasing a shot into the large warrior¡¯s throat before he could react. The warrior stayed on his feet through blood filled gurgles and took a step forward, but a second arrow through the forehead ended his fight for good. Shin turned a third arrow¡¯s aim at the rest of his enemy¡¯s approaching, but Barnes and Mendez were out in front, shield¡¯s raised. Shin wasn¡¯t confident enough in his archery skill to hit the small target of their eyes on the move, and the remaining five were properly coordinating now. He stepped forward to touch the greataxe and place it in his spatial bag then fled into the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape! He¡¯ll pick us off one by one!¡± Barnes spurred on his remaining party. They rushed into the forest after him but came to a halt finding no trace of him. ¡°Crowd together. He has the bow.¡± The soldier ordered, himself still on edge. He and Mendez held the front, shields frantically held towards every direction an arrow could come from. Zhang had their left, the side of his good arm, and the warrior woman had the right, longsword in one arm and her teammate¡¯s armor in the next, held out like a shield. All protecting Milton who had been given a helm and forced to join. They moved, the sudden lull in action dragging on too long. The silence of the dark forest ate away at the adrenaline that had fueled them into it and with each passing moment the anxiety of facing a shot from the shadows grew worse. Barnes cursed in his mind. The boy he thought to be nothing was not only far too physically adept to be normal, but he was also experienced in fighting, in killing. Two days of madness isn¡¯t enough to take away all of someone¡¯s hesitation, nor could it explain the judgement and skill he displayed. He was trained, before all of this. That or ranking up held more secrets than he expected. Barnes remembered that the boy had said he received stat points for ranking up. He cursed himself as a fool for believing that he hadn¡¯t put those 50 total points into physical stats. From the start, the eerie priest had given him a bad feeling. Had he known what he was capable of, he would have came at him with everything from the start. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What do we do?¡± Mendez asked, anxious for a good answer. Barnes snapped back into focus. This was no time to be crying over what was done. He had to give everything to the fight in front of him. ¡°Fireball, over there now.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Do it! We need the light!¡± Milton flinched under the intimidating order and shot a ball of fire at the cluster of bushes as he was told. The shrubbery went up in a blaze as soon as the fireball struck, the newly made bonfire clawing away at the darkness. ¡°Find him!¡± Barnes¡¯s eyes darted around at his own command. They needed to kill this demon now or they don¡¯t stand a chance. A figure in the shadows, just barely in sight, caught his eye but before he could speak, a massive axe hurled out from the dark, catching his shield with enough force to knock him on his back, over the mage he crashed into. ¡°Rush him!¡± Mendez yelled, and the three of them still standing charged forward. To his surprise, Shin didn¡¯t retreat into the dark but instead stood firm. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to kill you, freak!¡± The sword and shield warrior charged forth, mighty and fierce, and fell flat on his face. For an instant after he hit the ground, he was stunned speechless. Had he more time he would have realized his foot caught on the rope Shin had tied between two trees just off the dirt in the dark, but an instant was all he had. A foot nailed his weapon to the ground and a sword plunged through his neck, and all his fierceness and might was gone. Shin let go of the sword and leap back, dodging a swing of Warrior Woman¡¯s longsword. Behind him the monk lunged with a fist cloaked in mana and the warrior swung again. Shin spun low, kicking Monk hard enough in the side to break something as the longsword sailed clear over him, sending him rolling back. Combat daggers appear in Shin¡¯s hands as he closed the distance between Warrior Woman. A thrust nicked her neck as she lurched back just in time, swinging her sword recklessly to force a halt. She regained her stance quickly and swung down. A tap of the dagger against the flat of the sword¡¯s center was all it took to deflect it harmlessly away. He couldn¡¯t do the same against the weight and shape of a greataxe, but a sword was no problem. Warrior Woman shouted away the chill down her spine and thrust her blade, but a dagger sliding along the edge pushed it away and another found a sheath in her neck. A quick twist gave a sickening pop and her body crumpled to the ground. Shin turned to face the monk, who had risen from the ground, clutching his side. Two broken ribs by Shin¡¯s count. He swatted the blood off his daggers and they vanished, charging the monk unarmed. Veins bulged across the monk¡¯s bald head as he pushed every ounce of strength into a punch. Shin weaved around the fist with unnatural grace and crushed his throat with a chiseled fist. A guttural wheeze escaped the monk¡¯s mouth but before he could gasp for air, Shin caught the top of his skull with a roundhouse kick, snapping his neck clean. The monk¡¯s body staggered but Shin held it up before it could fall and looked over to the two who had rejoined the fight. Barnes and Milton stared in shock at the bodies of hardened players and the boy who stood among them unscathed. He glanced at them both before locking onto Milton, sending the man into panic. Shin snapped into motion, picking up the monk¡¯s body as a shield and charging towards the sniveling mage. Milton raised his hand and a ball of flames swirled into existence. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Stay away!¡± The mage paid no heed to leader¡¯s words, casting fireball after fireball at Shin. The balls of flames struck Monk¡¯s torso and wrapped around it, just out of reach of the hands that held it up. Each strike caused the blaze to grow larger and larger, but the fourth attempt caused nothing but spluttering mana. ¡°No, no!¡± Milton pleaded as Shin rammed Monk into him, setting the mage ablaze in an instant to ghastly wails of agony. Shin looked to his right, where he had seen Barnes had turned tail and run out of the corner of his eye. He sped off after him, not bothering to confirm the mage¡¯s death, whose fate was already sealed. The leader had fled in the direction of the camp and Shin could guess at what his aim was. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Shin came to a stop not two steps into the clearing, his suspicions confirmed at the sight of Barnes holding Grace hostage in front of him, dagger to her throat. ¡°Try anything and she dies.¡± Shin kept perfectly still, his ever present calm slight smile unchanged throughout it all. A dagger appeared in his hand as he slowly walked forward. ¡°Don¡¯t test me, boy!¡± Barnes pressed the dagger into her neck enough to draw blood. ¡°You think I haven¡¯t been watching you?! Even a monster likes something.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like her, though?¡± Shin seemed genuinely confused, albeit in his own nonchalant way, to the man¡¯s bewilderment and the woman¡¯s dismay. ¡°Don¡¯t try and bluff me!¡± He pressed the blade deeper, making a serious wound now. Shin sprinted forward, not a single ounce of hesitation in his eyes. Barnes shoved Grace out of the way, taking a trained stance, dagger out front. ¡°You think you can kill me, boy?!¡± He roared. Shin met him with a single dagger, weaving his arm around the warrior¡¯s and slicing through his tendon as he pulled it back. The desperate leader drew a second dagger with his left and Shin snapped his arm in two. Barnes staggered back, arms hanging limp, and two knives thrown in his thigh makes him drop to a knee. Shin stepped on the hatchet Milton had knocked away as he drew closer, it vanishing and reappearing in his hand. ¡°De-¡± The hatchet cleaved off his head before he could finish the word. [Acquired common tier skill Basic Martial Combat Lvl. 1.] [Basic Martial Combat has reached Lvl 7.] ¡°You can learn skills on your own?¡± A significant revelation but one Shin would have to address later. He had more immediate priorities. Tossing the hatchet away, he walked over to Grace, sat motionless on the ground, hand holding her injury. ¡°Can you stand?¡± The hand Shin held out for her was slapped away. Tears ran down her face, her expression one of disbelief and betrayal. Shin paused for a moment to think. ¡°You¡¯ll die out here alone.¡± Utterly blunt words from a casual pleasant voice as he raised his hand again, this time to cast Treat Wounds. ¡°Stay with me until we find a party for you to join.¡± That didn¡¯t elicit a response as Shin hoped, returning him to thought once again. ¡°Stuff like this happens.¡± Grace¡¯s eyes widened slightly. She trembled, out of frustration rather than fear. Words tried to rise from her core but stuck in her throat, eventually settling into dull weariness. Shin waited for her response but the wound healed first. ¡°Wait. I need to loot some things then we¡¯ll leave. It¡¯s too dangerous here.¡± Shin strolled off. Grace hadn¡¯t replied but it seemed enough for him. He looked around and thought before heading over to ranger and rogue first. With his sight under control and the things in the way dealt with, he could explore this trial the goddess had called a baptism freely and wholly. Shin broke into a run again, the pain he had grown used to over the last four years still nowhere to be felt since the arrival of the Tower. Things were good. Chapter 8 A swift kick cut through the morning light. Shin reset his stance and kicked again, an exact copy of the first, as sharp and powerful as he could. A third flowed seamlessly into a leg sweep and then a high front kick, just as deftly as he had done many times already. Shin drew two daggers and slashed at imaginary enemies before coming to a stop. He had been training for a few hours now, since the crack of dawn, or rather testing himself. As far as he could tell, there had been no change to his martial prowess since acquiring the Basic Martial Combat skill, leading him to deduce that it was actual ability reflected in skill levels, not the other way around. He had felt himself intuitively growing more competent with healing magic but it was much more obvious with a skill he was far more familiar with. In any case, two hours of shadowboxing had not been enough to raise the level, regardless of how much he applied himself to improve. Shin suspected he needed real combat to see progress, at least to do so at any acceptable speed. Speaking of progress, there was another development he found. Shin opened his status to inspect it once more. [Human Priest (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 18 Agility - 25 Constitution - 28 Vitality - 25 Dexterity - 27 Perception - 29 Force - 21 Spirit - 42 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Treat Wounds lvl. 9, Holy Screen lvl. 1, Summon Angel lvl. 4, Cushion lvl. 1, Call Petty Spirit lvl. 1, Basic Martial Combat lvl. 7, Jab lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, His Vitality had increased by 1. It wasn¡¯t just skills, but stats that could be gained naturally too, which Shin thought obvious now in hindsight. His physical stats had certainly been lower than the potential of the Igarashi, and if skills can be learned, it stands that attributes can be trained, although based on how his magical stats had not budged at all despite focusing much more on them was a sign it might be more difficult to increase them the higher they were. Shin figured he should avoid putting points into his physical stats for now and do things the old fashioned way. He would have to push himself anyway to level Combat. Returning to the topic of skills, Shin lamented at the seven filled skill slots he possessed. He had succeeded in acquiring a skill that enhanced his striking speed, not just in punches but all manner of martial strikes. However, try as he might, he couldn¡¯t materialize any of the tricks of the clan¡¯s trade in the form of a skill after that, almost certainly due to the fact that he lacked the open space to acquire them. The flap of the tent behind him parted and Grace exited in full gear fit for travel, storing the tent as she left. The journey to find this new camp site was uneventful thanks to Shin¡¯s spirit eyes which allowed him to detect creatures at no mana cost, but it had taken several hours to find this spot. Shin recommended she sleep in as much as she needed and it seemed to have been a good idea. Her expression was cold as before but lacked any sign of fatigue. ¡°Good Morning.¡± Shin greeted to no response. ¡®This way looks best.¡± --- The off key pair moved at a steady but brisk pace. Shin periodically used his eyes to scout around for moments at a time. It might cost no mana but he didn¡¯t maintain the eyes full time, being far less precise than normal vision. The occasional beings and creatures he saw through the overlap didn¡¯t help either. Shin glanced to the left and burst off in a sharp turn, and quickly dispatched two goblins with slashes to the throat. No sooner had he finished them off that he rushed back in front of Grace at the same speed and continued on their path. Shin tried to avoid fighting whenever possible for her sake but those goblins had been charging right at them. Shin spared a moment to examine the breeze around them. The goblins were downwind, smell had given them away most likely. Their perception was on the high side after all. If it was only that, there was nothing to worry about, so Shin put it to the back of his mind and his focus to the goal at hand, finding other players. Shin would have liked to take the opportunity to train some of his skills but he had to conserve mana just in case they ran into real trouble. Even still, his base combat abilities were more than enough for the vast majority of monsters they encountered, unskilled and unintelligent as they were. Unfortunately that was likely the reason his Combat skill still hadn¡¯t increased. Shin stopped in his tracks, in the middle of thought and raised a hand signally her to hang back. He sprinted off ahead, farther than he had the goblins, until he came behind a tree, concealing himself. The target of his interest 50 yards away, a party, eight in total he counter. A few Identifies let him know the robed players were a priest and a druid, no mages in sight. Ideal, certainly. He spared the mana to inspect the man who seemed to be leading things, and immediately caught his interest. [Human Monk (common) - Intermediate Peasant] The first fellow intermediate peasant, he had encountered. Perhaps he could answer some things Shin had been pondering, or at the very least give him a better picture of the rules of this system. Still, that was secondary. The first priority was to get a better picture of this party. --- ¡°How long are we going to walk?¡± A young woman with short curly hair asked, or more accurately complained. She wore a coarse dark green robe, not the most suited for travelling, and carried a plain wooden staff. ¡°Until we find somewhere safe.¡± The man that answered her was the intermediate rank Shin had spotted, a young man, not yet thirty but stood a head taller than most. He sported a fade and a light beard, slightly unkempt, and the body of an athlete, obvious beneath the yellow dogi. ¡°Nowhere in this hell is safe¡­¡± The druid muttered. ¡°Now, now. We still have half the day left. Plenty of time to find what we need.¡± A fat man in white robes said with a pleasant smile. ¡°How ¡®bout you find-¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Whatever the druid was about to yell was cut off by the calm clear voice of someone above them. The party snapped into a defense, some slower than others, but all surprised to see the source of the voice, a boy in his teens, long curled black hair and a beautiful face, crouching on the ledge of a small cliff beside them, bearing a slight smile and subtly eerie eyes. Most took a moment or two to realize the robed woman standing near. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Who are you?!¡± The monk yelled, wary of strangers who snuck up so close to them but it didn¡¯t seem like he wanted a fight. ¡°You have space in your party.¡± Shin ignored his question. ¡°Take her with you.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°She has firepower as a mage and a good summon. You¡¯ll live longer.¡± Shin continued his pitch to a baffled and unwilling audience. ¡°Have you gone mad?¡± The druid asked, not uncalled for. ¡°No.¡± Shin answered seriously, though to everyone else, it seemed nonchalant at best. ¡°Just fuck off-¡± The monk held out an arm to cut her off. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking for both of you?¡± He questioned with a serious vigilant tone. ¡°I have stuff to do.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fucking suspicious!¡± The druid started to lose her patience. The man fell silent for a moment in deliberation. ¡°...Sorry, but we can¡¯t take on people we aren¡¯t sure about.¡± Their wariness was honestly a positive for Shin. It showed a sense of competency and their general impression wasn¡¯t a troubling one. They seemed about as good as his initial party, save for the soldier, but it was a good thing this leader had a different air about him. He fell into thought about how to make them accept Grace, before looking over at the monk. ¡°How do you reach intermediate rank?¡± ¡°...shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Happened early. Don¡¯t know specifically.¡± The man hesitated before answering him. ¡°Your total attribute points needs to hit 250.¡± ¡°I started with more. Putting in points must have triggered it.¡± Shin recalled. But that left another mystery. Even the soldier hadn¡¯t reached intermediate rank. ¡°Are you murim?¡± ¡°Mur..? I don¡¯t know what that is.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s lying¡­¡± Shin felt. ¡°How did you reach 250?¡± ¡°You get points from maxing skills, at level 10. You can learn skills too. I did a lot of combat sports. The skills I got started a bit higher so it was easier to level them.¡± The monk seemed to be growing more comfortable talking, at the very least he preferred it to a potential fight. ¡°What was your starting total?¡± ¡°...202.¡± High, Shin thought. Most of his former party members were below 150 when he identified their corpses, factoring in the 25 points they got from the start. The soldier was the highest at 161. Shin considered the possibility of the guy lying but then figured he could just be descended from a clan and not even know. Bastards weren¡¯t that uncommon. Plus the numbers seemed to add up. With the starting stats, he would have only had to max three skills, or just two if he did some physical training. ¡°What¡¯s your starting total, then?¡± Druid glared. ¡°Char.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not fucking shy about asking questions.¡± ¡°275.¡± Shin¡¯s casual reply put most back on edge. Seventy points more than the guy they already thought was a big deal was no small matter. ¡°Bullshit!¡± The druid called Char yelled, half certain. Shin¡¯s head titled a bit to the left. ¡°If I beat you, then you take Grace.¡± He directed at the monk, though no response came. ¡°No weapons. Not to the death, just sparring.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. She can join us.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Char looked at the monk Hongyi like there was something wrong with him. ¡°This place is dangerous. You said so yourself. More help makes us all safer.¡± Char tried to muster a response to him but couldn¡¯t argue against that. The party didn¡¯t seem to be fully on board yet, but Shin didn¡¯t wait. ¡°Looks like you can join.¡± He turned to Grace. She stood in silence for a few moments before turning her head slightly to him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to kill them all, did you? As strong as you are, you could have just run off on your own.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± Shin thought about how best to put it into words so she¡¯d understand. ¡°It felt right.¡± Grace¡¯s expression deepened, as if something in her hollowed, and walked off. Shin recognized a look of disdain and wondered if she understood. ¡°Keep moving.¡± It was the same casual tone as always but there was a strange depth to it. It wasn¡¯t an order or an insult, but advise almost. Something deeper even. Grace¡¯s stride slowed for a moment before continuing on. Shin on the other hand, rose to his feet, about to head off. ¡°Wait.¡± The monk shouted up, causing Shin to turn back his attention to the party. ¡°A couple hours back that way there¡¯s a giant tree. A bunch of strange goblins, 20 or 30 of them, all intermediate. We lost two of us to them. But they don¡¯t follow past a certain point so just avoid the tree.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Shin replied, glancing at the direction, before running off. ¡°Strange means they¡¯re probably variants. So as strong as the goblin warriors.¡± Shin¡¯s mind ran along with him, interested in the so called giant tree. But he had to stave his curiosity. Four goblin warriors were still too much for him at the moment, let alone thirty. ¡°Time to train.¡± --- Shin sidestepped a charging almiraj and cleaved the airborne horned hare in two with an axe, his eyesight sharp enough to see clearly enough under the moonlit sky. Shin evaded two more powerful lunges right into the aim of three vicious charges, only for their horns to catch nothing but the shield that materialized on his arm. With a swift and brutal motion he cracked the almiraj on a tree, and the three went limp at the neck, horns lodged in the shield. Shin dropped the shield and thrust a dagger up when he had just been, piercing another dead. Five almirajes in a matter of seconds but the carnage had done nothing to dissuade the rest of the herd he had intruded on, several more leaping his way. Almirajes seemed aggressive creatures in general but these were particularly hostile. Shin glanced for an instant at the source of their relentlessness, a larger one with a longer horn who had done nothing since the fighting starting but let out shrill chirps. [Almiraj Alpha (common) - Lesser Peasant] The dagger disappeared and a shortsword and axe took its place in either hand. The nearest almiraj curled its body in, slightly more than its usually jumps, and Shin moved before it did, leaving the sword to carve through its neck in his place. The horned hares could move faster than him, especially with that lunge, but their attacks were always telegraphed, giving him enough time to react. Two more lunges gave two more bodies to the earth, and behind them the lunge of the alpha, finally enraged enough to act. Its attack swifter and more threatening than its peers but Shin had seen coming all the same. He fell back and launched the almiraj up with the back of his foot, using its own power against it. The almiraj wreathed in the air, helpless without footing to run on. Shin drew the bow he had taken out the moment he launched the creature, and from his leant back sitting stance shot an arrow through its heart. The leader of the almiraj herd slammed into the ground but twitched for only a moment before falling still with its kin. [Basic Martial Combat has reached lvl. 10. 10 attribute points rewarded.] Shin preferred hand to hand and shorter weapons to any other method, but Martial Combat involved all forms of fighting, and as such it leveled faster if he used a variety of weapons, as he had learned through experimentation. Shin rose to his feet and put the points he received all into Spirit, bringing the total to 62. He had maxed Treat Wounds not long ago, and in this time raised Summon Angel to lvl. 5, although the rest of his skills had remained the same. Not that they were useless, but he lacked the mana to spare on them with the angel as his priority and at least some thought given to self preservation. Jab leveled faster, sitting now at lvl. 6, the reason being it used aura. A separate energy source based on Vitality. Still, he had to be at least somewhat economical with it as well. Shin¡¯s eyes turned iridescent as he looked around to make sure he had gotten all the monsters before turning to head back to the spot he had made his temporary base. However, just as soon as he was about to take off, he caught something in the corner of his eye way in the distance. A small humanoid creature with transparent wings like a butterfly, clear and normal amongst the sea of colors, and an eight legged mass of mana inching down towards it. The frantic little fey tugged and pulled desperately on the web that bound it. Its panic deepening with every step the giant spider drew nearing clicking its large mandibles, cold unsettling eyes reflecting the terrified face of its prey. A hatchet flew out of nowhere and buried into the center of its body. It screeched and fell from the tree, squirming on the ground until a throwing knife sunk into its head, silencing it for good. Shin cast two identifies on the common tier giant spider and the pixie before walking towards the trapped fey with a skinning knife drawn. The little fey struggled harder at the approach of its savor, until well aimed slashes carved out the web trapping it. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The pixie flew off with all its might at Shin¡¯s comforting words without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Shin watched it go with a smile for a moment before turning his attention to his skinning knife. A few attempts to wipe the viscous web off the blade on the tree proved fruitless so he tossed it to the ground. He had a few more in his bags to spare anyway. He pulled the hatchet and dagger out of the dead spider and wiped the gooey green blood off with a rag cut from looted clothes before tossed that too. Shin glanced up at the moon, seven or so more hours till dawn by his estimation, although it didn¡¯t matter. He would be staying up all night again. Three days and three nights at this point. Even with his stamina and training, he was still human. Another day and night and the effects of a lack of sleep will start to be noticeable. After that, his performance would diminish rapidly. This would have to be the priority before training, Shin thought as he stored his weapons. ¡°I need to find more players.¡± Chapter 9 Shin pulled out a loaf of manna from his wooden perch and took a bite. He had decided to travel through the night instead of returning to his base, only a light jog with breaks to walk so he could conserve stamina but he found nothing but monsters. This area was massive, he had learned. Even from the branch of this towering tree he could see no one else, not with his normal sight nor his spirit eyes, although he could only see reasonably clearly for several miles at most, and his spiritual vision not much better, anything beyond that quickly devolving into a sludge of indistinguishable colors. Shin took another bite before letting himself fall from the branch, swinging and somersaulting down gracefully to the ground. It was finally time to do something he had been putting off for three days. Shin channelled his mana and cast Call Petty Spirit. Mana coalesced just off the ground and through it came a snake-like creature. Short, about 3 feet long, wide and fat, it was light brown with a darker swirling pattern on its back and a look of impish intelligence in its eyes. [Tsuchinoko (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 27 Agility - 35 Constitution - 30 Vitality - 31 Dexterity - 32 Perception - 29 Force - 34 Spirit - 37 Control - 33 Willpower - 24 Skills: Venom Spit lvl 7, Dig lvl 6, Tackle lvl 8, Traits: Lesser Venomous Fangs (common), Slick Scale (common), Petty Poison Resistance (common), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Shin had visualized summoning a pixie but it seemed like the spirit the skill called was random, just as Summon Wisp had been. Its rank might be tied to his own based on this sample size of one, but its skill levels weren¡¯t tied to that of Call Petty Spirit. Advantages and disadvantages, though the randomness meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to rely on it in a pinch. On the positive side, the tsuchinoko had a decent balance of physical and magical stats and a caster and melee skill, which meant he could test something else. He first held out his arm but changed his mind and instead cast Holy Screen with his arms at the side. A translucent yellow square about three by three in size appeared two feet from his torso, exactly where he had envisioned it. ¡°Shoot venom at the screen.¡± Shin told the spirit as he equipped a shield. The tsuchinoko¡¯s expression turned a bit more mischievous as its stomach swelled and a glob of viscous purple liquid struck the Holy screen. The screen shuddered under the impact but held up as the poison slid to the ground, although Shin didn¡¯t put much stock into the accomplish as venom spit lacked the direct potency he saw from Mana Ball and Fireball. Still, it was something. ¡°Now tackle.¡± The tsuchinoko¡¯s face had a flash of determination as it held its head back and curled its tail up, biting deep into it to form a hoop with its body. The snake spirit started to rotate in place, slowly at first but quickly picking up speed until it burst forward suddenly, a thin layer of mana coating its body. It shattered the thin yellow screen instantly and struck Shin¡¯s shield, knocking him half a dozen yards through the air and sliding on his feet for a moment. The tsuchinoko uncurled itself and waited with a proud expression. Not without some justification, Shin thought. Although he had made his body limp to absorb the impact and took no damage, the force of that strike was greater than any he could produce. It would likely rupture organs of any lesser rank monster or player he had faced up till now if it hit unguarded. It was too dangerous to test Cushion on himself with, at least. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin ran off through the forest. He could feel the mana slowly draining from him to maintain the tsuchinoko¡¯s presence so there was no time to spare. The spirit in question caught up immediately and kept pace, living up to its stats. They travelled hardly a minute before Shin whistled sharply and came to a stop. Two goblins turned at the sound and charged at the sight of him, but Shin remained still. ¡°Kill them.¡± On command, the tsuchinoko¡¯s belly swelled and shot out another glop of venom, catch one in the face. The goblin fell to the ground in pained yelps, trying to wipe away the poison. The second came to a halt, seeing the fate of its partner and fled. But a second venom spit caught it in the back. It too yelled in pain and swatted at its back, although remained standing unlike the first goblin. Shin turned to the first whose poisoned status was now visible apparent. Thick purple veins bulged over its face and neck as it thrashed around, blind, Shin guessed from its bloodshot eyes and foolish movements. It soon started to gasp and choke, clawing at its face and throat before slumping into a spasm, foaming at the mouth. The other goblin wasn¡¯t in as dire straits but it had also started to thrash around and yell more, the poison likely having seeped through its skin. The tsuchinoko rolled towards it in a hoop with increased speed and rammed the goblin square in the chest with a tackle. Shin heard the snapping of bones, but the spirit didn¡¯t give it a moment¡¯s break, slithering over and biting into its flesh. Purple bulbous veins emerged from the bite mark and the goblin soon met the same fate as the first. The tsuchinoko slithered back over to Shin¡¯s side, looking quite pleased with its work. Shin was losing about 1.5 mana a minute by his guess but he still remained to watch the full effects of the poison. 98 seconds in total it took for the first goblin to die and 127 for the second. Although the second had been poisoned twice, Shin supposed getting a wad in the mouth counted for more. A fierce squeal in the distance to the left alerted him that their next opponent had arrived. Shin had spotted the creature approaching their direction a minute ago, and now it seemed like it had finally spotted them. It was a large warthog like beast with long tusks pointed upwards, and sharp quills coated its back and to a lesser more sporadic extent, its sides. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [Barboar (common) - Intermediate Peasant] The barboar let out a roaring squeal and charged at great speed, and Shin rolled out of its path just in time to dodge. By the clumsy attempts to stop, the beast wasn¡¯t too dexterous, slamming its side into a tree, but it turned rapidly and burst forth again as a venom spit struck the tree behind. Shin dodge rolled a second time but the timing was rather tricky. Although not to a great extent, the barboar could alter its course, so dodging too early would just be courting a disastrous end, forcing Shin to continue cutting it close. The biggest issue was its utter refusal to stay still, charging and ramming without break. Shin had a solution for that, though. He drew the greataxe and darted back to a tree, angling it just off the ground. The barboar barrelled towards him without hesitation as he expected and impaled itself on the greataxe. Not deep enough to kill instantly, but the wound through its throat would end it quickly, especially with its reckless attempts to shake the weapon off, only serving to worsen the injury. A glob of venom struck its face, The tsuchinoko seemingly having no desire to let the beast¡¯s initial charge go unanswered. The barboar¡¯s intensified squeals were met with two more venom spits and a third would have struck had the tsuchinoko not disappeared. Shin guessed the spirits he called operated on the same logic as Grace¡¯s sylphs, once they used up their own mana, they returned. [Call Petty Spirit has reached lvl. 2.] A productive first attempt, Shin had learned exactly how the skill would work and that spirits summoned wouldn¡¯t be blindly obedient as his angel would. Just as he prepared to be on his way, he caught notice of the quills of the barboar, on its last legs, point erect and quiver. Shin drew his shield immediately and slammed it into the soft ground, dropping flat on his stomach behind it. The shrill whistling of countless needles cut through the air as a dozen impacts rattled against his shield. Just as suddenly as the burst of noise flared up, the woodland went quiet. Shin peered around his shield and then rose to his feet, plucking out the quills stuck in his shield as he walked towards the barboar. Along with its quills, the fierce beast had lost all its vigor, motionless on the ground, even the foaming from its mouth had ceased. Shin carefully avoided the quills peppered all over the ground and cut out the flesh around his great axe enough to withdraw it. [Barboar (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 51 Agility - 29 Constitution - 49 Vitality - 36 Dexterity - 14 Perception - 30 Force - 23 Spirit - 26 Control - 29 Willpower - 27 Skills: Bump, Sprint, Traits: Tough Hide (common), Petty Poison Resistance (common), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Shin wiped the blood and flesh off his weapons before storing them. It had truly been a productive session but he had to get back to the main priority, finding a party. He could trade for the privilege of getting several hours of guarded sleep or use force if necessary, but he could do nothing if he failed to find anyone to begin with. A cursory glance with spirit vision gained nothing new, so he continued in the general direction he had been going, his speed a bit brisker now. --- ¡°Cover!¡± Anton swung his longsword to keep the attacking goblins at bay. There were too many to focus on. Should his weapon get stuck in one, he would be helpless against the rest. Celene¡¯s arrows came in response but strayed from their mark, her aim was not at its best under the night. ¡°Vines!¡± ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± Anton cursed. Another day of walking and fighting in this hellish forest and now they were beset by a dozen of these green demons, tired and half blind in the dark. He swung his sword again, sloppy and uncertain, the best he could manage with his fatigue. A scream to his right struck from of the exhaustion from his body as he turned to see his fellow vanguard clutching a severing arm before his skull was caved in. Anton¡¯s legs moved before his mind, rushing to intercept the overflowing goblins¡¯ path to their druid. Even if they survived this, they wouldn¡¯t survive another day without their healer. ¡°Fill in the gap!¡± He told the three other melee classes. They were outnumbered greatly, a dozen goblins against their now seven, having lost the only other warrior besides him, and the only one with a shield. How much better two monks and a rogue could do the job was not an encouraging thought. They needed a miracle. Shin watched the battle from beside a tree behind them with indifference. Weak and amateurish was his only assessment. Even if it was night and there were twice as many, it was still only regular lesser rank goblins. All they had was stats over the average player, lacking intelligence and skill beyond the most basic of it. To struggle against them by the fourth night was embarrassing almost. Shin couldn¡¯t imagine the second iteration of his starting party losing more than one or two under the same conditions in the worst case. However, their ability wasn¡¯t important, only that they were alive and able to stand watch. ¡°But¡­¡± Shin glanced at the blonde archer. At this rate the whole party would wipe before the ranger died. The exact number that survived didn¡¯t matter, but the ranger couldn¡¯t be one of them. Even he would be helpless against an archer while he sleeps. It was just too risky to have someone like that looming over him. If things weren¡¯t going in his favor he would have to rig the game, a sizable throwing stone appeared in his hand. Opportunity came sooner than expected. One of the monks was cut down and two goblins darted towards the ranger. She caught one in the chest but before she could take aim at the other, something heavy and blunt struck the back of her head. She stumbled, disoriented and weak. Before she could figure out what happened or remember where she was, a blunt stone axe buried into her skull and she had no more time to think. ¡°Celene!¡± The druid yelled, alerting Anton to the tragedy. He knew immediately the fight was hopeless now. Anton cut the head off one goblin then grabbed Mariana by the waste over his shoulder and ran, spurring his legs to move past their limits, the remaining rogue and monk falling to mob tactics seconds later. He knew there wasn¡¯t much chance he could outrun them, even without the extra weight, but he had no other option. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer!¡± Mariana yelled in a panic. Facing the creatures straight on, she knew better than him how fast their time was running out. A figure burst suddenly out of the tree line in front of him, a girl with long black hair wielding a sword and axe, sprinting faster than the goblins. Anton¡¯s mind froze for a moment, but the girl ran straight passed them into the fray of the goblins. Anton turned around on reflex just in time to see an axe cleave through the neck of one goblin and then a sword another, and another and another, the flurry of weapons reaping the lives of the greatest threat they had come up against with ease. Shin danced through the crowd of goblins, twisting and turning, dodging and feinting, never failing to take the life of a monster when it gave an opening, and goblins were full of openings. Mere seconds was all it took to reduce ten to three. And with the death of one, the rearmost goblins who had stopped in their tracks at the carnage finally turned tail and run. An axe struck the back of the head of one and the other turned its head in fear just as a sword took it from its body. Shin swiped the blood off his sword and pulled his axe from the goblin¡¯s head, doing the same. Anton and Mariana stood in shock at the girl standing among the bloody corpses like it was her home. Shin glanced over making a chill run down their spine, feeling like they had encountered a true predator. ¡°I killed the goblins so the loot is mine.¡± A casual tone, utterly at odds with the situation, made their minds go blank. Mariana was the first to snap out of it, not wanting to offend this monstrous stranger. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± As if given permission, Shin started rummaging through the spatial bags of their dead comrades and looting the gear he wanted straight from their bodies. Profane almost, but neither of the survivors dared to speak up. Shin finished up quickly, knowing exactly what he needed, before walking over to the warrior and druid. The two flinched on instinct, fearful of what the stranger would do next. ¡°Watch over me while I sleep.¡± Shin¡¯s tone more of an offer than an order from their expressions it didn¡¯t seem like they understood that. ¡°I¡¯ll give you items.¡± A silence took hold again for a few moments before Mariana broke it once more. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 10 Shin led his new travelling companions through the forest in silence, a silence Anton and Mariana were none too keen to break, following tentatively and without objection. Although the boy, which they had figured out he was, hadn¡¯t done anything strange in the hour they¡¯d been on the move, nothing could erase the sight of him slaughtering those goblins like cattle. Shin looked around and came to a stop, and they did too with some concern. ¡°Here¡¯s good.¡± Shin turned to them. ¡°Wake me if you see or hear anything.¡± With no further explanation, Shin sat against a tree and closed his eyes. The two ordained guards look at each other before sitting down. The hollow realization of their loss had already sunk in and now the weariness caught up. All in all, they had been saved and gained a protector for the night, but the emptiness didn¡¯t make it feel like such a blessing. The two sat in silence, but only Anton¡¯s expression grew firmer, taking occasional glances at Shin. ¡°We need to take his items.¡± He whispered quietly to Mariana after a quarter of an hour. ¡°Are you crazy? You saw what he can do.¡± Mariana was in disbelief and fright at the thought. ¡°We need to convince him to let us join him.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s going want dead weight like us?¡± Anton shot back. ¡°He needed us to sleep¡­¡± ¡°If that¡¯s such an easy job, where¡¯s the rest of his party?¡± Mariana had no good response to that point, taking a couple moments of silence. ¡°...what else are we supposed to do? We can¡¯t survive on our own. We can just follow him and do what he asks, like this¡­¡± ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t want to? What if he just gets up and walks away in the morning? Then we¡¯re stuck with nothing.¡± Anton¡¯s tone and demeanor grew firmer still, rising to his feet as quiet as possible. ¡°He has to have a lot of items, potions too. Things we be stronger with.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mariana stuttered with quiet alarm. Anton hushed her and said nothing more, taking careful steps over to sleeping boy. It was nothing difficult, he persuaded himself, he just needed to take the bags and leave. Nerves threatened to pull the decisiveness from him but he willed himself closer, mind starting to race as he urged himself up with repeated words. Close now, he glanced up just to make sure, and saw an open eye, deep and consuming as the night, focused directly on him. Anton broke into a cold sweat as his mind went blank. The boy hadn¡¯t moved an inch, aside from a single infallible eye. How much had he heard, what was he thinking, primitive feelings of such questions circulated the core of his being. ¡°I¡­ just, move¡­stretching¡­¡± Anton babbled nonsense as he slowly backed away, returning to his guard spot and knelt down next to a panicking Mariana, his breathing heavy and erratic. Shin looked at them for a few moment before closing his eyes, with the intention of following asleep for real this time. With his perception, he could hear everything they whispered. It was good they hadn¡¯t intended on killing him, but he had to make sure them wouldn¡¯t try the slightest offense. The druid was already opposed to acting against him and any ill intent the blond warrior held had just left him. Shin was confident they wouldn¡¯t try anything again tonight. Four hours was normally more than enough for him to function at full capacity but with the mental fatigue he accrued, he suspected he would need at least six to go on another four days, if needed. Shin willed his body to sleep, the last thoughts of the night about the need to settle down and focus on training his body. --- Shin awoke to strands of the morning light glazing through the branches, a few hours past dawn he gleaned immediately. He rose, his body feeling well rested and in good form, ready to work. He looked over at his watchdogs who seemed like they were starting to have trouble staying awake, but they had done their jobs. ¡°Anything specific you want?¡± Shin¡¯s questioned jolted them alert, Anton rose to his feet and Mariana followed, looking confused. ¡°Items.¡± ¡°Oh, we¡­¡± ¡°We want to follow you.¡± Mariana cut in. ¡°You¡¯ll slow me down¡­¡± Shin chimed. And they would. Shin had no doubt they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with his travelling speed. ¡°We can keep guard! Just like last night.¡± Mariana tried to plead their appeal, Shin¡¯s silent thought only making them panic more. ¡°Okay.¡± The casual change of opinion caught them off guard, but Shin had thought seriously about it. They weren¡¯t reliable guards but he wasn¡¯t exactly flush with choices to pick from. And he planned to stay relatively still once he found a good place to workout. Having them to stand watch would benefit him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin glanced around with his spirit eyes and walked off. The two guards hurried after him. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Um. where are we going¡­ exactly?¡± Mariana found the courage to ask. ¡°Need a place to train.¡± The concept of training in this place where survival seemed impossible was completely alien to the two. Shin thought for a moment. ¡°Haven¡¯t you increased your stats naturally?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anton answered. ¡°Just Vitality though.¡± Shin took note of that. ¡°All you did was run around and try to survive, right? You never did strength or agility training.¡± Anton¡¯s silence was all he needed. ¡°No reason the other stats aren¡¯t the same.¡± Shin glanced to the right and changed direction. ¡°My name¡¯s Mariana.¡± The druid blurted out, trying to keep pace. ¡°This is Anton.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± She rolled with the lukewarm response. ¡°Identify doesn¡¯t work on you. Is that a skill.¡± Shin took a bit more interest in her efforts. ¡°I ranked up.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°250 total stat points.¡± ¡°Stat? Attributes?¡± ¡°Yeah. You get points for maxing skills at level 10.¡± This was extremely valuable information for the two and it showed. ¡°Is that how you got so strong? What¡¯s your class. Warrior or monk, right?¡± ¡°Priest.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± An answer completely outside their expectations and one they didn¡¯t fully believe, but it didn¡¯t seem like the boy was lying. ¡°What are your skills?¡± Mariana was a bit taken back by the first question Shin had asked them, but regrouped herself quickly. ¡°Thorn Whip, Treat Wounds, and Tripvine. I picked Tripvine. It binds the target with grass and plants, strong grass and plants. Thorn Whip turns plants into a vine with thorns I can strike monsters with. Treat Wounds¡­¡± ¡°I know Treat Wounds.¡± Mariana close her mouth and nudged Anton until he participated. ¡°Enhanced Strike and Basic Melee Weapon Combat. Turned into Basic Sword Combat. I picked Backstep. Lets me jump back faster.¡± Shin recalled the skill the second ranger had used against him. A movement skill, something useful, something he wanted. Shin could imagine how other movement techniques would form into skills of their own, but all were beyond his reach. The system wouldn¡¯t afford him the space. ¡°Where are you from, Shin?¡± ¡°Japan.¡± ¡°Venezuela.¡± Mariana pointed at herself with a smile. ¡°Switzerland.¡± Anton said before Mariana could prompt him again. ¡°Crazy how we can all understand each other right? I mean to speak spanish but it feels like I¡¯m saying something else, but it¡¯s exactly what I want to say.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡± Shin didn¡¯t realize until the now increasingly talkative woman pointed it out. He hadn¡¯t thought about the Universal Translation aspect of the Initiate perk since the dark zone, which made him remember something else. ¡°Did you see red light-¡± A flash of gray, faster than Shin¡¯s eyes could keep up with, and the crunch of metal and bone interrupted his question. Time came to a still as he saw the source. A giant wolf with vicious feral eyes staring right at them. In its jaw was the wheezing body of Anton, his blood flowing down the large teeth that pierced through his armor like a knife through paper. Shin¡¯s pause lasted but a fraction of a second. Three angels burst into existence, weapons bearing down on the great beast, and he fled. He pulled every ounce of power Body Supremacy could allow and fled, faster than he¡¯s ever run before. Darting through trees and over bushes, around boulders and down ledges with not an instant of hesitation. Every fiber of his being was focused into fleeing as far away as possible. He felt a connection to one of his angels vanish. No screams reached his ears in the half dozen seconds it had been. Perhaps the wolf didn¡¯t allow them time. Shin had ordered his angels to dodge and block to stall for time but he doubted any order mattered much. Prismatic colors flashed in his eyes for a moment as he changed direction, avoiding any monsters that would slow his stride or leave a trail. In the corner of his vision he spotted something and shifted direction once more, sliding down a short cliff into a pool of mud, rolling through it and leaping up back into a sprint without a moment¡¯s delay in action, smearing mud on the parts of his body and gear he had missed. Another angel died and then a third. Shin ran and ran, in a single direction now, mustering every ounce of his focus to maintain top speed through the obstacles and avoid the leaves on the ground. No cliff or cave in sight, no tree tall and strong enough, his only option was to run. Not a minute had passed but Shin felt a bad premonition from running any longer. He leaped into the thickest cluster of trees nearby and crouched down behind one of them. The beast wasn¡¯t a trained assassin, or a huntsman. It had been half a minute since he doused himself in mud. This distance would be sufficient to lose it, at least until it tried the wrong direction and gave him time again to move. A footstep on the ground beyond the trees froze him in place. Another footstep and another, weighty, long, and slow. Shin went completely still. Not a single muscle moved, not even the slightest twitch of his eyelids. He held his breath and stopped the beating of his heart, shutting off everything but his mind. Could the wolf smell him even through the mud. Was its perception as high as its speed. He didn¡¯t hear the initial attack. Was it a stealth ability. Why was it not using it now. Did it not know where he was, or was it toying with its prey. Questions swirled in Shin¡¯s mind. The speed of this giant monster far surpassed anything he had encountered so far. Trying to outrun it was as futile as fighting it. Out of mana and no items in his spatial bags able to save him, there was nothing he could do. Nothing but keep as still as a stone. The footsteps drew nearer then past him, that and the low ominous breathing the only sounds in the world. Slowly they drifted away and then suddenly right behind the trees. Shin made no movement, used no abilities, as the wolf growled, lowering its head closer. A howl in the distance, powerful and pleading, caused the giant wolf to perk back up and sprint off in its direction. Shin still did not move, straining his ears until the last vestiges of its footsteps disappeared, and then broke into a sprint in the opposite direction. Even faster than before now he ran, taxing his body beyond its limits. Through a clearing he spotted a river. A quick flash of prism and Shin dived into it from a sprint, swimming to the other side and returning to a sprint. There would be no second chance. Even if his muscles tore, if his ligaments detached, if his bones fractured, he was going to run for hours. --- Shin panted on the ground in the dead of night, sincerely breathing heavily for the first time in years, pulling in the oxygen he needed to rid his body of the lactic acid filling his muscles. He cast Treat Wounds on his body continuously. A healing potion had fixed his cracked bones but a second did nothing but fill his mouth with the taste of ash. His body was battered and worn but fortunately nothing that couldn¡¯t heal naturally in time. But this changed little. He now knew that this stage held dangers far more overwhelming than mere goblin warriors. He needed to be stronger. He needed to be stronger fast. Chapter 11 Shin balanced on his fingertips, his body perfectly vertical in the air as he let his body lower deep and push up again slowly. A large rock lay on the flat of his feet, 190 or 200 pounds by Shin¡¯s estimate. A steady and long set of arduous pushups, the latest of many, yet no sweat fell from his body, no veins bulged in his hands and forearms. There was no need, after all. Shin could regulate the temperature of his body and push as much oxygen in and lactic acid out as needed for standard exercises such as this. As he pushed up again, a subtle boost of power flowed through his body and the practice became easier, a feeling Shin had become intimately accustomed to these past 5 days. Shin dipped low and curled in his body, then pushed the rock out behind him as he hopped back to his feet. No sooner had he landed his body burst forward in a medley of movement, martial arts strikes and positioning, interspersed with sudden unnatural changes in direction. Graceful and erratic, Shin strained his body to twist and turn in the most dexterous and agile way possible. The bizarre dance continued until another brief surge of power caused him to come to a stop. It had taken all morning for those two increases, Strength and Dexterity respectively. Agility and Vitality had ceased to rise since a day and a half ago. Perception had never budged once and he had reached the limits of Constitution through a regime of bone tempering strikes against a tree and healing with Treat Wounds. On that note, Force had risen by one, a product of his healing. Shin checked his status once again. [Human Priest (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 28 Agility - 32 Constitution - 31 Vitality - 34 Dexterity - 33 Perception - 29 Force - 22 Spirit - 82 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Treat Wounds lvl. 10, Holy Screen lvl. 4, Summon Angel lvl. 10, Cushion lvl. 3, Call Petty Spirit lvl. 5, Basic Martial Combat lvl. 10, Jab lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, 10 points in Strength, 7 in Agility, 3 in Constitution, 9 in Vitality, 6 in Dexterity, and 1 in Force, his reward from five straight days of training. He had also maxed Summon Angel and Jab, putting all 20 points into Spirit again, and had recently started to focus on his other skills, Call Petty Spirit most of all, figuring its versatility and lesser short term cost to be of the greatest value. There was no change in the strength of his angels but they now lasted a full hour and he could summon up to 10 of them, though he lacked the mana to even summon half of that at full capacity. Though he mostly used them in combat, he also tested their strikes against his Holy Screen. A regular strike would pierce through with ease and an enhanced strike shattered it completely. Even with the durability rising with level and it seeming to be affected by the Force stat, Shin determined it was near useless against physical attacks he couldn¡¯t already deal with on his own. Although it did provide some protection against magical attacks. Some of the spirits he had called could use more directly damaging skills, and as such made for good testing and training. The veil of protection Cushion offered was geared to physical impact and its durability unrelated to Force. With the effects of his training slowing down, Shin felt it was time to start moving again. There were 20 days left of this tutorial, and he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he had not yet approached the true benefits to be found. The word of the system was to ¡®move¡¯ not just ¡®survive¡¯. His stats now surpassed that of regular lesser goblins and with the aid of his Body Supremacy trait and superior skill and tactics, he could likely hold his own against an intermediate variant, a theory he intended to test. --- Shin watched the tribe of tree goblins from a safe distance. Intermediate rank just as the murim bastard said, but all were uncommon tier. They numbered 27 in total, including one that stood out from the rest. Wearing a mask made of bark with plumes of large leaves and carrying a furled wooden staff, it was obvious by the way it carried itself that this Tree Goblin Chief was the leader before Shin confirmed it. However, calling what grew in the center of their camp a ¡®giant tree¡¯ hadn¡¯t done it justice. Standing around four stories tall, its truck a weaving mess of a dozen different origins, the crown spanned sparsely but wider than it was tall. A massive, deformed bonsai tree was the most apt descriptor that came to mind. A steep challenge to say the least, but one Shin could overcome if luck was in his favor today. He cast Call Petty Spirit and from the spiritual veil materialized a fiendish imp like creature. It was shorter than a goblin, with dark purple green and a wide face with a devilish mouth spread from ear to ear, hopping in place from side to side with a mischievous shrill cackle. ¡°Good.¡± There were only a few spirits Shin could pull this off with and a gremlin was one of them. It had near no offensive capability but was specialized in making the lives of others more difficult. Its two skills, Muddle and Flash, putting a target into a stupor and creating a blindingly bright flash of light, respectively. Shin summoned three angels and mentally commanded them to protect the gremlin. ¡°Go and blind the goblins.¡± Every second cost him mana while the spirit was out, so there was no time to waste. The gremlin rushed off towards the tribe with giddy enthusiasm and the angels followed. It wasn¡¯t long until one of the goblins spotted them and alerted the others. With no hesitation, all 26 of the regular tree goblins charged towards the trespassers. Shin moved closer into position, awaiting the opportunity that would follow. The gremlin jittered in barely restrained self control before submitting to its whims. A glittering swirl of purple mist surrounded its hands and the same appeared on one of the goblins. The victim¡¯s expression of rage was replaced with one of confusion as its charged came to a half, only for its tribesmen to push and trample over it. Two more fell victim to the gremlin¡¯s magic before they drew close. With malicious glee, the gremlin flashed a blinding light that stopped all the goblins in their tracks, clutching their closed eyes in pain. The angels made their move first, thrusting their spears in coordinated formation, and Shin followed, rushing out and drawing throwing knives in both hands. Two well placed throws found purchase in a faltering tree goblin each and two more met the same fate in quick succession. The tree goblins regained enough of their sight to pounce once more only to be met with another Flash. Half of them were smart enough to shield their eyes from the worst and the others who feel victim once more were fortunate that the gremlin vanished into thin air. Shin wasn¡¯t fazed as spirits tended to do as they pleased within the broad confines of what they were told. Two flashes was about what he expected and enough to work with. The angels furiously attacked the goblins, under orders now to fight with abandon to lower their numbers before they lost the advantage. The rugged bark-like skin served the tree goblins well against his knives but did little against the bronze spears of his summons, their only saving grace being their high vitality, necessitating two or three attacks depending on where the angels¡¯ struck. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! [Tree Goblin (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 66 Agility - 59 Constitution - 82 Vitality - 93 Dexterity - 68 Perception - 75 Force - 50 Spirit - 41 Control - 39 Willpower - 52 Skills: Claw lvl. 7, Lunge lvl. 5, Traits: Barkskin (uncommon), Photosynthesis (uncommon), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), The dead laid their status bare, and Shin clearly saw the gap between them. Even overstraining his body past its natural limits via his clan trait barely brought his physical stats over half that of theirs. Still, they lacked a Combat skill and their intelligence seemed only marginally better than their normal kin. He could win. Just as Shin thought the fight was going smoothly, the chief who had remained in the back let out a bellowing snarl and raised its staff, waves of mana emanating from the furled point. Veins bulged in the remaining dozen tree goblins, muscles expanded and their eyes turned red. Stronger and fiercer now, they rampaged against the angels in mindless frenzy. Wounds that would have signaled their end before did little to slow them now. Shin switched his order to prioritize defense and attack in counter but it was all the angels could do to survive. Another raging tree goblin fell and its tribesmen trampled his body underfoot, clawing and bashing ferociously against the angels¡¯ shields. Shin ceased throwing his knives, not wanting to pull them over. He glanced at the chief who appeared to be doing nothing more then turned his focus to directing the angels. He needed to thin their numbers before the summons perished. With little more than 10 mana left, he channelled it into a gamble. In front of him appeared a small pale green humanoid figure, less than a foot tall, smaller than the pixie he had saved some days back but bearing a lean wildman build and a ferocious gaze through its dark grassy hair. [Pygmy (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 23 Agility - 47 Constitution - 26 Vitality - 30 Dexterity - 46 Perception - 28 Force - 24 Spirit - 29 Control - 32 Willpower - 27 Skills: Enhanced Strike Lvl 6, Pounce Lvl 9, Traits: Photosynthesis (uncommon), Petty Poison Resistance (common), Petty Disease Resistance (common), ¡°Blind them.¡± The pygmy raced through the grass in a green blur towards the fray and leapt, plunging his thorn spear in the eye of a frenzied goblin. Just as quickly as it arrived, it rushed away again, avoiding the swat of the goblin. Down and up its other side, it pierced through the second eye. The vicious tiny warrior dove to the ground as a bronze spear impaled the throat of the blind goblin and raced to another. Just as deftly as it did before, it blinded another and then another, darting across the ground and over the bodies of its targets, dodging swipes and stomps as it reaped their eyes. The destruction of an angel took Shin¡¯s attention away from the bantam bringer of carnage, and ordered his angels to go on the offense once more. Shin drew two hand axes and charged the blind goblins. The nearest thrashing one¡¯s face twitched and turned towards Shin, detecting him through smell and hearing, but it didn¡¯t matter. Shin feinted a swipe of its claws out with his movement and chopped into its neck. The barkskin proved tough as his axe only bit into its flesh halfway. Shin let go of the axe and jumped back as another swipe tore harmlessly through the air in front. The tree goblin felt for the axe, leaf green blood pouring down its neck, and pulled it out with a roar, only for Shin to place a second through the same wound and take its head. Shin plucked the axe from the headless goblin¡¯s hand, flourished the blood off both and stored them, switching for a shield and war hammer, as he felt another angel lost. He rushed a second blind goblin, flipping the war hammer backwards and burying the spike in the top of its skull. The tree goblin spasmed and reached out for a moment before collapsing. Shin felled three more with the same tactic as the third and last angel perished. One goblin remained, with both eyes intact. The pygmy darted around and made attempts to lunge up its body but couldn¡¯t get past the goblin¡¯s thrashes, too deadly to chance a hit. The goblin jolted and lurched to the side, dodging the axe Shin threw but that gave the pygmy the opening it needed. A single rapid pounce drew a line of blood across its eyes and a spike through the brain ended the goblin¡¯s cries. Shin turned to the chief and sprinted, weapons ready. ¡°Take his eyes.¡± The pygmy overtook him in an instant, darting rapidly towards their final foe. Two hatchets took place of Shin¡¯s hammer and shield at the same time and he flung them one after the other. The tree goblin chief sidestepped the first and leant back against the second, but a third caught the top of its mask, knocking it off. Mana wrapped around the pygmy¡¯s spear as it put all its power in a flying lunge straight towards the chief¡¯s face as it leaned off balance. And turned to paste with a swing of the goblin¡¯s staff. A bow and arrow appeared in Shin¡¯s hands, his focus more intense. The speed of that strike was far greater than the others. It made fighting the goblin warriors seem like a childish game. He only half suspected at the start but now he was sure. The chief was something above variants. With eyes more intelligent and piercing than its subjects, the chief snarled and charged towards Shin, dodging four rapidly shot arrows as he closed the gap in a single breath and swung down his staff. Shin¡¯s vision slowed to a crawl as he caught the thunderous strike on the edge of his shield, carefully matching the timing to make it slide down at an angle, crashing into the ground next to him. The goblin chief grunted from the sword thrust into his side. ¡°Too shallow.¡± With his free right hand, the goblin thrust its palm at Shin. Shin leant back, locking the shield under its arm and rolled to the ground, using power of the chief¡¯s lunge to throw the creature across the ground away. A respite lasted only a moment as the chief sprung to its feet and charged again. The furled staff soared and shattered the banded shield to splinters. Shin flung back through the air, limp to cushion the blow but the numbness in his arm he quickly suppressed showed the threat of the strike. The tree goblin chief burst in front of him again, thrashing his staff viciously as Shin devoted himself to dodging, straining his body and mind. In the midst of close shaves with death, Shin felt something deeper. A sword appeared in each hand and his arms flickered as he dodged, drawing shallow cuts over the monster with every passing moment. Far from fatal the wounds were, but the chief¡¯s intensity deepened all the same. A sword grazed its cheek as aura coated its furled staff into a powerful swing. The staff crashed into a shield Shin equipped but he did not cushion the blow. The power broke the shield clean and slammed into his side, but the sword in Shin¡¯s hand changed to an axe, ripping through the goblin¡¯s neck as he was sent crashing away. Shin rolled over the ground, but his body moved as though it were an avatar controlled, twisting upright and bursting towards the monster clutching its throat. Shin thrust a sword at the goblin¡¯s neck with his good arm as the creature darted back, avoiding conflict with the first time. Its movements duller, its thrashes more desperate and easier to dodge. The club swiped out and Shin¡¯s sword changed for a shield, harmlessly deflecting it over at an angle as he crouched. Again and again the goblin tried but nothing could get passed the shield. In its frustration, it took notice of Shin¡¯s dangling left arm, unused since the hit, and it sneered. The goblin held its club back, ready to strike Shin¡¯s right once more, then spun without warning, hurling his club to the broken arm. And the club slid off the shield of the arm, unhindered. Before the chief could understand what had happened, a sword pierced through its throat, and in its stagger, Shin struck the spike of his war hammer deep into its skull. The chief¡¯s eyes twitched and then it fell. [Basic Martial Combat has upgraded to uncommon tier skill Advanced Martial Combat.] ¡°There¡¯s no limit.¡± Shin thought cryptically. He stood among the carnage, checking around to make sure all were down. But no sooner had the body of the chief hit the ground dead, than the ground began to tremble. Giant roots rose from the soil and wrapped around the corpses of the tree goblins, twisting and coiling their flesh, dragging them beneath the earth. A wicked face split open in the bark of the tree and let out slow dull laughs of mockery. Wooden fruit bloomed on the branches of the great tree, steadily growing with each passing second, and at the size of a grown man¡¯s head, shook and fell to the ground. The fruit rippled and grew even larger, morphing into the shape of a goblin, twenty-seven in total, Shin counted. [Wood Goblin (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] The wooden goblins started running towards Shin in sporadic order, slower and more clumsily than even the normal tree goblins. Shin nailed one in the face with an arrow. The wood goblin¡¯s head wobbled back slightly for a moment then faced forward, its stride undeterred. Shin turned tail and fled at top speed, taking only moments to reach the forest line. He glanced back with spirit eyes and came to a stop. The wood goblins stopped at the boundary of the tribe territory, just standing motionless in his direction. Shin turned and ran again, calmly this time. Just as the murim descended monk had said about the tree goblins, it seemed the wood goblins wouldn¡¯t follow past a certain point either. But this presented a problem. Shin had no method to take on the golem like creatures with no vital points or even a sense of pain it seemed. And then there was the enigmatic tree itself. Shin weaved through the forest in thought. Defeating the tree goblin tribe was beyond his abilities now. It seemed he needed to find a temporary partner, one with fire. Chapter 12 Shin sliced through the pack of intermediate rank goblins with a dagger in each hand. It would be easier with axes but he had been relying on them too much lately. Shin sidestepped a goblin who fell for his feint and kicked him to the ground. In an instant a brown wide snake burst out of the soil and sunk its fangs into the goblin¡¯s neck before retreating back below. A different tsuchinoko than the first, Shin could tell, and one that seemed to relish ambushing vulnerable targets. It took only seconds to wipe out the latest batch of Shin¡¯s unfortunate training partners. [Advanced Martial Combat has reached lvl. 3.] [Call Petty Spirit has reached lvl 8.] What Shin wanted to do most of all at the moment was upgrade Summon Angel, however preliminary attempts not only failed but drained mana at a decent clip. As such he changed his immediate plans to acquire stat points. More mana to work with meant more attempts at upgrading. Following the logic of how skills worked, the upgraded angel would be uncommon intermediate rank, as strong as a normal tree goblin, bringing him one step closer to the apex he had come face to face with. [Goblin (common) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 34 Agility - 39 Constitution - 26 Vitality - 35 Dexterity - 36 Perception - 44 Force - 25 Spirit - 28 Control - 22 Willpower - 23 Shin glanced around with spirit eyes and unsummoned the spirit. The most efficient path he had determined was to focus his energy on leveling Combat and Call Petty Spirit. The sole uncommon tier skill in his repertoire was rising stubbornly even with Shin devoting the better part of his efforts since fleeing the wood goblins yesterday. Shin sped off in a random direction. This twelfth day was half spent already, his seventh day in a row spent awake. The increase in Vitality helped with fatigue but the strain on his mind was getting worse. Focusing so much on magic skills didn¡¯t help either. He needed to rest again. Soon. Something caught Shin¡¯s eye in the flash of colors, a small figure huddled under a grove of brambles. His normal sight revealed a girl no more than ten in blue robes much like Grace¡¯s, sitting curled up with her face in her knees hiding from the rest of the world, her whole form transparent and faint. ¡°A ghost?¡± Shin changed direction towards the girl. [Human Mage (common) - Intermediate rank] ¡°Guess not¡­¡± Shin continued on all the same and crouched down in front of her, making no effort to be silent. The girl tightened further into her huddle. ¡°Hi.¡± The girl flinched a bit but didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I can see you, blue hair.¡± She started trembling a little, probably on the verge of tears, Shin suspected. That wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Shin sat in his crouch and patiently waited for many moments. ¡°I¡¯m Shin.¡± He waited longer until she finally peeked out from under her arms and calmed down a little at the sight of his casual slight smile. ¡°...Daphne¡­¡± A soft and very quiet response came from the huddled up little girl. ¡°What are you doing by yourself?¡± Shin already had a few guesses as to why. Either her party got wiped or she got left behind, though given her rank it was most certainly the former. Whatever the reason, it didn¡¯t really matter. Shin just needed to get her talking and to lead the conversation to where it needed to go. ¡°There were¡­ a lot of big goblins¡­ Mei¡­ told me to run. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore¡­¡± Tears welled in her eyes and her voice cracked and sniffled as the more she talked, burying her face back in her robe and breaking into a cry. Shin put a hand on her head to comfort her. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe.¡± Though Shin wouldn¡¯t call anywhere in this zone safe, she¡¯d actually had a chance to survive in a party than out here by herself. Daphne calmed down enough to wipe her eyes and look back at Shin, holding out a hand. She paused for a moment, in quiet stammers, then took it. --- Shin walked through the forest at a pace fit for a child with low physical stats. He would have pushed for a brisker speed though nerves and fatigue prevented her from doing so. Shin felt her grip tighten a little as the dangers lurking behind the trees crept more into her thoughts. He glanced at their hands, somewhat disapprovingly. It only made it harder for him to react properly to problems but comforting the kid came first. He needed only bear with it until he found a party to take her in. ¡°What skills do you have?¡± Shin asked the girl, partly to reduce the stress she was inflicting on herself, partly because he was genuinely curious. ¡°Um..¡± Daphne was caught slightly off guard by the sudden question. ¡°Invisibility, Mana Shot, Mana Screen, Summon Wisp, Floating Eye, Search. Should I use something?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Did you learn Invisibility?¡± ¡°Yes, um, I studied it from books in the house. My house, before this.¡± ¡°You started with it?¡± ¡°Yeah.. yes. Also Loved by Magic. It¡¯s a trait.¡± Something clicked in Shin¡¯s mind. ¡°Are you from the Rhun house?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Daphne showed surprise that he knew and thought for a bit. ¡°What house are you from?¡± ¡°Igarashi.¡± ¡°Oh, Japan. The assassins¡­¡± Her voice warmed a bit at first then grew smaller at the knowledge. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m strong so I can kill any monster.¡± Not that that was true, nor did he intend to try on this escort mission, having been using his eyes to avoid any fighting at all. ¡°How many skills did you max?¡± Shin inquired. She was intermediate rank so she clearly hadn¡¯t been wasting her time. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Everything except for Invisibility. It¡¯s epic tier and costs a lot of mana.¡± Her answer piqued Shin¡¯s interest. He hadn¡¯t spent his time as efficiently as he could have, but he knew the constraints of leveling skills that cost mana. She must have put much more into Spirit than he did. But there was something else he was interested in. ¡°Does the trait let you level skills easier?¡± ¡°No. It makes it easier to control. Only magic, though.¡± She was very eloquent for someone only nine years old, something Shin had learned earlier, a fact that become apparent the more comfortable she became talking. The Rhun must value qualities like that. He did feel like Yuna mentioned they were old fashioned. ¡°You worked hard back home to learn Invisibility, right? Good job.¡± There were other things Shin wanted to say but decided to compliment her instead. Daphne almost seemed pleased but a worried expression returned to her face. ¡°Do you think my sister is here, too?¡± ¡°Everyone on earth is.¡± ¡°...do you think she¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Is she older?¡± ¡°Yes. Raina¡¯s nineteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine.¡± The same age as himself and from the house of witches. Most members of murim likely adapted quickly. Barring serious misfortune there was a high chance she was still alive. ¡°You¡¯ll find her.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± The girl was less tense now, the conversation seemed to have done her good. Shin was about have her pick up the pace but saw something unusual in the spiritual sight. A building it looked like, from the hazy space it occupied, and human shaped mana, some walking around the top but most of them active around the ground. Shin picked up Daphne and rushed in its direction, right up to near the end of the forest line. He could see it clearly now, a wooden fort, simple in design and not too impressive in size but it was barricaded and the walls tall enough to be a problem. The people he saw on top looked to be guards walking on platforms behind the battlements. [Human Warrior (common) - Lesser Peasant] [Human Ranger (common) - Lesser Peasant] The lumber of the barricades and the fortress walls itself looked to be fresh. The system could have placed such buildings around, but it wasn¡¯t infeasible for a large group players to build something like this after nearly 2 weeks. Depending on who ran the place, it was much better than a party. Shin put Daphne down behind a tree. ¡°Wait here. Turn invisible, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Shin sped off before she could respond. Shin rushed to the tree line then slowed his pace to a walk as he entered the clearing. One of the guards snapped out of his daze and peered at him. ¡°Mid rank!¡± The warrior yelled behind him. The ranger rushed to the center over the gate beside him. Shin observed both closely as he continued to walk. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The ranger ordered, drawing an arrow aimed at him. ¡°Who are you?¡± The warrior asked with a loud authoritative voice. ¡°I wanna look inside.¡± The banality of Shin¡¯s demeanor threw him off for a second before the warrior returned to his interrogation. ¡°State your class and rank.¡± ¡°Priest. Intermediate.¡± Shin played along. He needed only wait a few seconds for another man to appear along the wall. [Human Rogue - Intermediate rank] ¡°Intermediate priest.¡± He told the warrior, though his interest remained on Shin. ¡°You need to meet the captain first.¡± The warrior shouted at Shin, less on edge. ¡°Try anything funny and it¡¯ll be the end for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin walked on towards the gate that had started to open, through the thin path left between the barricades, glancing around. The closer he looked the more he could see how well constructed it was. At either side of the path immediately behind the wood barricades was a trench four or five yards wide and twenty feet deep spanning the whole length of the walls. Wooden spikes lined the bottom and what looked like guts and other filth smeared on them. If attackers didn¡¯t die from the fall, they would pick up a nasty infection. The rear bank of the trench was lower than the front by a significant margin, hiding the trench itself from those rushing in until they tried to jump over the barricades. A sly bit of deception to make falling in more likely. The walls were adequate at best, about 25 feet tall and one log thick it seemed, but there were clearly walkways behind it all and several modest watchtowers among the surface. Shin was no expert in construction or premodern fortresses but even he could tell this was the work of someone who knew what they were doing. The guards were competent by normal standards and clearly had instructions on how to act. The initial interrogation was likely just to check outsider¡¯s honesty before the intermediate rank arrived to actually inspect them. Shin passed through the gate and the interior was less impressive. Buildings were basic and sparse, making it obvious where the priority laid. The number of players were also less than he expected, 30 or 40 at a cursory glance, although there were a number of people ¡®working¡¯. That was how best to describe the ones weaving cloth, stirring small cauldrons, crushing plants, hammering metal, sawing lumber, and wielding mana towards items. ¡°They told me you¡¯re a priest?¡± Shin turned his head in the direction of a woman in her late twenties, light brown skin with short dark brown hair and orange eyes. She wore leather armor over cloth and carried herself with an air of authority and discipline. Behind her followed a far less impressive pudgy man. [Human Bard (common) - Intermediate Peasant] [Human Mage (common) - Intermediate Peasant] ¡°Yeah. Shin.¡± ¡°We can never have too many healers, especially mid rank. Chavez.¡± She greeted. A surname, Shin believed, recognizing her having same naming inclination as the soldier leader but a passing notice was all he gave. ¡°What are they doing?¡± He pointed at the workers. ¡°Working on their professions.¡± The captain of the fortress rolled with the punch of Shin¡¯s rudeness. ¡°Profession?¡± ¡°An extra class for crafting, basically. All kinds. Crafters built this fortress, though Paul here designed it. You can acquire the one you chose after passing the dungeon trial.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Half a day away. We can give you an escort to get their safely. What do you say to joining the garrison?¡± ¡°I can get there myself.¡± Shin doubted there was anyone stronger than him here. ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous trip.¡± She warned. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± She didn¡¯t seem too convinced in his ability. ¡°The garrison can provide shelter and safety. A healer at your rank would get special treatment.¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Your choice.¡± Chavez didn¡¯t sugarcoat it. ¡°You can see if there¡¯s anything you want from our workers but as an outsider you¡¯ll have to trade for it.¡± ¡°I want to bring in someone else.¡± The woman stopped her leave. ¡°You have others?¡± ¡°Just one.¡± ¡°Alright. Bring them in then.¡± ¡°Wait here.¡± Shin said before walking off. --- Daphne sat curled up, her face buried in her knees once again. She hadn¡¯t been that scared at first but then she started hearing noises in the forest. Rustling trees and crunching leaves. Mei usually told her it was the wind but sometimes it wasn¡¯t. Shin had been gone a while. She didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be gone this long. ¡°Hey.¡± She looked up to the voice right beside her, crouching down with a slight smile. Daphne clutched onto him on reflex, teary eyed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. I found somewhere safe.¡± Shin consoled the sobbing girl and led her quickly back through the gate and towards the garrison captain, who had not moved. The captain glanced at the girl, some slight surprise showed on her face, likely having Identified her. ¡°This is her. Look after her, alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy, you know.¡± ¡°She has useful skills. You should keep her safe.¡± Shin felt a tug on his shirt. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Take me with you, please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You¡¯ll be fine here.¡± Shin glanced over at Chavez as he spoke. She sighed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin turned back to Daphne. ¡°Tell her all your abilities and stick with her, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Shin patted her head. ¡°Ah..¡± He turned to bard. ¡°You can upgrade skill tiers.¡± ¡°What? How?¡± Shin thought about how best to explain. ¡°Just do it? Which way is the profession dungeon?¡± ¡°At the base of the cliff behind me. About skill t-¡± ¡°Bye.¡± Before she had time to inquire any further Shin waved goodbye to Daphne and headed off, rounding the corner of the building section at a decent clip. ¡°Hey, priest.¡± Shin stopped at the whispered call of the intermediate rogue who had inspected him at the gate. Behind him stood three others in imposing demeanor, lesser rank Shin inspected. ¡°Got something to tell you.¡± Shin walked over to see what the rogue had to say. ¡°You can handle yourself in a fight, can¡¯t you?¡± The rogue was blunt. ¡°Ain¡¯t no other way you could just walk through this forest protecting a kid.¡± Shin didn¡¯t answer. ¡°You got a summon skill right. Priest in my first party had one. Listen¡­¡± The rogue turned a bit more serious. ¡°I¡¯m taking over this garrison. We can do it on our own, quick, but with you it¡¯d be a sure thing. You can have anything you want under me, yeah? I¡¯m talking anyth-¡± Shin glanced to the left and the rogue¡¯s eyes followed on reflex, and Shin took his head. He had stopped listening the moment the man made his intentions known, simply waiting for an opening. One that didn¡¯t take long to come, as sloppy and unguarded as the amateur was. He was obviously only on the lookout for a summon and little more. Shin dispatched the other three before they could so much as yell. He walked through past the bodies and turned to a fat man whose legs had given out, the same one that was with the captain initially. The mage faced Shin with a stammer and the fear of certain death. ¡°You can make this place safer, right?¡± The architect forced an unsteady nod. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll come back eventually.¡± At those casual words, Shin took off, looting a few things from the dead traitors, the profession dungeon the only thing on his mind now. Chapter 13 The profession dungeon wasn¡¯t hard to find, not with the entrance being an elaborately carved towering stone gateway. It had also taken him less than a few hours to reach, well under the half a day schedule the garrison leader had given him, though Shin had expected as much with his travel speed. [Hall of Crafting] Identify didn¡¯t reveal anything more than that. Even still, Shin walked up to the two stone doors, glanced around, then put his hand on it. Instantly his head filled with information, clearer than his own thoughts, a list of what he deduced to be professions. Blacksmithing, Alchemy, Fletching, Leatherworking, Artificing, Tailoring, Cooking, Building¡­ Dozens of choices but only two caught his interest, Runeforging and Inscription. He inspected both further. [Runeforging - Wield the written sigils of the words of creation] ¡®Bestow effects and enhancements on items. Create golems from lifeless matter. Intrude upon the natural laws of the world.¡¯ [Inscription - Harness the flow of mana through the glyphs of truth] ¡®Create talismans of magical effect. Imbue scrolls with the power of skills. Brand substance and falsehoods with symbols of might and mystery.¡¯ Both appealed to him but one more so than the other, all for a single word. Truth. The carvings of the stone doors glowed and opened inwards to a swirling wall of mana, and Shin walked through the newly named Hall of Inscription without hesitation. Passing through felt like falling through water and floating at the same time. Shin let the sensation take hold and before he knew it he found himself in a room. Simple but elegantly decorated, and barren save for a golden spectral man sitting on his knees in front of a short material wooden desk and beside him an identical one, unoccupied. Even in spiritual sight, the man was unchanged. Shin walked across the wooden floor towards him and in his vision, noticed flows of mana distinct and clear from the chaotic sea. Shin moved close but the spiritual man showed no reaction. He maintained perfectly composed posture, a brush in hand drawing calligraphy on a rectangular slip of yellow paper. Ending with a smooth delicate stroke of the red ink, he raised his brush and the markings on the paper glowed then settled with a calm eruption of sparkling lights. As soon as the lights faded, the paper disappeared and another blank one took its place. The golden man dipped his brush in the well of dark red ink and painted again, his expression serene and disciplined. Shin glanced at the unoccupied desk bearing the same brush, inkwell, and paper. He turned back to the man who finished another drawing of lines, in the same design as before and to the same effect. Shin¡¯s eyes once again glowed in iridescent splendor and watched the flow of mana from the brush left on the paper and the connection and transformation of that mana into something greater upon completion. Shin watched the man work, noting the impressive dexterity and consistency of not only his hand but the flow of mana. Minutes passed in silence before Shin walked over to his desk and sat crossed legged. Identify revealed the paper to be talisman paper and the red ink mana ink, both common tier, but the brush to be uncommon tier with the ingrained effect of being able to flow and emit mana through it. Shin took up the brush, dabbed it in ink and replicated the symbol the man drew, seemingly perfectly to the naked eye. But the paper burned to ash and disappeared, a new slip taking its place. Shin glanced at the golden man he now referred to as a guide with Eyes of the Spirit King and once more observed the flow of mana with utmost focus. He attempted to replicate it again to the same effect, but this time retried without pause, again and again, each time sharpening the deftness with which he wielded the flow. An eighth talisman paper burned to ash before he stopped and looked to the guide, noticing his expression had changed to one of mild disapproval. The variance held Shin¡¯s interest for only a moment before focusing on the art once more. Again he failed but that did nothing to stifle his persistence. With each attempt, Shin felt his control over mana refine and the final symbol emanating a closer feeling to perfection, and with each failure the guide¡¯s expression worsened, first to a frown then outright anger. Shin neither noticed nor cared, locked in unbreaking nonchalance as he wielded his brush. A nineteenth failure twisted the guide¡¯s face into one of pure rage and still Shin¡¯s brush moved, delicately, decisively. Something found perch inside him, his mind and soul becoming one with the mana as he painted it onto the paper. A final stroke and Shin raised his hand and the paper glowed with it, bursting out glittering lights. [Light Talisman - Common] The red door ahead opened as the talisman disappeared. She glanced at the guide sitting motionless with a serene smile, his brush placed down on the table, and moved on ahead without ceremony. The second room was larger and higher than the first, lined with shelves filled to the brim with books, while paper and tomes scattered about the floor. A golden projection of a wise looking old man with a long beard appeared before him and three completed talismans came into existence. Shin employed his spirit eyes and paid close attention. They held the symbol of the light talisman but all three held small differences, only the middle being the exact same as the one he had just made. The two other talismans at the side burst into flames and the guide reached out, taking hold of the one that remained. The bearded guide formed a hand seal, first two fingers pointed upwards, the other two down and his thumb bent horizontal. Mana flowed from the other hand into the talisman, the symbol activating, cast a moderate light to fill the dim library. The guide and the talisman vanished as the library filled with numerous talismans, floating aimlessly. Shin glanced around at a dozen talismans before walking straight to one and plucking it out of the air between two fingers. He imitated the gesture of the guide and calmly filled the talisman with mana exactly as he had seen. The talisman shone with light then rose up out of his grasp and burst, filling every corner of the library with light. The other talismans disappeared and another door opened. Shin walked through this one too without delay. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The third room was a stark difference from its predecessors, made completely of stone, grim and dark, and completely barren apart from the inscription desk in the center and gargoyle statues lining a ridge around room up high. Shin waited for a guide to appear but none did. Walking up to the desk, carvings started to appear on a stone wall in front. First of a man creating talismans, then wielding a glowing talisman to fend off demon like creatures. Shin glanced at the gargoyles then took a seat. The moment his brush hit the talisman paper he heard the sound of cracking stone and falling gravel behind him, but his focus was unaffected. Stone continued to chip off the gargoyle, revealing pulsing dark purple flesh underneath until it flexed and burst off the rest with a roar. The creature flew at his gazing target, sharp claws reaching for blood. Shin raised the finished talisman and activated it. The fearsome gargoyle keeled back in fright, its body rapidly turned to stone and fell out of the air, shattering into pieces on contact. Thirty seconds, Shin counted, the time it had taken for the gargoyle to fully emerge, and barely a moment to reach him. He had completed the talisman in half the time and simply waited to see what he was dealing with. The sound of gravel to his other side took his attention which he then place back on the desk. A new paper appeared as soon as he completed a light talisman, whether he used it or not. Shin triggered the talisman before the gargoyle had emerged, and it turned to stone where it sat, crumbling away. Another gargoyle in a new direction started to break out immediately after the latest fell, just as before. Almost bored, Shin drew talisman after talisman and sent each emerging gargoyle to its doom before they had a chance to attack. After the tenth one fell, the room shook and the carving ahead morphed into a victorious man holding up a talisman. [Achievement: Crafter I. 25 Attribute Points rewarded.] ''Become a Novice tier Crafter.'' Along with the notification a satchel appeared in front on him, similar to the spatial bags he had, aside from the red color. A profession bag, Identify let him know. Grabbing it he found it could be equipped even with the two spatial bag limit. Within it were materials needed for inscription; talisman paper, ink, a brush, and a desk. Stone blocks to his right receded into the ground creating a doorway with a swirling mana surface just as the one he passed through to enter the dungeon, but at the same time, stones in front of the desk rose into stairs leading to the carving which morphed into a closed black door. Shin rose to his feet and was immediately bombarded with prompts, dozens into hundreds, unlike any he had received before. [The Starry Eyed Fox invites you.] Shin scrolled through the prompts. There were all like the first, some sort of title or descriptor inviting him. The Sage of A Thousand Eyes. The Drowned Hermit. An invitation to what exactly or who these beings were was information nowhere to be found. Shin paused his nonchalant wandering on one of them. The Mistress of the House of Books. This one he knew. Seshat, wife of Thoth and record keeper to Ancient Egyptian pantheon. ¡°These are gods¡­¡± Shin¡¯s eyes deepened. He already knew gods existed in this tower as there was nothing else to call the woman who spoke to them in the dark space, but he didn¡¯t expect he could come into contact with them so soon. Shin stopped under another which came with a message. ¡®I can make you a sage of inscription.¡¯ He thought for a moment before wishing away all invitations that did not come with a message. Half a dozen remained but Shin only took interest in one. [The Chief of Stars invites you.] ¡®Few can teach you more than me.¡¯ Shin accepted it in his mind and the world imploded around him, regaining his senses in a pitch black void empty of anything but himself and the elderly man in front. Hunchbacked with a long white beard, he wore robes of indescribable quality and an ancient eastern style scholar¡¯s hat, but must striking among the visage was his eyes, bearing a weight and sharpness Shin had not encountered before. ¡°You did well to choose me. Those others would have wasted your talent.¡± The old god said, stroking his beard. ¡°This humble one is Kui Xing.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Well then, young Shin, there is much to talk of but we are short of time. Firstly, one advances to Greater Peasant at 500 points. The next rank at 1,000. You will need to free up space amongst your skills. Upgrading your class will give you more options but it won¡¯t change that. You must fuse two sets of skills together.¡± ¡°Skills can be fused?¡± ¡°Yes. Master four skills uncommon tier or higher to upgrade your class.¡± Kui Xing continued through the interruption without delay. ¡°Secondly, do not exit the Hall of Crafting, but instead take the door atop the stairs. It will aid your progress well. And lastly¡­¡± Kui Xing¡¯s presence grew grander. ¡°I offer you a Greater Blessing.¡± ¡°What are blessings?¡± ¡°They grant you bonuses to your stats, unaffecting your rank, and later presents a far grander opportunity. Greater Blessing bestows a bonus of 30%.¡± ¡°Is that the highest?¡± ¡°...in terms of bonus, yes.¡± ¡°Is that the best?¡± Shin changed his question. ¡°True Blessings stand above greater, but these can only be granted once and I have given mine already.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes grew deeper still. ¡°Who controls the system?¡± Kui Xing fell silent, his face expressionless and unreadable. Shin thought for a moment. ¡°Who is the one at the end?¡± Whether Kui Xing had any reaction to the sudden and intensely consuming aura emanating from Shin, it could not be seen on his face. The intensity faded away quickly as Shin fell back into thought. ¡°What is the red lightning?¡± Even the question Shin settled for went unanswered. It didn¡¯t feel as though the god was unwilling to answer him, so much as unable. With that in mind, Shin suppressed his main priority for the moment. ¡°Where do the dead go?¡± Life returned to the elderly god¡¯s face. ¡°All intact souls of the deceased within the tower find rest in the rivers of the Underworld.¡± ¡°If they die outside the tower?¡± ¡°Some rare few reincarnate within. Most remain in the outer sea. To what fate I know not.¡± It wasn¡¯t the answer Shin had hoped for but he did not seem disheartened. Kui Xing took control of the conversation with some hurry. ¡°There are not five gods throughout the realms superior to myself in the art of inscription. Now, accept my offer and I will guide you to the pinnacle of-¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Wai-!¡± Kui Xing¡¯s panicked yell was cut short as Shin found himself in the stone room again. He had learned some valuable information but the god wasn¡¯t able to answer the questions he really wanted to know, so there was little point in continuing. And the offer and god were not what he sought, knowing what he did now. There must be someone able to grant him what he needs. Shin hopped up the stone stairs and placed his hand on the black door. [Hall of Inscription - Workshop] Shin willed it and the door opened to room smaller than the library of the second challenge but one packed with books and paper in every corner. At the end was a desk surrounded with material and above it, a sculpture of a lion¡¯s head. Shin walked over to a shelf and pulled out a book. Unlike the second room, these ones had writing in them, even better, they gave information and lessons on inscription. Shin closed the book and looked around at the room he planned to live in for the foreseeable future. --- Shin painted his brush along the paper with unsettling focus. Not a single glyph but a series of three flowing into one another. He drew his brush away and the talisman spit out a burst of embers that quickly faded away. He relaxed a bit and put the newly made common tier talisman in the open mouth of the lion statue. The mouth slowly closed and remained shut. Shin had bought himself more time but he needed to work faster to take advantage of the abundance of resources that couldn¡¯t be placed within his own bags. He had not time for much rest either, only managing a few short naps to stave away the fatigue as he pushed himself to remain within the workshop. The moment he did not ¡®feed¡¯ the lion sufficiently, he would be expelled. Shin put another slip of paper on the table and dabbed his brush. There was no time to waste. Chapter 14 Shin passed through the exit portal bearing eyes full of casual determination and a calm smile. As sunlight graced him for the first time in eight days he raised his hands and channeled mana through a skill with a deftness unlike he ever had before. Golden mana swirled in on itself, growing more divine and exploded into solid aura. From the air appeared a winged holy warrior, donning over white silk robes a steel chestplate, bracers, greaves and a helm covering the top half of his face. In his hands he held a greatsword, the power emanating from his mighty form almost tangible. [Summon Angel has upgraded to uncommon tier Summon Radiant Guardian.] [Radiant Guardian (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 79 Agility - 73 Constitution - 60 Vitality - 64 Dexterity - 78 Perception - 51 Force - 54 Spirit - 57 Control - 56 Willpower - 53 Skills: Cut lvl. 1, Deflect lvl. 1, Detect Evil lvl. 1, Celestial Fire lvl. 1, Traits: Holy Body (uncommon), Levitation (uncommon), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), Minor Paralysis Resistance (uncommon), Minor Petrification Resistance (uncommon), Shin inspected the qualities of his new summon. Its stats had doubled from that of the angel¡¯s, as he already knew would be the case. The distribution still seemed balanced though leaning more to the physical attributes now. What was of more interest was its abilities. All skills were uncommon tier. Cut seemed to be an improved version of Enhanced Strike, though limited to a specific type of attack. Deflect parried away physical blows by force. Detect Evil searched the nearby area for demons and undead specifically. And it had gained a magic attack in Celestial Fire. As with Holy Screen it worked best on what the system considered ¡®evil¡¯, so some testing would need to be done to see how well it affected other monsters and people. A new trait Holy Body caught his attention, though it was rather mundane, giving it better resilience against unholy attacks and terrain. The other traits were simply direct upgrades of the angel¡¯s. The duration and limit at lvl. 1 had decreased to 30 minutes and just one at a time, and the cost had increased to what Shin was confident was 40 mana, but it was worth it. There was only one other monster Shin had encountered besides the giant wolf that could match it. Shin checked his own status. [Human Priest (common) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 28 Agility - 57 Constitution - 31 Vitality - 34 Dexterity - 33 Perception - 29 Force - 24 Spirit - 82 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Treat Wounds lvl. 10, Holy Screen lvl. 4, Summon Radiant Guardian lvl. 1, Cushion lvl. 3, Call Petty Spirit lvl. 9, Advanced Martial Combat lvl. 3, Jab lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Shin¡¯s skills had stagnated during his time spent in the bonus room of the dungeon, having to devote almost all of his time to the art of inscription. A devotion which paid off, evident by his bag full of common tier talismans. Four types he had chosen to master, fire, lightning, paralysis, and a blinding flash, much like the skill of a gremlin. He also managed to create two uncommon tier talismans after many failures. Shin had trained his body during this time as well, attempting to raise his stats, but there were no more physical gains. Only Force had naturally increased by 2. With nothing to show for his sincere efforts, Shin figured he had hit some sort of natural limit. He felt it was a shame he couldn¡¯t raise his stats anymore on his own but he had reached a base he could work with. All 25 points gained from the achievement had been put into Agility, enough speed to deal with monsters like the tree goblin chief now on his own. The talisman god had made his path clear. He needed to max three more uncommon tier skills and fuse two sets before advancing to greater rank. And the skills he decided to focus on were Advanced Martial Combat, Call Petty Spirit, Jab, and the newly upgraded Summon Radiant Guardian. The system of the workshop had allowed him to take short rests, which over time relieved him of his fatigue, even with the harsh hours he had imposed upon himself. Well rested and well equipped, Shin set off without delay, a single destination in mind. --- Twenty-nine tree goblins patrolled the territory of their tribe, more vigilantly than the ones before them. Shin couldn¡¯t be sure but he assumed it was a new batch of goblins as the chief¡¯s mask had noticeable differences. To the right of the chief was the likely source of the tribe¡¯s increased competence. Wearing a light brown robe with a mantle of leaves, by its behavior it seemed to be of equal status to the chief, perhaps even above it. [Tree Goblin Treepriest (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] There were a dozen questions but no answers would come until the tree was felled, Shin felt. A radiant guardian summoned by his side and then in front called a spirit. A pale yellow fox appeared, the end of its tail ablaze with a blue flame and a proud, outright cocky demeanor. Even if the tail brushed along the grass, it didn¡¯t show any signs of burning. [Vulpes (common) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 19 Agility - 35 Constitution - 22 Vitality - 24 Dexterity - 27 Perception - 33 Force - 39 Spirit - 41 Control - 38 Willpower - 34 Skills: Ghost Fire lvl. 10, Silent Image lvl. 8, Traits: Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp (uncommon), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Petty Curse Resistance, Petty Fire Resistance, Silent Image produced a soundless simple illusion. Ghost Fire was more interesting, a type of physical illusion that made the target feel as though they were on fire although in reality it had no material effect. The Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp trait allowed it to passively hypnotize beings that looked upon the fire on its tail. Not a powerhouse by any means but it would be useful, not that Shin needed much help this time around. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The trip had taken long enough for his mana to nearly recover but there was no need to waste any time, with the duration limit of his new angel and the constant drain of mana from the fox. Shin sent the radiant guardian ahead and cast Cushion on it. He lacked the mana to summon another so this one needed to last. The guardian beheaded a tree goblin with a single swing of its greatsword and the resulting chorus of snarls signaled the battle proper. ¡°Scare the two in the back.¡± He told the fox, who ran off to do as much, though with haughty flick of her snout. Shin drew two axes and charged the sparser parts of the crowd of goblins. Those that saw him coming and fought back met the same quick fate as the ones who fixated on the radiant guardian too long. Shin danced, making his newfound speed his own, reaping a goblin¡¯s life with every movement. The buff of frenzy that would have kept them alive a few moment¡¯s longer never came, Shin glancing the reason in between the points of contact, a massive bear like creature rushing towards the chief and priest. Soundless though it was, it held their focus long enough for Shin and the guardian to slaughter the tribe. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Shin rushed towards chief as he tore through the illusion. The vulpes darted to his side behind him. ¡°Ghost Fire on the right one.¡± He already sent his guardian flying towards the healer, the vulpes followed behind. Before either side could reach, the treepriest snarled and mana glowed around the chief, who burst at Shin faster than his predecessor ever did. He deflected the staff course with a shield but was forced to dodge and jump back against the onslaught following it up. The weight of its strikes didn¡¯t feel much different, Shin deduced the priest had given its ally a boost in speed. The buff had made the fight longer than he anticipated but it was of no concern to Shin. With sly footwork and a flourish, he took the arm of the chief. Just as he was about to follow up with the finisher, the chief held out its staff which burrowed into his flesh and grew into a new wooden arm. Veins and muscles bulged and its eyes turned red. A frenzied flurry forced Shin on the back foot, just barely dodging the clawed hands of the powered up chief. The tree goblin chief drew lines of red on Shin¡¯s body as his attacks came closer and closer to finding their target. The challenge had turned into a danger now, but Shin didn¡¯t complain, instead switched his weapons for daggers and traded small injuries with the goblin. It was a good opportunity to improve his combat ability. A blast of grayish-blue flame set the chief alight just as the fight was ramping up. It thrashed around and shrieked in pain. Shin glanced at the smug fox who had lent the assist, and in that time, saw the radiant guardian cutting down endlessly growing vines sprouting from the soil between it and the treepriest. Shin rushed towards them and the radiant guardian paused before rushing his way too, both passing each other by. ¡°Switch.¡± Shin told the fox, who seemed displeased at something. Shin charged the treepriest and baited out a surge of vines only to rush around it in a circle, a bow taking place of his daggers as he shot two in quick succession. The first cracked a blue screen and the second broke through, piercing at the goblin¡¯s heart though failed to pierced deep enough to kill. Armor beneath its robes, or tougher skin, Shin thought. Surging vines, blocked his next arrows and slithered around the treepriest¡¯s desperate expression, forming a densely packed sphere around it. Shin jumped back, avoiding a sharp tipped vine only for more to follow, seeming to know wherever he stood. It was a decent last resort but one Shin had measures for. Two talismans appeared in his hand and straightened solid with his mana. He threw them at the green sphere, sticking to it like glue, and with a hand sign, burst into flames. Immediately the bulk of the treepriest¡¯s barricade set ablaze, although the shifting vines started to put the fire out. Shin added two more talismans to the fray, turning it into a bonfire. It didn¡¯t take long for the vines to falter then wretch open so the treepriest could escape from the fiery prison, its gear and skin singed. And Shin was waiting for him, spear at the ready to thrust. ¡°Stop!¡± Shin¡¯s eye¡¯s widened slightly and his movement skipped a beat before impaling the treepriest through the shoulder and pinning him to the ground. Shin twisted the spear at the second attempt to sprout more vines. The player language the treepriest had spoken was just a distraction for a sneak attempt. But still, the new type could speak, which changed things. ¡°What are you? Where did you come from?¡± The treepriest squirmed in pain before straining a zealous sneer. ¡°We¡­ one¡­ with trees. Kill us¡­ we grow¡­ stronger!¡± An axe to the skull ended its snarled raspy words. Further interrogation seemed pointless and Shin got the gist of things. This tribe was part of something larger. The radiant guardian flew over to his side in unhurried grace, the chief laying dead among the grass, though the vulpes was unwilling to lower herself to be the one that moved. [Summon Radiant Guardian has reached lvl. 3] [Advanced Martial Combat has reached lvl. 5] [Call Petty Spirit has reached lvl. 10. 10 attribute points rewarded.] Just like before, roots emerged from the ground to the sound of low wicked laughter and absorbed the corpses of the tree goblins, priest included, but Shin did not wait for the result. He put all ten points into Spirit and rushed over to the giant tree, letting loose a talisman that burst into flames on its face. It burned for only a moment before blood seeped from its bark to douse the fire, mocking laughter his only reward. Shin took off in a sprint, circling around, aiming now at the branches and leaves. Talisman after talismans ignited, until he had completed circled it. The flames found a home among the smaller branches and leaves, gradually at first but enveloping more and more until the whole tree was ablaze. Wood Goblins burned on the branches before they bloomed and as they fell. The blood seeping from the tree unable to contain the spread of the fire. The fiendish face of the goblin tree fell from glee to fear and its laughter turned to a deep droning wail as it lost its overpowering sense of life and the fire into a massive inferno. [Goblin Tree (uncommon) - Greater Peasant rank] Strength - 63 Agility - 12 Constitution - 172 Vitality - 301 Dexterity - 5 Perception - 10 Force - 20 Spirit - 96 Control - 58 Willpower - 15 Skills: Create Wood Goblin lvl. 10, Blood Dousing lvl. 10, Traits: Greater Tough Bark (rare), Goblin Roots (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), The tree was a titan of vitality but it was clear even without seeing its abilities that the only threat it posed was the wood goblins. Shin looked around waiting for something to happen, a monster or item to appear to lead the way for the next step but nothing came. Just as well as those talismans had burned through nearly all of his remaining mana. Though they only cost one to activate, the power was roughly equal to the fireball mage in his initial party who couldn¡¯t have had much Force back then, so it had taken quite a number. He didn¡¯t have much time. Shin changed his focus to the call spirit skill, channelling his mana and willing it to call a stronger spirit. A prism of colors burst from his hands. [Call Petty Spirit has upgraded to uncommon tier Call Kitsune lvl. 1.] Shin looked puzzled at the result then turned to his arrogant companion. Just as the skill had changed so had the fox. Slightly larger now, fur as white as snow with a red tipped tail like the end of a brush and red markings around its eyes and face, it exuded an aura of prestige and mysticism befitting of its proud expression. [Kitsune (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 33 Agility - 75 Constitution - 43 Vitality - 48 Dexterity - 52 Perception - 62 Force - 80 Spirit - 81 Control - 76 Willpower - 72 Skills: Trick Fire lvl. 1, Minor Illusion lvl 1, Paralyzing Eyes lvl 1, Traits: Greater Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp (Rare), Illusion Detection (rare), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), Minor Fire Resistance (uncommon), Minor Charming Resistance (uncommon), Shin didn¡¯t expect the vulpes to evolve along with his skill, not to mention affect the result. It took away much of the unreliability but also the versatility. Still, Shin wasn¡¯t too bothered by it. Kitsune seemed to be a mage type monster, which is what he needed to complement his warrior type angel. And it seemed to be quite a good one. Silent Image had become a fully fledged illusion skill, with the capacity for sound now. Paralyzing Eyes was a useful immobilizing spell. But the crown jewel was Trick Fire, by which the fox could decide whether the fire burns normally or doesn¡¯t burn at all. Glancing up from the status sheet, Shin noticed the new kitsune posturing before him. ¡°You look grand.¡± A content smile formed on the kitsune¡¯s face, with the adequate praise she so readily felt due. The lighthearted respite lasted only a moment as Shin¡¯s ears just barely detecting a hissing sound through the air over the roaring fire. He twisted his head and weaved on instinct, an arrow grazing his cheek. The kitsune jumped away from her spot as an arrow struck its place, but the guardian fared less well, an arrow breaking through the protective layer of Cushion and piercing its neck, though not yet enough to bring its end. ¡°Several¡­¡± Shin burst into action immediately, rushing to the source of the arrows in the forest line, a shield appearing on his left arm. Three more arrows shot at Shin in rapid succession. The first two pierced through his shield with enough power to rattle it and the third pierced through his arm. The shots were fast and well placed. Shin had no choice but to take the smaller injury to block the others. Eight enemies in total, three were crouching, the archers Shin assumed, and the others remained near them. The radiant guardian struck away an arrow as another buried in its shoulder. The kitsune darted across the ground, weaving through every shot aimed. A giant bear appeared from nothing, letting out a piercing roar as it charged towards the enemies. A lull in the arrows aimed at Shin appeared, and he changed direction straight towards the enemies. A knife appeared in his hand, talisman strung to its handle. One of the archers noticed and refocused on him, as the giant bear they were preoccupied with dissolved into the air with the first arrow, but it was too late. Shin dipped under the shot and threw his knife. A hand sign triggered a blinding flash. The kitsune opened her maw, blue and gray fire swirled within, and vanished. The heaviness of draining his mana empty weighed on Shin but he pushed through. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Regroup!¡± Shin reached the trees under cover of blindness, quickly snapping and pulling out the arrow in his arrow. A bow of his own took its place and he moved, arrows striking the trees as he timed the impact or passed harmlessly over him, the archer¡¯s accuracy worse than before. A shot of his own caught the archer in the shoulder, having moved just enough to prevent it from piercing his heart. ¡°He¡¯s got a bow!¡± A few of the enemies moved to shield the others but two broke off encircling his direction. Shin loosed another arrow at the cluster of enemies, then switch his bow for two daggers. He deflected three throwing knives from the rogue with leather armor and sidestepped a lunge, left arm hidden behind his back, and chopped off his head with a flick of his newly equipped axe. The second enemy jumped and slashed down with a blade, his face wrapped in a black mask. Shin tapped it off course with his dagger and spun around, lodging his axe into the masked rogue¡¯s side. The rogue tore himself off the weapon and rolled away from a hatchet that found its true target in the skull of a charging warrior. An arrow through the eye slit in his mask saved the rogue the trouble of lamenting his mistake. Two arrows in its torso finally shattered the radiant guardian charging towards them. The shouts of victory of the two archers were returned with an arrow through the skull of one and the neck of the helmed other. The shield warrior behind the white and blue robed women charged, steel crest shield out front. Shin feinted a swing of his axe down to draw up the warrior¡¯s attention, then twisted his body down low and severed his leg with a second axe. A true swing of the first cleaved through his neck. ¡°No!¡± The priest woman screamed in shock. An axe sailed passed her, into the skull of the mage woman who had started to channel a skill. The priest stared at her falling comrade in a daze and before she could turn back around, Shin took her head. He grabbed the body of the priest and blocked an arrow from the injured archer, another thrown axe chopped through his arm as he rounded the cover of a tree. The archer fell to the ground clutched his stump of a severed forearm in yells of pain and curses. An arrow thumping right next to his face into the tree he backed into snapped his attention to Shin who had already pulled back another arrow. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯m not, I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± ¡°We thought you were one of them-¡± An arrow in the thigh cut off his words. ¡°Ahh, fuck!¡± ¡°Truth.¡± ¡°Wallace made us!¡± He shouted through strained groans. ¡°We have to get the emblem pieces!¡± ¡°What emblem?¡± ¡°The fucking, piece you get from the goblin tree, fuck!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, he just needs it for something. Listen, I-¡± ¡°Where did you get these items?¡± ¡°A dungeon.¡± ¡°The crafting one?¡± ¡°No, man, there¡¯s different ones, monster ones. Look I can-¡± An arrow through the archer¡¯s head ended the interrogation. Shin had learned what he needed. A secret did lie with the tree goblins and someone other than him was searching for the answer. The goblin tree crumbled to ash in the distance and a blue light flashed up from its center. The emblem piece, Shin suspected. He glanced around at the dead party, all of them intermediate rank. First priority would be to loot, especially the better looking items, then retrieve the goblin emblem piece. The bow disappeared from Shin¡¯s hands. And lastly, he needed to train. This team was subordinate to the man the archer named. It stood to reason that that man and the party he led was stronger. He needed to be ready. Shin started going through the items of the archer, making plans in his head to search for a monster dungeon to try himself. Chapter 15 Shin deflected an axe with his steel shield, gliding deeper into the forest. Clanging rang out from the hobgoblin¡¯s incessant blows, accompanying its roars. Its face was much like a goblin¡¯s though a bit more human, its intelligence and skill a bit more too. A lanky, wiry body as tall as a man was more of an issue. Its reach was troublesome, too risky to fight head on as he could with its lesser kin. With a frustrated glare, the hobgoblin grabbed the pesky shield to snatch it away and got sliced with a dagger for its trouble, pulling his hand back with a grimace. In a fit of rage, it smashed straight down with the axe. Shin¡¯s legs buckled under the might of his blow even maneuvering himself to cushion the impact as much as possible. He darted straight back with speed and the hobgoblin rushed forth, emboldened by the success of that strike. The hobgoblin raised his axe and swung at Shin who came to a sudden stop, and the axe stuck on a branch overhead. A spear thrust through its throat fast as lightning before it realized the trap its human foe laid. Shin twisted the spear and tore it out, and the hobgoblin fell to the ground. A bow took place of the shield and spear, the uncommon tier one he looted from the party that attacked him. He nocked an arrow and rushed back to where he came. Three radiant guardians fended off a small horde of hobgoblins, the bulk of which lay still on the forest floor. Shin took aim and drew his blow slowly, forcing strength past his limits, and loosed into the back of a hobgoblin¡¯s skull. The uncommon tier bow was powerful but it required more strength than he had to draw it, forcing him to rely on body supremacy to push the extra mile. He couldn¡¯t rapid fire as he had before but it was quite effective at felling stronger targets in a single shot. He drew and fired again and another hobgoblin fell. A third dropped before a guttural roar drove some into the forest after him. Shin dropped the nearest with an arrow drawn in anticipation and loosed another before swapping the bow with a shield. He channeled his mana into the Call Kitsune, feeling for the lone thread distinct among countless and a white fox appeared. The charging hobgoblins were met with grayish-blue fireballs, turning four mighty creatures into spasming tinder. The kitsune glanced at the defeated enemies then over to the battle raging ahead and finally back to Shin, with a mocking leer. ¡°I need you.¡± The smug fox ran off towards the fray, and Shin followed. A terrifying roar followed a lunging bear which frightened and distracted the hobgoblins who paid for their mistake in blood as the radiant guardians cut them down with abandon. A swing of a massive club tore apart the bear illusion and a bellow set the hobgoblins back in line against the celestials. The Hobgoblin Brute leader was larger and bulky with a protruding gut, a specimen of crude strength. It turned towards the guardians before jolting back, raising a hand just in time to block a ball of fire. It had avoided the worst but the fire still charred the end of his arm. Three more fireballs struck the hobgoblin before it could think, setting it ablaze. It burst forward at the kitsune, who escaped into the forest, pushing and knocking down the trees before slowly to a limp, grasping at its neck before falling flat on its face. The guardians finished up the hobgoblins with the help of a few more arrows. [Call Kitsune has reached lvl. 10. 25 attribute points rewarded.] [Requirements for class upgrade reached.] It had taken a few days, but he finally met his first goal. Shin looked through the prompts displaying his options. Healer, Battlepriest, Summoner, and Spiritualist. Battlepriest suited his current fighting style as a warrior priest and Summoner more so his planned one, but he selected Spiritualist without a second thought. [Class has upgraded to uncommon tier Spiritualist. 25 attribute points rewarded.] [Acquired uncommon tier skill Tame Spirit.] [Acquired uncommon tier skill Vigil.] A prompt arose to select a third skill himself, just as it had been for the priest class. Shin scoured the uncommon tier list for things regarding ghosts, souls, and spirits. There were some attacks, some defensive, and utility options, but his focus stalled on a skill that allowed one to raise the ghost of a dead body for a seance. Had it been at the start of the system, he would have chosen that without hesitation but knowing what he knew now, it would not grant him what he sought. [Acquired uncommon tier skill Rest.] As long as he kept rising, Shin was certain he could attain the power he wished, and to do that he needed to prioritize his current strength. Vigil was a skill that increased the speed of mana recovery at cost of mental and physical fatigue, so Rest, which relieved such fatigue at the cost of mana, complemented it perfectly. He needed to fuse two sets of skills and these would be his first. [Human Spiritualist (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] Strength - 28 Agility - 70 Constitution - 31 Vitality - 34 Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Dexterity - 33 Perception - 29 Force - 24 Spirit - 129 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Treat Wounds lvl. 10, Holy Screen lvl. 4, Summon Radiant Guardian lvl. 10, Cushion lvl. 3, Call Kitsune lvl. 10, Advanced Martial Combat lvl. 10, Quickstrike lvl. 10, Tame Spirit lvl. 1, Vigil lvl. 1, Rest lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Shin ignored the points he had just received, his total already being 497. He left a small window of breathing room just in case one of his stats decided to increase again, but after all this time, it seemed that was only unnecessary caution. [Hobgoblin (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 67 Agility - 81 Constitution - 59 Vitality - 68 Dexterity - 76 Perception - 88 Force - 50 Spirit - 53 Control - 39 Willpower - 44 [Hobgoblin Brute (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 105 Agility - 79 Constitution - 89 Vitality - 97 Dexterity - 85 Perception - 98 Force - 56 Spirit - 60 Control - 49 Willpower - 62 Shin inspected the two new enemies before walking over to a small cave entrance enclosing a swirling portal. [Ant Tunnel Dungeon (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] No further information on what the dungeon entailed, but Shin had grown used to a lack of information. He stared at it for a few moments before taking a seat under a tree, away and upwind of the hobgoblin bodies. Immediately, he engrossed his mind into the Vigil skill. The strain was obvious but the mana recovery was not. Only a modest increase for uncommon tier lvl. 1, it seemed it would take some time to see just how much of an effect it had. Shin glanced ahead, giving some of his attention to the white fox gracefully swaying her tail in a regal pose in his clear line of sight, waiting. ¡°You did great today.¡± Her reaction held no objections, rather almost telling Shin as if the comment was obvious, but he could tell she was pleased. Shin looked at the kitsune and thought for a moment. ¡°Inari. You should have a name.¡± The fox seemed mostly unmoved and disinterested under the initial curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s a name for a powerful and great being.¡± She held her nose in the air but Shin felt she was rather amiable to the idea. ¡°Inari.¡± She looked over at Shin, waiting on his next words. ¡°You cost too much mana. I¡¯ll call you again later.¡± The fox brushed some dust at him as she disappeared in a huff. Shin patted it off and returned his focus to his skill. The limit of the tutorial was steadily approaching and he had only touched on the surface of the secrets it held. --- A faint simmering blue mist surrounded Shin, mana more densely packed in the space around him, brought in by Vigil. Warmth flowed through his body, taking in a fraction of the gathered mana, offset only by the pressure building inside his head. He could suppress it to an extent and power through but not relieve it completely. A short rest would be needed soon. A sharp clang assaulted his ears right next to his head. Shin¡¯s eyes opened and shifted to the side, finding his radiant guardian¡¯s sword blocked a large sickle held by a small creature. The guardian flung the creature back and Shin got a better look at it. [Redcap (uncommon) - Intermediate Peasant] A small bearded gnome with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes. It had a wiry, leathery body, wearing simple worn down clothes contrasted by intricately crafted metal boots and a large blood red cap. In its large clawed hands, it held the sickle much too long for farm work. Shin rose to his feet and the guardian charged at the monster. The redcap was quick, both on its feet and with its weapon, dodging or blocking the strikes of the greatsword. It knocked away a strike and suddenly darted around the guardian towards Shin. The edge of its sickle glowed with a clear sheen as the redcap pounced, aiming to reap Shin¡¯s head. Another radiant guardian appeared and met the reaper¡¯s scythe with a glowing sword, however the sickle carved clean through the blade, shattered the yellow screen and scratched deep into the steel shield that appeared. Before the redcap could react, the guardian pummeled it with the hilt of its blade, slamming it into the tree where Shin had just been. The redcap coughed and struggled to its feet but found itself surrounded by the two guardians. It gripped its weapon, readying itself for an attack but an attack never came. Shin raised his hand and cast Tame Spirit. Instantly, he felt the mind of the redcap and his own bearing down on it, imposing, conquering, and Shin cancelled the skill. The two guardians retreated back and the redcap fled into the forest. Shin stared at the ground in thought. Something in the redcap would be lost if he used the skill, he could feel it. It wasn¡¯t quite brainwashing, but more of a loss of choice, a domination. Closer to his control over the unfeeling golems than the spirits he called. Shin didn¡¯t like how it felt. As Shin was about to walk back to his tree, he saw tiny faces peering out from behind the leaves, curious, innocent and a little wary. The guardians moved back a distance at his command. One of the pixies inched out from the protection of the leaves then flew over to him and others started to follow. ¡°Big friend.¡± The first pixie, the one he recognized having saved from the giant spider, hovered by his face as the rest fluttered around him. ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Human friend?¡± ¡°Scary friend.¡± ¡°Big scary?¡± ¡°Scary eyes.¡± Shin felt a childish mischievousness from the little pixies but that was all. The melodic ring of youthful voices sang out as they flew around. ¡°Did you come to play?¡± Shin asked warmly. ¡°Play?¡± ¡°Question?¡± ¡°Silly human doesn¡¯t know things?¡± ¡°Silly scary?¡± ¡°Play.¡± The pixies gradually formed a ring, holding hands and circled around him, chanting. ¡°Scary eyes~ Silly friend~ Scary eyes~ Silly friend~¡± As the pixies sang around him, Shin felt mana and intent surge within his soul. He fell into a calm, letting the surge flow freely without resistance. On the outside, balls of light formed from the pixies and covered him in an ethereal glow before bursting into glittering shimmers. [Tame Spirit has become rare tier Befriend Spirit.] ¡°Bye~¡± ¡°Leave big friend.¡± ¡°Silly bye.¡± Just as quickly and irresponsibly as they arrived, the pixies flew off again. Shin looked at his new skill they had gifted him. He had missed out on the attribute point reward for maxing it but he was more than happy with the result. This new skill appealed and offered, not dominated, and more importantly, Shin felt instinctively that nothing would be lost. Shin watched the last of the pixies disappear within the forest and sat back down under his tree, returning to train again. Chapter 16 A faint blue mist lingered around Shin, more densely than before. He sat with his eyes closed, leaning slightly as though sleeping peacefully, immersed in the mana. [Vigil has reached lvl. 10. 25 attribute points rewarded.] Shin opened his eyes from his focused trance and without respite held his hands close apart. Vigil in one and Rest in the other, he willed them together. The relieving of fatigue, the absorption of surrounding mana, he desired both and push that will forward into the skills. [Acquired rare tier skill Meditation lvl. 1.] ¡®Increase mana recovery, natural healing, and relieve fatigue.¡¯ [Achievement: Skill Fusion I. 25 attribute points rewarded.] Shin tested out the new skill. The increase in mana recovery and rest granted felt less than what the next tier of skill should grant but it caused no fatigue of any kind in return. Time, it seemed, was the only cost. A suitable replacement for the need to sleep. The only downside being that he needed to immerse himself in the skill to the point of severely degrading his perception of the world around him but it was still better than being unconscious. With that endeavor finished, Shin glanced through his status sheet. Cushion and Holy Screen were the pair that seemed most obvious to visualize but he didn¡¯t like the idea of making Cushion more situational. It hadn¡¯t been much use to him so far but that was only because he hasn¡¯t been prioritizing it. At max level, and more importantly, its upgrades, it would be sure to find a place in his combat. None of the other skills seemed like they were even that compatible, none aside from his two summons. He thought it over before deciding to call over Inari to get her input. This would affect her most of all, thus her opinion was most important. Shin felt for the distinct and familiar thread and grabbed hold, mana coalescing into a white fox, lying prone and labored, blood spilling from a nasty gash across her side. Shin spun into action, pouring a healing potion over the wound and casting Treat Wounds. The wound closed slowly, too slowly. With Inari over on this side now, he could feel how precarious the state of her life was. A burst of will through his spell advanced it to uncommon tier Cure Wounds and he poured all the mana and attention he could fit into the skill, straining every bit of control he could to wield it more effectively. Minutes passed and the deep gash slowly became a laceration, then a cut, and finally a scratch that closed up. The white fox opened her eyes but remained lying down, weary and despondent. Shin calmed down once it was clear she would survive, his heightened intensity fading away. ¡°Is it dangerous over there?¡± Shin asked. He wasn¡¯t clear on where spirits went when he sent them back but they came from somewhere and lived in between the times he summoned. Inari didn¡¯t respond, and seemed reluctant to broach on the topic. ¡°I might have a way to make you stronger. I could fuse you with that angel.¡± Inari glanced at the radiant guardian but again gave no response. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± Shin sat and waited. Moments passed before Inari stirred and struggled to her feet. She raised her head and looked into Shin¡¯s eyes with determined pride. He felt her answer intuitively and channelled all his focus. Mana surged around Inari. Shin made her the focal point, willing the fusion to grant her everything the radiant guardian had and place her in complete control. A golden holy light and spiritual blue mana surged and swirled together, enveloping the white fox. Shin felt the two different energies melding and breaking apart, fiercely fighting the intent to blend together as one. Shin took hold of both in his mind and forced them to fuse, suppressing their resistance. The colors swirled and rebelled and yielded, gradually melding into one purplish blue flame. The flame shone a bright light covering the whole area in its hue before bursting apart into a thousand tiny shimmering stars. In the center where the flame had been stood a woman dressed in intricate silk garbs like that of a warrior monk, white its base with red linings and a dark purple undergarment. Long straight white hair flowed down behind a fox shaped mask covering all above her mouth, red markings etched on both in the same pattern as had been on her face, and three lush red tipped tails swayed behind her. In each hand she held a wide gladius almost long enough to be called a shortsword. Inari moved her arms slightly, then slashed the air with impeccable technique. She burst into a flurry, more graceful and deadly than Shin had ever seen, as though she had always been in this form. She came to a stop and copper blue fire enveloped on of her blades. She flung it at a tree, turning it to cinder in moments. Another burst of moment brought her in front of Shin. Her swords vanished away and she stood proudly, with a familiar posing. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re strong.¡± A smile formed on her lips at the praise she sought. Shin inspected her status to see exactly how strong. [Mystic Kitsune Guardian (rare) - Intermediate Peasant rank] Strength - 157 Agility - 198 Constitution - 102 Vitality - 126 Dexterity - 172 Perception - 135 Force - 180 Spirit - 169 Control - 151 Willpower - 172 Skills: Greater Trick Fire lvl. 1, Keen Cut lvl. 1, Greater Paralyzing Eyes lvl 1, Greater Celestial Fire lvl. 1, Superior Sword Combat lvl. 1, Traits: Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Hallowed (epic), Windwalker (epic), Lesser Soul Weapon (rare), Greater Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp (Rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Lesser Charming Resistance (rare), Her stat total doubled that of the hobgoblin brute, meaning she was a rare variant. The spread was fairly balanced too, signifying her to be a magic warrior type, an assumption backed up immediately at a glance of her skills. A blend of kitsune and radiant guardian abilities, they were all mostly upgrades of the former skills, with Keen Cut having a magically sharpened edge to its empowered strike, reminding him of the skill the redcap used. She attained a few more resistances but the three epic tier traits stood out. Hallowed, an improved version of Holy Body, not only protecting her from necrotic and infernal attacks but empowering holy type attacks as well. The Windwalker trait allowed her to run in the air as if it were solid ground, adding a whole new dimension to combat. Shin could imagine just how to utilize that. And most notably Lesser Soul Weapon, the source of the two gladiuses. It was a part of her, it seemed, able to call and dismiss them at will without cost, and they possessed an innate ability, one that harnesses a skill into the very being of its blades. The summon skill itself earned some attention from Shin. There was no constant mana drain as with calling spirits, instead operating just like a summon skill. It had a duration but no designated limit, the skill being uniquely concerning Inari, Shin guessed. It was also very costly, 100 mana by Shin¡¯s estimation. As the focus drifted to mana, Shin put 22 points into Strength. [Rank has advanced to Greater Peasant. 50 attribute points rewarded.] A prompt to select two common tier skills appeared. Shin already knew what he would spend one of those options on. [You had acquired common tier Mana Screen lvl. 1] A magic shield better suited for general purposes, and one he planned to fuse in short time. As for his second option, there were some martial art skills he felt needed but he was entirely certain he could acquire those on his own. What he had just recently come to feel urgently was that his healing was severely lacking. Treat Wounds, now Cure Wounds, itself seemed fine. It was his low Force to blame. However, he had no intention of giving it any more attention than before. The way his build had progressed gave him a certain ideal in mind, one that did not include diverting points to Force. But the close call Inari had faced was fresh in his mind. He needed to adjust his healing skill. [You have acquired common tier Stimulate lvl. 1] Rather than healing externally through Force, this skill invigorated the vitality of the target, which included speeding up the natural healing process. It wasn¡¯t quite what he wanted but the further upgrades and fusion would give him the desired skill. If anything, it should at least prove more effective for high Vitality targets like Inari compared to Cure Wounds at the moment. With that settled, he allocated his remaining points. 30 to Agility, his most important physical stat. 31 to Perception as Inari¡¯s movements just now looked blurry to him, a significant problem that needed to be addressed, and all remaining 92 points into Spirit. [Human Spiritualist (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 50 Agility - 100 Constitution - 31 Vitality - 34 Dexterity - 33 Perception - 60 Force - 24 Spirit - 221 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Cure Wounds lvl. 1, Holy Screen lvl. 4, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 1, Cushion lvl. 3, Advanced Martial Combat lvl. 10, Quickstrike lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 1, Meditation lvl. 1, Mana Screen lvl. 1, Stimulate lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, With his physical stats now, he could deal with uncommon intermediate rank monsters on his own, based on his fight with the hobgoblins. That would need to be about enough as his priority once again and always needed to be Spirit. As he advanced to greater rank, so had Inari with a 20% stat boost to show for it, and based on the mechanics of summoning, so had her cost. The skill was quite gluttonous and he had other skills that needed attention. The gluttonous skillbearer in question nudged Shin which grew into outright ushering him by the back into the forest. Shin glanced at her then sprinted off, content. He had worried somewhat that the fusion would sap some of her individuality but it seemed there was no need for concern. On the contrary, he could feel more of her emotions and understand her feelings even more clearly, a connection he felt in the pit of his soul as though they were bound together. And that connection, Shin felt as she dashed goadingly around him, told him she wanted to show off against some enemies. --- Vicious screeches missed their mark by a mile. Inari darted over the rocky forest like lightning, magical sound waves exploding against the ground around her. Two strides through the air claimed another victim, severing the harpy in two. She blurred again, several more seconds giving a half dozen more to the soil. She effortlessly sidestepped another screech and spat out a large ball of ghostly fire. The fireball rippled and stretched into a flat wall, slamming into a trio of harpies setting them all ablaze. Inari turned to face a fourth behind her but an arrow took its life before she could. She glanced down at Shin using one of the sparse trees as cover before an overwhelming wail took back her attention. A grand harpy, beautiful as she was fierce, lorded over Inari from the sky. The harpy queen flapped its wings and knocked the fox warrior back to the ground. A shallow victory as Inari took to the skies in a flash, darting around and over gusts and blades of wind. The frustrated harpy queen drew her breath into a skill and the fox made her move, glaring the ruler of the skies stiff and with a lunge, slashed her apart. Inari darted over to Shin holding out the head of the harpy queen to gloat. ¡°Yeah, you won.¡± Shin praised, for good reason. The harpy den they, or rather she, had taken out were greater rank uncommon tiers. The creatures stood six feet tall with talons like solid leather armor and claws as sharp as knives. They flew freely by the feathered wings on their arms and could produce magical attacks of wind and sound. The den of two dozen was not something to be so easily slaughtered as the white fox of death in front of him did with impunity. [Harpy Queen (uncommon) - Greater Peasant rank] Inari nudged the distracted Shin in frustration and tapped the deep purple gemstone embedded in the harpy queen¡¯s forehead. Shin carved out the gem with a skinning knife, pouring mana threw it as he does his inscription brush. [Royal Harpy Gem (uncommon)] Material for a profession, Shin guessed. Inari beckoned him to follow out of the corner of her eye but Shin didn¡¯t move. ¡°We have to wait.¡± Inari geared up for a silent complaint but suddenly vanished, the duration of her summon having run out. Shin anticipated as much, having kept the time in his head, but what fell outside his expectation was the feeling of something entering his soul, distinct and familiar. There was still a bit of time needed to gather the mana needed to summon her back to question, so Shin hopped off, scouring through the corpses to find the things Inari didn¡¯t bring back. Next to the other pieces of the harpy queen, he found what he was looking for, a beak shaped headdress adorned with feathers. [Windfury Headdress (rare)] ¡®Lesser Wind Amplification: Increases the potency of wind abilities twofold.¡¯ Not useful at all to him or Inari but it was valuable all the same, if only to trade for something that was. Shin glanced around with spirit eyes and dashed upwind, away from the stench, to take a seat and meditate. It only took half an hour before he cast his summon and Inari returned. ¡°Did you go inside me?¡± Inari nodded. By her unusually mellow behavior it seemed it wasn¡¯t something she expected either. ¡°Boring?¡± Inari pointed to her eyes and then to Shin¡¯s. She could perceive everything he could, Shin understood her meaning in totality. ¡°At least she¡¯s not stuck in the dark¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t ideal but she at least had something to keep her busy in the downtime. And that downtime would be significant. At roughly 150 a summon and at lvl 3, 50 minutes for the duration, Shin wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her out most of the time even at maxed level. But the longer the better and he still needed to level his skills, so there was no time to waste. Shin sprinted down the mountain face back towards the forest and Inari followed with ease. It would be a busy week. Chapter 17 Shin carved through the greater rank goblins with ease. With each swing a green fiend fell, two axes gliding through the wave of monsters painting the forest red in broad strokes. A dingy blue robed goblin at the back shrieked and four armored goblins charged. The forefront goblin warrior raised his sword above his head and an axe ate through his arms, another its neck cutting the scream short. Shin hooked his axe on the shield of the second and pulled it down, thrusting a sword through its exposed throat. He pivoted, swinging his sword in a full circle, swatting away the blade of the third and brought his axe through its neck in the same fluid motion. Shin caught the head on the flat of his axe and flung it at the last. The goblin warrior struck the head away and a sword snaked its way through its broken stance, piercing jaw to helm. Shin pulled out his sword and faced the lone goblin mage that remained. The mage took a step back, trembling, before casting a dense ball of mana at the human calamity in desperation. Shin stored his weapons and guarded his body with his arms, a thin square of mana appearing in front. The mana ball shattered through the screen and slammed into Shin¡¯s arms knocking him back, the invisible barrier around him gleaning as it shuddered. The goblin mage paused then cast another with renewed confidence. Another screen appeared and shattered, this time along with the protection of cushion. A sheen coated Shin head to toe in a flash as he stepped forward again. A third mana ball met the same fate as the ones before. The goblin mage snarled, fire swirling by its outstretched palm and shot forth. Shin dove to the side, avoiding the large fireball that incinerated a tree behind, and rolled again for a second. The goblin mage found its frustration again and cast another mana ball. Shin planted his feet and took it head on once more. [Mana Screen has reached lvl. 10.] [Cushion has reached lvl. 9.] Fire swirled in the goblin¡¯s palm again and sputtered out. A hatchet buried in its skull before panic could take place of confusion. If the mage was out of mana, Shin had no more use for it. He cast Stimulate on himself to heal his arms, bruised from the impact even through the bracers he donned. He glanced around at his outmatched sparring partners. Shin had been trying to upgrade Martial Combat to Superior but it eluded him more than fusing Meditation or Inari. There was a sort of absence in his efforts, a missing spark that was present when he forced together the two warring energies or awoke from his mana rich trance. He was motivated, that much he was sure, but lacked a sort of urgency, a need. Shin thought back to fighting that first tree goblin chief, and his state of mind in the face of a stronger foe. ¡°I need something stronger¡­¡± ¡°Well met, Warrior!¡± Shin turned to the energetic knightly voice to his side. On a rock in the distance calmly sat an orange furred weasel with bold beady eyes and a tail that formed into the blade of scythe. [Gallant Sickle Weasel (uncommon) - Greater Peasant rank] ¡°No cause for alarm. Heal yourself, my foe. I shall wait.¡± Shin calmly continued to heal himself, watching the unusual creature unblinkingly, but true to his word he did not move an inch. Two swords appeared in Shin¡¯s hands. ¡°Ready.¡± ¡°Well, then.¡± The sickle weasel¡¯s body burst from the rock. Shin dove to the side on reflex as a whirling wheel sliced through the space he had just been. The wheel continued on, curving into open space and uncurling into the sickle weasel. ¡°En Garde!¡± The sickle weasel kicked off a tree and spun into a wheel again. Shin sidestepped and thrust at the center with his sword, but the weasel uncurled in an instant, curving its long body around the blade. A twist with its body had Shin dip under the lash of the tail scythe and dart around, just barely dodging a succession of strikes. The sickle weasel was faster than him but he could read its movements to an extent. However he didn¡¯t dare try to block the scythe, recognizing the magical sheen on its edge. Good sense compelled him to summon Inari but Shin walked a different path, one that often required good sense to be cast aside. Shin sharpened his eyes, fixated on the way the weasel moved and the way its scythe followed. Three more strikes cut the air beside him and on the fourth he moved, meeting the downward scythe with a tap of his sword to its side, knocking it off course, and slashing with his other. The sword struck the neck of the weasel and was repelled, a strange force knocking the weapon back behind him, Shin nearly losing his grip on it. The weasel spun and Shin leant back as the scythe sailed over him, missing by a hair¡¯s breadth. He threw himself to the side, hitting the ground in a roll as the scythe pierced the earth where he just stood. Blood drained his side from a cut visible through torn cloth. Shin kept his eyes on the weasel taking a stance before him. The magic that deflected his sword, he recognized. It was identical to the parry skill the radiant guardians had. But on top of that, Shin had not missed the sound and feeling of his sword striking the creature¡¯s fur, as hard as steel. ¡°Splendid!¡± The sickle weasel praise. ¡°A true warrior, you are. I shall sully your pride no longer.¡± Shin¡¯s leaned to the left as an orange blur passed through, blood splashing from a large gash on his shoulder. A powerful gust of wind slammed against him from the same direction, nearly taking his balance. Shin caught sight of the weasel land on a tree before turning into a blur again, slicing deep through his thigh, another surge of wind trailing the sickle weasel¡¯s lunge. The weasel darted from tree to tree around him, the surging wind blowing leaves and dust into a burgeoning whirlwind. Shin¡¯s head and eyes darted with it, his focus intensifying. A wooden bo staff replaced the swords and Shin spun it vertical, his eyes racing to keep up with the orange blur. Shin jolted the same time as the third lunge came, vaulting over the charge which sliced the staff in two. A shocked grunt from the weasel was cut short as the fire talisman stuck to his face set ablaze. Shin let the surge of wind knock him through the air at the same time, twisting and contorting his body to land next to the weasel clawed to the tree, reeling from a charred face. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Shin slid across the earth exactly where he needed, already in stance. One hand outstretched, the other palming the end of the staff. Shin tensed every muscle in his body to move in unison, his technique more perfect than it had ever been before, and thrust the staff into the side of the weasel, the impact rippling through its body, sending it crashing into a tree in the distance. The sickle weasel struggled to rise on trembling feet but another cough of blood made it fall prone again. [Advanced Martial Combat has become Superior Martial Combat lvl. 1] Shin dismissed the notification as he walked towards the sickle weasel on its last legs. The weasel, blind from fire, heard him approach. ¡°You have bested me, Warrior¡­¡± A bloody cough interrupted him. ¡°Now go! Onward with your quest. May our paths cross again if fate favors us.¡± Shin stored an empty vial and drew another healing potion, pouring it out on the weasel¡¯s face. He held out a hand and a warm glow enveloped the creature. Gradually, the charred fur and singed flesh healed and the weasel¡¯s eyes turned to him. Shin turned the focus of his skill to its ruptured insides. At least initially, Cure Wounds would be more effective. ¡°We are foes¡­ on the same path¡­ I know the challenges¡­ of an honorable duel¡­ The burden of my recovery¡­ is not yours¡­¡± ¡°Just feel like it.¡± ¡°Do you not fear¡­ I will strike unjustly¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Your heart is pure and true¡­¡± Shin switched his skill to Stimulate. Monsters tend to have good Vitality, so it fared better with the worst of the injuries precariously patched up. [Stimulate has reached lvl. 10. 10 attribute points rewarded.] Shin put his balance of 20 points into Spirit. He had held onto the points gained from mana screen since the fight started in case he needed to rely on it, but he had managed as he was. He focused his desire on Stimulate to progress in the direction he designed. [Stimulate has upgraded to uncommon tier Vitalize.] Not only did it improve upon the effects of Stimulate, but now granted energy to the target, such that their stamina will be less burdened by the healing. It didn¡¯t take long for the sickle weasel to rise to its feet, successfully this time, though its injuries were not yet fully healed, and Shin continued using his skill. ¡°Thank you, my foe. Nor is my name.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Shin. To save one you have defeated in fair combat¡­ You must be a knight!¡± Nor, the sickle weasel, declared with certainty. ¡°I¡¯m a Spiritualist.¡± ¡°Oh! A knight of spirits! How marvelous!¡± ¡°Are sickle weasels spirits?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Nor confirmed. Shin tilted his head slightly in thought. ¡°Wanna follow me?¡± ¡°You wish for me to accompany you on your quest?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin cast Befriend Spirit for the first time. A gateway of souls formed between them, laying bare the true essence of one¡¯s being. Shin felt a sense of acceptance and a strand of mana from the soul connected them. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Nor laughed boisterously. ¡°Never did I think I would form a bond to another, but I have no complaints if it is one as worthy as you!¡± ¡°Bond?¡± ¡°A connection between souls. Have you not done so before, Sir Shin?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m afraid I cannot enlighten you further, for I have no experience myself. But I feel another like myself.¡± Shin closed his eyes and felt. As his mind delved deeper into his soul, he sensed two strands flowing from it. One being the newly formed bond made with Nor, and the other a far larger, stronger, and mystifying strand, distinct and familiar. ¡°That¡¯s Inari.¡± ¡°Another warrior?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin supposed that was accurate enough. ¡°Then we are no duo, but a merry band!¡± Shin inspected his new partner¡¯s status while the increasingly healthy weasel laughed to no one in particular. [Gallant Sickle Weasel (rare) - Greater Peasant rank] Strength - 152 Agility - 239 Constitution - 126 Vitality - 184 Dexterity - 225 Perception - 201 Force - 146 Spirit - 189 Control - 160 Willpower - 253 Skills: Tailwind lvl. 8, Keen Cut lvl. 9, Whirlwind lvl. 6, Greater Deflect lvl. 10, Traits: Ironfurred (epic), Lesser Fear Resistance (rare), Lesser Pain Resistance (rare), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), ¡°Your build is very knightly.¡± ¡°The status of a knight is not one so easily obtained. It is for this reason that I quest to earn that right! And to live up to my namesake.¡± ¡°Nor?¡± ¡°Escanor! King of the White Mountain!¡± Nor heralded with grandeur. ¡°It is the duty of all aspiring knights to walk his righteous path.¡± Shin vaguely recalled that name from Arthurian legend. ¡°Half giant half witch?¡± ¡°The nature of one¡¯s birth matters not! Only the path one chooses to walk.¡± Nor¡¯s words held conviction and an air of inspiration. ¡°Anyway! I have healed, Sir Shin. What be our next course?¡± ¡°Killing goblins.¡± ¡°Wretched things! Let us be off then!¡± ¡°Mm. I summon you later.¡± Nor vanished and a light arose within Shin¡¯s soul. He was quite expensive, about 10 mana a minute by Shin¡¯s estimation. He would run dry in no time if he kept the knightly spirit out during the journey. Shin sprinted off, healing his own injuries on the go. He could stop the bleeding and force his body to move as normal but do little to solve the root of the problem in short time. [Cure Wounds has reached lvl. 4] And he had to train. --- Giuseppe walked through the cave strewn with corpses, maimed and defiled. An excessively cruel endeavor but cruelty was the point. His patron desired tortured souls. Giuseppe wrinkled his nose, pushing up his fat cheeks making his eyes appear even thinner than usual. He had gotten used to the noise but not yet the foul stench. Past the corrupted thralls doing their work and through the winding cave he walked, sweat dripping his bald head onto his white priest robes. His vitality was too low for this constant exercise but he had not the leisure to spare points on it, thus he bore with the inconvenience. Finally he came to the end of a cave, a simple shrine erected at the end surrounding a bronze statue of a horned monstrosity, crouching on hooved legs, large muscular arms hanging low, grabbing the edge of its platform as if it would come to life and lunge at any moment. Giuseppe came to the center of the room and prostrated before the statue. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°The offerings are unsatisfactory.¡± ¡°It has been difficult, my-¡± ¡°Why have you not taken the fortress?¡± Giuseppe shuddered at the statue¡¯s baleful displeasure. ¡°Their numbers are great, my lord. We need to increase our own before we-¡± ¡°I will accept no excuse!¡± The statue roared. ¡°See. It. Done.¡± ¡°At once, my lord.¡± Giuseppe hobbled to his feet and walked away, as briskly as could be taken without offense and brisker still once he rounded the tunnel. He needed a small army to level the walls of that fortress and scant time to raise one. He could have managed already had his patron not required so many souls to sustain his presence, but he could not change what could not be changed. ¡°Go! Bring me more humans! Alive!¡± The corrupted players with blackened eyes and blackened veins paused and ran off into the forest at the order of their master. Giuseppe grimaced as he contemplated a plan to achieve the mountainous task forced upon him. The demon had given him power, and he would hold onto it. Chapter 18 Shin sprinted through the forest, eyes flashing iridescent every so often. He glanced to the side and suddenly jolted up a tree, jumping and swinging up its branches as easily as he ran. Prismatic color filled his irises as he scanned the region in detail. With his Perception doubled, so had the range of his vision, and with increased clarity. But still, he could not see another goblin tree. Shin tumbled back down and broke into a sprint as soon as his feet hit the ground. His speed had risen to an adequate minimum but now his stamina was lacking to take full advantage of it over long distance. Push come to shove he could force his body to move anyway but that was an ability best saved for a difficult fight, which by experience could happen at any moment. Shin glanced to the left and came to a hard stop. The sound of stomping on leaves and hard soil came soon after and two humans with blackened eyes and bulbous dark veins rushed out. Demonic Humans with classes he hadn¡¯t seen before, one intermediate the other greater. Shin drew a sword and axe and the greater rank vanished, the clang of his metal gauntlets on a sword rang out before his perception caught up. Shin leap back as the demonic human unleashed a flurry of punches against Inari¡¯s slashes. She moved faster and with more urgency than Shin had seen for such a length. Her rear foot slide back and the front followed. She was being overwhelmed. ¡°Keep the other one alive.¡± An orange blur appeared at Shin¡¯s command and sliced through the greater demonic human¡¯s ankle. As he fell off balance, Inari ran her sword through his neck. Shin turned to the pained grunt as an arm of the intermediate rank flew through the air, weapon in hand. A short pause was all there was before the man lunged towards Shin and collapse on the ground, a slash robbing him of his legs. ¡°It is done.¡± Nor announced as he disappeared. Shin walked closer to the downed enemy, struggling in pain and confusion. ¡°Why are you attacking me?¡± The demonic human pushed off the ground straight at Shin with a roar, and a sword passed cleanly through his skull. Inari pulled out her weapon and flourished the dark blood off her blade with a frown of disgust. Shin looked at the severed head of the other man. [Demonic Human Fighter (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 84 Agility - 118 Constitution - 54 Vitality - 95 Dexterity - 81 Perception - 30 Force - 21 Spirit - 52 Control - 29 Willpower - 22 His hair and beard was grown out, unkempt and wild, but Shin recognized the monk leader of the party he left Grace with. Agility barely half of Inari¡¯s yet he was clearly faster. He knew which clan this illegitimate hailed from now but that was only a passing thought. Without hesitation he sped off in the direction they had come from. Inari waved holy fire on the bodies before following after. --- A demonic human carried a black haired woman over his shoulder to Giuseppe and dumped her on the ground before him. Giuseppe¡¯s expression twisted in anger and struck the thrall across the face with a closed palm. ¡°I said alive! What use is a dead body?!¡± Giuseppe suppressed an urge to strike the thrall again. They were obedient, but lacked the intelligence to handle situations with anything other than the simplest application of their orders. This was not the first time to happen, nor did he expect it to be the last. But with each failed capture, he felt the chill of the gruesome hell that awaited him if he failed. ¡°Go! Bring me living players!¡± The demonic human turned back the way he came and an arrow pierced his skull. Giuseppe had scarcely comprehended what just happened before he was slammed to the ground with a sword pointed at his neck. His panic only heightened upon identifying the masked woman standing over him. Two demonic humans rushed out of the forest towards her and were dropped before they could even draw close, an arrow through each of their heads. Shin jumped down from his tree and walked towards the summoner. He recognized him too, the fat priest of her party. [Human Summoner (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] ¡°Where is she?¡± The slight smile and neutral expression did not budge from his face, but an air of cold intent gleaned from his eyes. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°W-who?¡± ¡°I left her with you.¡± Realization struck Giuseppe¡¯s face as he recognized the unsettling child from all those days ago. ¡°Ah, Grace?! I haven¡¯t laid a hand on her, I swear!¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°We split up! The party. I don¡¯t know where she is.¡± Giuseppe blabbered. ¡°Help me. Please. You don¡¯t know. These people, you don¡¯t know¡­¡± A red blur charged from the cave. Inari jumped back from the swipe of its clawed hand and slashed away at its strikes as they took to the sky. Giuseppe¡¯s pitiful expression twisted into mockery as an arrow bounced off a barrier that formed in front of him, rising to his feet with an orb in hand. ¡°How much I¡¯m going to make you suffer!¡± Three devilish creatures appeared, their purple bodies covered in bony spikes and thorns. [Spiccan (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] Shin shot an arrow at one and it bounced off the demon¡¯s rock like skin, leaving a mere crack. Nor appeared and charged without needing a command as Shin jumped back, throwing two talismans. Fire burst over two spiccans as they charged right towards it and then straight through the flames as if they weren¡¯t there. Two maces appeared in Shin¡¯s hands as he delved into the cover of the forest. A flash of steel took the arm of one along with its attention, the other followed Shin into the trees. The blaring sound of a horn stole Shin¡¯s focus for a moment before dodging a swipe of the spiccan¡¯s claws and bashing the side of its head with a mace on the way. The spiccan stumbled for a moment before resuming its charge. Another swipe earned it the same fate. Shin sidestepped a lunge and crashed the mace down on its skull and the second into its face as it rose. Shin continued this dance for more exchanges. The spiccan was slower than him but his strikes didn¡¯t seem to be having much of an effect. The purple rock like skin fractured where struck but nothing more. Shin aimed for the head whenever he could but the creature showed no signs of concussion. The spiccan hissed at Shin then spat a ball of dark flames. The infernal fireball crashed against a thin yellow screen and broke it, though the flames fell to the ground themselves. The demon strained and spat out another. An arrow crossed its path and struck into the top of the demons mouth as second holy screen neutralized the fire. Two more arrows pierced into the demon¡¯s mouth as it staggered back, and a spear from below pierced to the top of its skull. It struggled at the end of the spear before falling limp and its body turning to ash. Shin rushed back into the clearing to the sound of Nor¡¯s scythe clashing against the barrier of the demon priest, two piles of ash lying nearby along with the bodies of several demonic humans. He glanced up at the fierce battle in the sky which seemed to be about equal, before checking his surroundings. ¡°More enemies coming!¡± Nor ceased his attacks and ran to Shin¡¯s side. Shin took cover by a tree between him and the fat priest, aiming his bow through spirit vision. The first arrow took out its target but the second struck something faint in his sight. A third arrow found its mark but in that time the rest had drawn close. Shin switched his vision and nocked another arrow. But the approaching humans rushed over to the demon priest, forming a guard around him. ¡°This wretched forest will be your grave, boy!¡± Giuseppe laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll make you scream just as I did your whore!¡± ¡°Archers.¡± Shin told Nor, showing no reaction to the priest¡¯s taunts. ¡°At once!¡± Nor raced off as Shin shot covering arrows from behind the tree, slipping back as the demonic archers own nearly pierced through. Like the wind Nor soared between the crowd. A slash of his tail severed an archer from head to groin and a whirling lunge sliced through the head of the others as Nor vanished into thin air. Shin rushed out from the tree, sword and axe in hand. He carved through the motley band of corrupted players. Most had uncommon tier classes and some were greater tier, but the various abilities they had were wasted on their lacking skill and intelligence, no better than goblins. An axe beheaded the last of them as Shin stared down the demon priest behind the barrier. Giuseppe¡¯s expression was bitter but held no fear. ¡°You can¡¯t win. My lord will dispose of your pet and then your mind. I¡¯ll make you pay dearly.¡± Above them sword clashed against claw. Inari darted around, faster than the leathan but it was stronger and its strikes dangerous. The few wounds she managed to inflict healed by themselves quickly. She spat out golden tinted fire and the demon responded with blackish flame. The two clashed, each trying to devour the other before extinguishing to nothing. ¡°I will feast upon you, cur.¡± The leathan spoke with grim intensity. Inari held still for a moment, standing down her foe. Holy flame shone within her swords as she spat grayish blue flames. The demon swiped out dark flames again, but the trickfire snaked around it and wrapped around its face. The leathan tore at the unburning flame as he soared to the sky. But a white flash followed like lightning, and with a golden slash, severed its arm and another cutting deep across its torso. The leathan tore off the blue fire and leapt back, celestial fire lingering on its bloodless injuries. It glared at Inari before the space around it distorted and the demon vanished. ¡°No¡­¡± Giuseppe stared in disbelief as his patron lord fled. The crystal orb shattered along with the barrier and Shin slammed a mace into the stomach of the priest. The demon priest vomited blood, squirming into a grovel on the ground. Inari appeared by Shin¡¯s side and raised her sword but paused and looked at Shin who stored his weapons. ¡°W-wait¡­ I didn¡¯t kill her¡­ truly¡­¡± Giuseppe pleading between spats of blood. His injury wouldn¡¯t kill him quickly but it was debilitating to say the least. Shin looked at the man. ¡°Can you do the black fire skill?¡± ¡°Infernal Fire¡­ yes¡­.¡± ¡°Tier and level.¡± ¡°...uncommon¡­ 8.¡± Shin lingers then walks at a distance in front of the priest, equipping a wooden shield and casting a holy screen in front. ¡°Cast it at the yellow square.¡± Giuseppe hesitated for a few moments, before raising a hand and shooting dark flames as Shin commanded. The flames were stronger than the spiccan¡¯s, breaking through the screen and crashing against the shield. Shin discarded it immediately, avoiding even a single ember reaching his body. [Holy Screen has reached lvl. 6] He equipped another wooden shield and cast another holy screen. ¡°Again.¡± Giuseppe coughed and did has told, to the same result. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m out of mana.¡± The priest said after the second, and then froze upon looking at Shin¡¯s eyes. ¡°I-I can recover! I have a skill!¡± He groaned, his desperate urgency worsening his wounds. ¡°Steal mana from targets¡­¡± ¡°Wait here.¡± Shin told Inari and sprinted off. He returned within minutes, dumping amputated monsters in front of Giuseppe. The demon priest did not need to be told, grabbing the skull of a goblin, blue mana swirling up from his hand and into his arm. He did the same for the rest, sweat and tired eyes his reward along with the mana. Shin cast a holy screen and Giuseppe did not need to be told for that either. [Holy Screen has reached lvl. 7] Shin walked over to Giuseppe without warning, and pulled him over to a tree, tying up his arms and legs to it. He drew a talisman and activated it for Giuseppe to see the flames and stuck a half dozen onto his face and body, then clenched open the priests mouth and poured a healing potion in before walking over to the opposite side of the clearing and taking a seat facing him, falling into meditation. Giuseppe stared at the madman and then the white masked summon before falling himself into desperate contemplation. Chapter 19 Giuseppe sluggishly stared at the eerie bastard calmly meditating before him. For two days now, he had been bound to the tree, deprived of food and water. The spiritualist child was not even allowing him to speak, let alone heal himself further, his only respite being the shield tester he was forced to be. Giuseppe grimaced from the pain in his gut, and shifted his leg across the dirt slightly. One eye of the spiritualist snapped open and peered at him for moments before closing again. The infernal bound priest exhaled. He had not felt so on edge around anything other than the demon he contracted with. He cursed that demon in his mind, having shown no sign of itself since he abandoned him to this child. The accursed thing boasted that nothing within this tutorial could match his might, a claim that would have made Giuseppe spit on the ground were it not to elicit a response from his warden. His thoughts turning back to the child who would surely kill him once this macabre training was done with, his expression steeling. [Meditation has reached lvl. 7] Shin opened his eyes, his mana capacity full. The glow of meditation dispersed as he rose to his feet. He walked over to the pile of monsters he paralyzed and threw a couple over at the demon priest¡¯s feet, and then dashed over to untie his arms. Inari appeared as he walked to an open space in front, shield and screen out in front as usual. The priest finished siphoning mana from the fuel he provided and raised his hand, shooting dark flames. Holy Screen had leveled and grown stronger but so had the priest¡¯s skill, along with his Force being much higher, Shin was sure. The screen shattered and the monster he was holding took the attack in his place. He had run out of common tier shields to waste on the first day and had to improvise. Monsters within the nearby vicinity were depleting as well but he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that soon. Four more flames crashed into four more shields and monsters. [Holy Screen has reached lvl. 10. 10 attribute points rewarded.] Shin put the points into Spirit and focused on two skills. Blue mana surged in his left hand and golden in the right. Though weaker, the two energies fought against each other as had been for his summon, and both lost out to Shin¡¯s will. [Holy Screen and Mana Screen have fused into uncommon tier skill Mystic Wall.] The holy properties had been removed, in its place the new defensive skill highly specialized against magical attacks at the cost of being poor against physical ones. With his intentions successful, he focused on Cushion which yielded much more easily. [Cushion has upgraded to uncommon tier skill Buffer.] It was the exact opposite of the shield, being much more effective against physical attacks. With this, he had formed the foundation of his defenses. Now there was only one issue to deal with. Shin glanced to the right and Inari ran off to the cave. Giuseppe flew into action, bloodred malice surging around his hands and burst towards Shin. Shin jumped back and just as the infernal red mass reached him, it struck Inari square on, who guarded Shin with her body. ¡°Fool! Did you think I wouldn¡¯t see through your cheap charade?!¡± Giuseppe roared with mad laughter as two spiccans summoned in front of him. ¡°That bitch will soon be under my control and you next! You dare treat me this way? Me?! When I tear down that damn fortress, I¡¯ll make you kill that mage whore of yours with your own hands!¡± The infernal mist surged with the demon priest¡¯s cackles, and fizzled out. Inari stood, completely unaffected by the demonic curse. ¡°Wha¡­¡± ¡°Grace is in the garrison?¡± Giuseppe¡¯s mind went blank at the scene before him. ¡°I don¡¯t need you anymore.¡± Before he could utter a word, Inari severed his neck in a flash, the two spiccans faded back to where they came as his fat body hit the ground. The fox warrior spat holy fire on the corpse in disdain and returned to Shin¡¯s side. ¡°Anything wrong?¡± Inari shook her head. ¡°Okay. Then-¡± Inari kicked Shin across the clearing. Shin caught sight of a gray blur and the sound of clanging metal rang out as he rolled to his feet. Inari slid back, two swords holding the maw of a giant wolf at bay. Her arms trembled as the wolf slowly closed its jaw and her legs buckled under the force pressing down on her. Suddenly the wolf jolted its head back as an arrow sailed through air and leapt back avoiding a slash aimed at its neck. Inari rushed back over between Shin and the giant creature. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! [Giant Direwolf Stalker (rare) - Greater Peasant] Shin identified the beast for the first time. A variant at least, maybe even an elite, and every bit as fast and dangerous as it had been the first time he caught a glimpse of it. His Perception was much higher now and still he had not heard it coming. It had a stealth skill, its type all but confirming that. By the two meetings he had with the massive wolf and the way it now eyed them after the failed attack, it favored ambush tactics. With it in front of their eyes, the worst was over, but it had still proven to be faster and stronger than Inari. There was no room for error. Shin moved first, jumping back to the trees and loosing an arrow as a translucent veil gleaned over Inari. The direwolf blurred past the arrow and swiped a paw at Inari as she leapt into the air, spitting blue fire. The fire wreathed like a hand after the direwolf chasing it but petered out, never even drawing close to its target. Inari charged at the direwolf from above, and it vanished, a giant paw broke and tore away the trees in front of Shin. Shin bolted, deeper into the forest, aiming for the densest cluster of trees. The wolf barrelled and thrashed through trees, blurring through the space large enough to move through. A giant maw lunged at Shin and was stopped just short, its body stonewalled by two thick deep rooted trees. As Shin rushed past, Nor appeared on a tree and lunged with the blessing of wind pushing him on, spinning into a sickle wheel. The wolf lurched its head and blood splashed from a cut across the top of its snout, beneath the eyes. The wolf glared at Nor, then growled and turned to its side, a deep gash on its torso splattered blood. Inari swung her other sword but the wolf struck her with a lash of its tail, knocking her away. An orange blur carried the wind through the trees around the wolf as it darted its head its eyes keeping up with the small enemy. It moved suddenly, an arrow grazing the side of its face, and Nor lunged, its sickle tail struck like lightning, and struck only air. The direwolf blurred and chomped Nor whole. A blade wheel sawed through the top and bottom of its maws, a whirring pitch escaping through blood and bone. The direwolf opened his mouth on reflex and Nor leapt out, fur coating in blood. The direwolf roared, enraged at the tiny prey causing it such pain, and veered its head away from another arrow, the talisman attached to the head evading its notice. A sudden burst of flames caught the wolf by surprise, and it leapt back. A white blur appeared by its side and slashed deep into its front leg. A snap forced Inari away but arrows in quick succession burst into flames around the direwolf¡¯s face, obstructing its vision as it sprinted back into clearing. It turned its head as it ran, meeting Inari¡¯s eyes, and its body froze. Inari crouched low and deep, soil giving way as she focused strength into her legs, and a wave of fear fell upon the forest, emanating from the paralyzed direwolf. Inari¡¯s body struggled against itself before breaking free into a burst. The wolf¡¯s body jolted at the last instant and her sword drew a line of red too shallow to kill. As the great wolf reared up, an arrow struck its neck, not deep enough to matter, but it brought the sound of a dozen talismans fluttering against each other in the wind. Before the wolf could realize, they all went up at once, covering its neck with fire. The direwolf flailed as the flames crept up its head and smoke filled its nose and besieged its eyes. A bladed wheel severed through the tendon of its heel, making it falter for a moment, but a moment was all it took. A white blur and flash of a pristine sword sliced deep into its neck through its wound, this one reaching into the throat. A pool of blood doused the fire on its underside with sputtering yelps. The massive wolf thrashed wildly in all directions, desperate to keep attacks at bay, but soon it slowed and became to falter. A sharp wheel carved through its side and Inari¡¯s sword dug deep into the other. The direwolf growled her away and took an unsteady stance, its body worn and beaten. A long beckoning howl in the distance broke the silence. The direwolf paused then sprinted off to its destination, forcing its body to move at top speed. Shin jumped out of the forest and gave chase, his two spirits regrouping around him and following after. The wolf had gotten the jump on Shin because he attacked from his blindside, but now that he knew where he was, it would never escape his eyes. Shin¡¯s head tilted up, just slightly and slowed his speed, coming to a gradual stop in a small clearing. The giant direwolf lay collapsed, its eyes unfocused and hazy, its breathing faint. Shin glanced at Inari and she moved in an instant, standing on top of the wolf¡¯s neck, holding up a single sword pointing downwards. The wolf¡¯s eye inched up but faltered, its body unmoved, and the sword pierced through its skull. The great beast, the terror of the forest, lay still. [Giant Direwolf Stalker (rare) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 270 Agility - 345 Constitution - 218 Vitality - 258 Dexterity - 247 Perception - 303 Force - 128 Spirit - 122 Control - 181 Willpower - 175 Skills: Sneak lvl. 10, Chomp lvl. 10, Greater Swipe lvl. 8, Greater Lunge lvl. 9 Traits: Padded Paws (epic), Quick Reflexes (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Shin lingered for only a moment before sprinting off in the direction of the howl. Cutting through the forest, it took mere seconds before Shin came to a stop by a tree, his spirits standing by his side. Glaring at them was another massive wolf, and beneath it huddled a half dozen cubs as large as lions. [Giant Direwolf (rare) - Greater Peasant] ¡°Enemies, Sir Shin?¡± Nor asked. ¡°No.¡± Shin turned and left. The stalker had been dangerous because it was an elite with a stealth ability. A regular one posed no threat to them, nor was there a particular need to kill them. He had learned that Grace was safe, fused his shield skill, and dealt with the sudden threat that had been a note in the back of his mind. There had been enough distractions and detours. The secrets of the stage lay waiting for him somewhere. Chapter 20 Shin nonchalantly watched the tribe of tree goblins charge towards him. ¡°Nor.¡± The orange sickle weasel appeared at his call and rushed towards the horde. Nor lunged into a whirlwind, slicing through one side of the crowd like they were leaves. Two more lunges finished off the rest. A lash of his scythe bisected the enraged chief. A sphere of vines tightly wound around the fearful treepriest but another slash split apart the green barrier along with goblin. [Achievement: Monster Slayer I. 25 attribute points rewarded.] ¡®Kill 1,000 monsters with total attribute points higher than the player¡¯s.¡¯ Nor dashed over to the Shin¡¯s side without ceremony. ¡°Incompetents, Sir Shin. We must search for more worthy foes.¡± ¡°Soon, maybe.¡± Shin drew several talismans between his fingers, and a large ball of fire from the distance slammed into the goblin tree, setting the whole thing ablaze in moments. Shin turned to look at the small group of players he had spotted a while back with spirit eyes. Eight in total, none scurrying around in secret, and in the middle of them out in front a middle aged man with a thick graying goatee, heavily armored and bearing an aura of relaxed confidence. ¡°I believe you have something of mine.¡± The man¡¯s voice reached Shin¡¯s ears from that distance as though he were standing right beside him. ¡°These are mine.¡± ¡°No.¡± The man hummed with a scottish twang. ¡°When that fire settles, I¡¯ll be claiming the emblem myself. Which means, you only have the one.¡± A sword and axe appeared in Shin¡¯s hands. The man with the goatee chuckled. ¡°Now that wouldn¡¯t be a smart move.¡± The rest of the members shifted slightly. ¡°Tell you what. You seem capable. Why don¡¯t you join us and we finish this thing together.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t seen the gatekeeper then, seeing as you think this is something you can take on alone.¡± Shin paused out of interest and the man seemed to pick up on that. ¡°You see, all you need is two pieces and it shines a light straight to where you need to go. If you met that monster, you wouldn¡¯t be so quick to dismiss my offer. If that¡¯s what they put outside the dungeon, one can only imagine what¡¯s inside.¡± The man continued without waiting for a response. ¡°How about this. You come with us and see for yourself. Then you can decide if you want to be friends or¡­ go at it alone.¡± Shin put his weapons away. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We have a plan then. Best get a move on. Don¡¯t want to run out of time after all this work, aye?¡± --- Shin jogged alongside the party at a pace much slower than he had become accustomed to. They were mostly physical types but centered their speed around their slowest, the casters. All eight were greater rank with uncommon tier classes, not a single exception. By class name alone, they were a Tactician, Curer, Spotter, Battlepriest, Fighter, Duelist, Marksman, and Evoker. He couldn¡¯t see their skills naturally, but he had an idea about the possibilities based on experience. Shin glanced at the leader with his eyes only, a Tactician, something he hadn¡¯t encountered before in any capacity. He guessed it upgraded from a bard class, based on his voice magic, but had no definitive proof. Bards lean towards caster types but it was clear from the way he moved and his stamina that the bard leader had invested heavily into physical stats. The whole party moved half decently, scouting ahead, checking their points, keeping a solid guard up within a flexible formation. All were attentive and steeled. Shin supposed over three weeks of this forest was enough to weed out the ones who weren¡¯t capable. The gear they donned likely played a factor. Few traces of the starting items he was familiar with remained on them. Their gear was among the best he had seen before and all eight were well equipped in it. ¡°Where did you get your items?¡± The party turned towards Shin, most of them rather amazed he could be so blunt and carefree given his situation. ¡°Dungeons and crafters, mostly.¡± The tactician answered. ¡°Mostly.¡± The bow wielding marksman echoed sardonically. A glance made that the only thing he said. ¡°What¡¯s inside a dungeon?¡± ¡°Never been?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°A long line of monsters and a strong one at the end.¡± ¡°They drop items?¡± ¡°Some have usable gear. The best stuff comes in a chest when you kill the leader.¡± ¡°Game mechanics¡­¡± Shin thought. ¡°You have a strange class on you, though. What¡¯s a spiritualist entail exactly?¡± ¡°Spirits.¡± ¡°Never would¡¯ve guessed.¡± A low whistle came from up ahead and the party followed into a small clearing with cover in all directions but nothing too dense to sneak up close. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Here¡¯s good.¡± The leader said after glancing around. Shin waited around in silence as the party started inspecting the surroundings, setting up traps, and talking amongst themselves. They gradually gathered around the tactician as they finished whatever their tasks were. The tactician looked up from a discussion and gestured Shin over. ¡°Right then.¡± He spoke as Shin walked near. ¡°We¡¯ll camp here, rest up for the big quest tomorrow. We have watch so feel free to get a good night¡¯s sleep. Good?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good. Tawny, Mark, Lucas, Lynn, take first watch.¡± Four of them headed to the center of the camp and stood with their backs to each other facing each direction. Shin walked over to the cliff face and set up his tent, entering it drawing the gazes of the party in awe of his careless attitude. The bard signalled the other three to follow him to the watch, and cast a transparent sphere around them. ¡°You serious ¡®bout this, Wallace?¡± The duelist asked as soon as the veil of silence was up. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s wearing my brother¡¯s armor!¡± ¡°Right, take that shite, yeah? And bottle it up. No one is running around on their own this late in the game if they can¡¯t handle themselves. We can use him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a greater rare middleweight at least¡­¡± The battlepriest woman spoke up. ¡°Probably melee skills too.¡± ¡°Whatever he¡¯s got, something big is waiting past that gate.¡± Wallace cut in. ¡°Anyone have a problem with having another body to throw at it?¡± No one spoke up. ¡°Alright. Now get some rest. I want everyone in top shape tomorrow.¡± Wallace walked over to his tent and entered. The veil containing their conversation dispersed as did the other three on second watch. Shin sat in the dark of his tent in calm silence, watching with iridescent eyes. --- Shin stared at the entrance to the tree goblin dungeon, a stone door carved into the base of a small mountain between two goblin trees, a wide crest shaped indent visible. The roots embedded deep, partially breaking through the surface and encircling the ground around the door. Pacing the territory of the trees with thundering steps was a giant, hulking goblin. Bark covered its head and torso like armor and small branches and leaves grew from its flesh. In one arm it held a gnarled wooden club nearly as tall as itself, resting heavily on its shoulder. [Giant Tree Goblin Gatekeeper (rare) - Greater Peasant] ¡°A superior rare.¡± Wallace told Shin from his side. ¡°We call them Heavies. Killable, but it keeps growing back, no matter what. The trees drop wood goblins endlessly as soon as you catch its attention. They grow back into tree goblins if you don¡¯t kill them right. The door is solid, no way in without the key. So¡­ what¡¯s your choice?¡± Shin casually tossed a golden metal fragment, which landed slowly in the tactician¡¯s hand. Wallace smiled and a notification appeared in front of Shin inviting him to join his party, which he accepted. ¡°Alright. Just like we planned. Lucas, Kai, Lynn draw the gatekeeper away. Everyone else is on gardening duty.¡± The Duelist, Spotter, and Marksman ran off sticking close together. The moment they stepped into the territory marked by the roots the gatekeeper turned his head, roaring at the sight of them. Immediately they veered to the left and the giant goblin lumbered after. ¡°Go.¡± The rest took off on Wallace¡¯s signal, the battlepriest and fighter taking vanguard. The gatekeeper¡¯s head lurched their way with the first step in but its focus was quickly recaptured with an arrow that burst into flames. It swung its mighty club as the trio jumped back, maintaining a steady distance. The first of the wooden fruit hit the ground before the team even got close to the door. ¡°Mark with me.¡± Wallace said as he and the fighter broke off to the left. ¡°Follow me.¡± The battlepriest told Shin right after and he followed, trailing slightly behind. The evoker and curer kept a straight pace to the door. The first wood goblin to full form rushed straight at Tawny, and was bashed away to the ground by her shield. She struck a second with her mace sending it bumping over the first. ¡°Save your mana. We just need to keep them away.¡± She shouted at Shin as she struck away another wood goblin. Two maces appeared in Shin¡¯s hands as he followed her example, though to far lesser effect. He struck faster but the battlepriest woman had clearly favored strength quite a bit. Shin fought at a casual pace, knocking the growing number of wooden golems off balance more than away. The evoker and curer reached the door and placed the emblem into the slot. The eyes of the emblem glowed green and the door shuddered, but instead of opening inwards, slowly starting sinking into the ground. The gatekeeper jolted in its direction and charged with a roar, ignoring all attempts to draw its focus. ¡°Door¡¯s not ready!¡± The curer yelled ¡°Tawny!¡± Wallace bellowed. She knocked a goblin away and turned, sprinting off towards the gatekeeper without hesitation. Shin kicked a goblin away and belted them to the ground at a faster rate until the fighter showed up to take her place, his fists making for an effective a crowd control as a mace and shield. Shin heard a deep grunt behind him, like a warrior¡¯s chant, and a thundering crash of wood on steel. ¡°How much longer?!¡± Wallace¡¯s voice bellowed. ¡°Halfway!¡± ¡°Can you hold?!¡± A heavy crash shook the ground. ¡°Not long!¡± The Tawny shouted in response. Shin ignored the intermittent crashes of soil and occasionally steel and focused on the growing army of wood goblins. One mace swapped out for an axe and cleaved through a wooden arm. Shin struck another away with the mace and beheaded the dismembered one. The headless wood goblin rushed forward without pause and Shin bashed it away. Being headless didn¡¯t affect them and Shin doubted he had the power to cleave through their torsos. He swapped back to a mace and increased the pace of his attack, striking around their center mass to knock them over and over. Curses and shouts followed another crash behind him. ¡°Fire! Once!¡± Shin knocked two wood goblins away and glanced back to see the evoker woman channel a great ball of fire and blast it straight at the gatekeeper¡¯s head. The giant goblin reeled and clawed at the flames wrapped around its head before throwing off its fiery helm, leaving only embers behind on his body. ¡°Status!¡± ¡°The portal¡¯s still not here!¡± The curer yelled back. Shin glanced back again in between swatting goblins. The battlepriest was slow to her feet, and the others had heightened the seriousness of their attacks but still were holding back. ¡°Eyes.¡± Nor emerged and darted towards the gatekeeper, breaking into a whirling lunge that slices clean through both eyes before vanishing midair. The giant staggered with a pained roar for a moment, before blindly charging towards the door, thrashing around its club wildly. Wallace cursed and then let loose a booming shout, sending a concussive shockwave right on the club as it lowered, knocking it into the gatekeeper¡¯s stride. The giant goblin stumbled and fell flat on its stomach. But the lull in tension lasted only seconds before the monster started to rise to its feet. ¡°Keep it down!¡± Wallace urged. The others peppered the giant creature with what they could but it merely bought small moments. ¡°We need fire!¡± ¡°No!¡± He shot down. ¡°Keep stalling!¡± The curer frantically watched the stone door, his head swiveling back and forth between the threats surrounding him. Slowly the door sunk, just barely cracking the surface until finally it stopped and mana swirled in place of the pitch black wall. ¡°Open!¡± He yelled. ¡°Run!¡± Wallace ordered. The curer and evoker jumped through first. Wallace ran to the entrance and stood point ushering in the others. First the spotter then the duelist, lending a shoulder to the battlepriest, running in a pained limp as fast as she could. Shin broke off from his vanguard at the same time as the fighter and glanced at the situation before passing through. He stepped onto a stone floor and took note of his surroundings. A large corridor made completely of stone in a primitive but sturdy design. Roots broke through some of the cracks and coated the floor and walls sparsely. All the others who passed through were there, waiting. The battlepriest had slumped down against the wall, the curer casting magic on the leg she was holding. Only a second passed before Wallace and the archer came through the portal, both intact. Wallace looked around, inspecting the status of his party. ¡°Right. That¡¯s the first hurdle done.¡± Chapter 21 ¡°Ready?¡± Kai held Tawny¡¯s leg, her shin bent where it shouldn¡¯t. Her greaves and boots unequipped and the sleeves of her pants rolled up. ¡°Just do it.¡± Kai focused and then shifted the bone back in place, to the battlepriest¡¯s suppressed groans. ¡°Now.¡± The healer held up his hand and a thin yellow light enveloped the leg, different than how Shin¡¯s Cure Wounds looked. It only took a minute of patience and grimaces before Tawny waved them off and stood to her feet, gear reequipped. ¡°Good?¡± Wallace asked. Tawny stomped her leg a few times. ¡°Good enough.¡± ¡°We stick to the plan then.¡± Wallace turned to the rest of them. ¡°Kai up front. Make sure we don¡¯t fall in anything. Tawny has the vanguard. Lynn, Mark, you two are with me behind her. Lucas brings up the rear. You stay with the casters. You¡¯re on back up duty for anything that gets through.¡± Shin nodded at the last part directed at him. He noted the good formation. Scout checking ahead, tank up front, archer and leader right behind to contribute and a melee fighter right by in case the something gets through the tank. They had no one protected their flank but with the corridor being about twenty yards wide and closed off, there was no need. The party got into formation immediately and began walking at a careful pace. The spotter went ahead a bit faster but a lot more focused. He thoroughly scanned over every aspect of the floor and walls as he walked, stopping at random intervals for a moment before continuing on. At one of the stops, he paused and held up his hand, waiting for the rest to catch up. ¡°Large tile in the middle jutting up.¡± ¡°Preschool game, don¡¯t fuck up.¡± Wallace said as the party walked around the tile Kai pointed out, to no event. They continued on like this for a few minutes, two more traps of the same style though the trigger tiles located in different positions and of differing sizes. Shin heard the duelist behind mutter curses to himself but everyone remained alert and focused, sparring no time for idle chit chat. Kai peeked around a corner and headed back to the party. ¡°Two goblins. Green. 30 yards down.¡± ¡°Tawny, you¡¯re up.¡± The battlepriest rounded the corner and the goblins noticed immediate. She bashed her mace against the shield. ¡°Come on!¡± But the goblins remained at their post, stared at the her with heightened posture. ¡°Lynn.¡± The archer aimed an arrow at Wallace¡¯s command and loosed. The shot cut through the air in a flash and pierced the uncommon tree goblin¡¯s skull with ease. The remaining one panicked then tried to flee and a second arrow pierced the back of its head. Kai moved up and appeared to use a skill. He took out a lump of charcoal and scratched a long black line in front of him then jumped ten feet ahead. ¡°Pit trap.¡± He called back. The rest followed with the fighter and battlepriest, carrying the curer and evoker over. The duelist gave Shin a dirty look as he jumped over on his own, and Shin casually followed. Kai gave another signal behind him as he walked through normally, checking the doorway the two goblins guarded. [Tree Goblin (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 79 Agility - 71 Constitution - 98 Vitality - 111 Dexterity - 82 Perception - 90 Force - 60 Spirit - 49 Control - 47 Willpower - 63 ¡°They¡¯re fucking high greens now¡­¡± ¡°Gonna be a lot more than this up ahead.¡± Wallace responded to the duelist¡¯s grumblings. ¡°Oy¡­¡± Tawny looked at the carvings on the protruding door frame. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the wolf?¡± The others looked to the top of the frame. Images of goblins dancing around trees lined the ends but in the center stood a giant wolf, with a goblin in its maw and a dozen others running away in fear. ¡°...Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± The party passed through the doorway one by one. Shin glanced back with prism colored eyes. He couldn¡¯t see the traps Kai claimed but that was to be expected. What he saw was souls, not mana, and what that showed him which the others could not see, was the roots covering the walls, glowing as clearly as monsters. As they left, the blood draining out of the dead goblins spilled out faster and faster, channels of blood flowing through the ridges between the tiles and up the walls into the roots covering them. The tree roots drank greedily until the dead goblins were dry husks, fluid pulsing through them like blood in veins up beyond the ceiling where they grew from. Shin stepped past the short hallway into a large room. In front of them was the carving of a wolf¡¯s face glaring down full of malice. To the sides were four passages, each with identical goblin faces carved overhead. The party looked around for a bit and Kai shook his head at Wallace. ¡°Alright. One by one till we find the yellow brick road.¡± He looked to Kai who assessed his choices before taking the nearer one of the left. The party moved, mostly in single file along the narrowish pathway until the spotter gestured them to stop. ¡°Goblin tree, two dozen greens. Couple priests but no chief.¡± ¡°By the books then.¡± Tawny took Kai¡¯s place at the front and rushed out, the party following behind. The tree goblins snapped alert as soon as her first step into the dirt ground and charged. ¡°C¡¯mon, right here!¡± Tawny yelled as she bashed her shield. The charging horde focused on her while the four other melee types trailed behind in wait. The archer hung close to the wall and circled around at an angle, taking shots at goblins most bunched up together, thinning out the charge. The first two goblins to arrive met the bone breaking bash of the shield, stronger than Shin had seen her do with the wood goblins outside, sending them crashing into several others. But the others didn¡¯t slow their stride in the slightest. Tawny bashed more with her mace and shield before the numbers forced her of the defensive. The fighter, duelist, and Wallace broke out from behind and encircled the goblins, cutting and pummeling and hacking away. A small explosion sounded in the back of the room. Shin turned to see the charred and damaged side of a vine wall in front a priest regrow and stitch itself back. The treepriests then held out their hands and the wounds of the fighting and downed goblins started to heal. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Need fire on the priests!¡± Lynn yelled as she sniped two tree goblins that broke off towards her. At her request, a large fireball crashed into nearest treepriest from the side, turning it to charcoal in seconds. The remaining treepriest erected a dense sphere of vines around him and another engulfed it, burning the goblin alive with short lived shrieks. The rest of the goblins were cut down quickly. The party waited around with their guard up until the roots buried the last of them and the mage cast another fireball at the tree, burning it to ash along with the budding wood golems. ¡°Lightweights¡­¡± Lucas spat in its direction. A stone door opened up at the other end with the low scrapping of stone against stone and the party continued without a word. The path was as narrow as the entrance but twisted and turned in every which way. Carefully the party travelled down the winding path until they met a hard left turn into the dim light of an exit. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Wallace cursed as they stepped back into hall containing the four goblin passages, through the very door they entered. ¡°One of them has to be the right one.¡± ¡°Try the opposite.¡± Wallace decided after a thought. The group walked diagonal to the furthest most path on the right side and through a similar short passageway. Kai returned from peeking out the entrance with a more serious expression. ¡°Three dozen. Three priests and a chief now.¡± ¡°We won the fucking lottery then.¡± ¡°Lynn, you¡¯re out first this time. Take out as many priests as you can. Tawny lure them over same time.¡± Wallace ignored the complaint. ¡°Zoya, you thin the herd, then take out any priests left.¡± Lynn hopped over to the edge of the passage, knocking an arrow, and drew a breath. Forty vicious green faces jolted her way as she stepped out into the dirt, and an arrow passed through them piercing the skull of a priest. Another snapped back the head of a second as the horde started to move. A third arrow shot quick and true, soaring straight to its third target but a rising wall of vines tapped in off course, claiming only an eye. ¡°Hurry!¡± Lynn urged as she took aim at the tree goblins charging her way, dropping one with each shot. ¡°Over here!¡± Tawny yelled, bashing her shield loudly. Most goblins veered in her direction, the half dozen staying the course towards the archer dropping like flies as her draw arm moved seamlessly. A large ball of fire passed the battlepriest¡¯s charge and claimed a third of the horde to its flames. Mana enveloped Tawny¡¯s shield as she sent three goblins flying. Unlike the first time, she darted back luring the charge in and the four melees flanked the sides immediately. A deafening shriek hit their ears and the remaining twenty goblins flew into a frenzy, pushing back the vanguard. Lynn took shots between them when she could but the bulk of her focus was on the chief. Some goblins fell to lethal blows of the vanguard but any that merely damaged them did nothing to slow their assault and were quickly healed by the priests. A fireball fell another priest but the last shielded itself with a wall of vines. The chief burst into action towards the fray. Two arrows merely grazed its side and chipped its hard mask. It raised its furled staff and bashed into the battlepriest¡¯s shield and goblins alike. The frontline quickly devolved into chaos as they yielded more ground to the violent chief. A thundering boom sent it flying to the side across the ground but it jolted just in time for an arrow to pierce its shoulder instead of its heart. The chief changed the target of its hostility to the archer, forcing her to dart and leap away while taking pot shots where she could. A single tree goblin fell over the front line from the booming shout and charged at the first enemies it laid eyes on, the casters. It lunged with a sharp wooden spear and Shin lunged with it, slipping under the blow and sliding a sword through its throat on the weight of its own charge. The goblin choked as it clutched for the blade but Shin let go and rear spike of a hammer punctured its skull. ¡°Take out the priest.¡± Nor appeared at Shin¡¯s command and raced around the frenzied fray towards the hiding treepriest. Vines sprung up from the ground and caught not a hair of the sickle weasel¡¯s body before a lash from his tail severed the goblin¡¯s head. Nor sped off lingering not even a moment and somersaulted into a whirling wheel. The tree goblin chief jolted around at the impeding danger, and was severed in two. Nor broke out of his whirlwind and dug its feet into the ground, readying another lunge, and vanished. Shin drew a bow and shot down the tree goblin horde in concert with the archer, who snapped back into focus from her daze at the sight of the goblin chief. Arrows from her side flew faster and more powerful, eventually bringing an end to the tribe. ¡°Do that from the fucking start next time!¡± The duelist shouted his way, violently jerking out his sword stuck through a goblin. ¡°Costs too much mana.¡± ¡°Say that again!¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Wallace held back the enraged man as he started to step to Shin. ¡°Say that again, see what fucking happens!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Wallace pushed him back a step with one hand. ¡°Cool ye head.¡± The duelist stared Shin down before stepping off, spitting on the ground on his way. Wallace scanned the battlefield, lingering a bit on the chief as the bodies sunk beneath the soil, a fireball breaking the silence. He walked over to Shin under the crackling light of the burning tree. ¡°Might be needing that spirit a bit more on, yeah?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wallace loitered for a few moments before the stone door of this hall opened up. The party continued on, with an air of lowered expectations. Sentiments validated as they walked back into the connecting hall. They looked around a bit in silence, some in frustration, others in thought. ¡°Fifty-fifty now.¡± ¡°Or maybe we¡¯re just getting jerked around.¡± The duelist snapped back at the battlepriest. ¡°You have another plan?¡± ¡°Yeah, how bout we leave ¡®stead of fighting trees for no damn reason.¡± ¡°You wanna run into the wolf again like this or do you want a good fucking sword if we do?¡± Wallace asked calmly, before turning his attention back to the room they stood in. ¡°Just two more at most, then we¡¯re passed this.¡± ¡°Wasting a lot of mana¡­¡± The mage woman Zoya chimed in. ¡°And what if, like, it keeps getting stronger? What if the other two are worse, huh?¡± The duelist added. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other choice.¡± Wallace noticed Shin starring at the wolf head statue as the argument raged on behind him. He turned to it himself and pondered for a few moments. ¡°Kai, give the statue a look, will ya?¡± The party went silent and Kai headed off. He paused halfway then continued on, patting the wall and checking over the stone head. Eventually he patted around the mouth and with some reluctance, reached in. A loud click sounded out as he turned something within, and a stone door opened up next to it where there had looked to only be wall. Lucas threw his hands up behind his head, suppressing the urge to say whatever was on his mind, and followed after the others gravitating towards it. ¡°Were you seeing something there, lad?¡± Wallace asked Shin. ¡°Thinking.¡± ¡°Right. Lot of thinking going on here.¡± Wallace sundered off to the group. Shin walked after on his own time. He couldn¡¯t see traps or hidden mechanisms, but he could just barely make out the faint outlines of souls behind the walls, something he noticed at the start. He hadn¡¯t planned on giving them the hint this early but the party was burning through mana and aura quicker than he expected. It was too soon for them to start dying off when he didn¡¯t know how much of this dungeon was left, or what was lying in wait. The group walked down the dark path slowly, with Kai at front. The light of the exit was visible from the start but none were eager to rush their trapfinder. They stepped out of the path into a short narrow corridor 10 yards wide and roughly 50 across. As with the rest of the dungeon corridors, it was dimly lit by torches, four in total all on the left wall. But where everyone¡¯s attention was directed was the long pit in the middle of the corridor. The party followed Kai up to it and peered down. A deep drop, over 20 yards at least and lined with spikes. ¡°Most of us can make that.¡± Lucas said. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Kai rose up from his crouch. ¡°Double trap door into another pit right after. Opens down from the center. Kai looked around for a bit, gravitating to the torch on their side. He fumbled with the stand for a bit until he turned right. A loud click of metal gears sounded from the floor just beyond the pit. Kai took a running start and leapt over the open pit with ease, and was skewered in an instant, wooden spikes from the left shot out in the blink of an eye. The party stood speechless as the spikes slunk back into the wall and the torch clicked back upright. The trap door opened and the spotter¡¯s body slide into the pit, the doors swinging back up into place. ¡°Fuck. Fuck!¡± Lucas¡¯ curses snapped everyone out of their shock. ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve left¡­ fuck¡­¡± ¡°If¡­ the stuff clicked back, the spikes won¡¯t happen, right?¡± The curer hoped more than reasoned. ¡°That might be another trick¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a trap door in case you forgot.¡± Zoya pointed out to both of them. ¡°What are you talking about? We lost our scout, we can¡¯t do this without the fucking scout.¡± Lucas stressed. ¡°Still can¡¯t find your balls after four weeks?¡± She shot back. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, huh? You just gonna jump over the thing.¡± Shin took off into a full sprint, ignoring their conversation, and jumped over the pit, lading right on the thin section between the two pits and with both feet jumped again to land in the elevated doorway. He casually rose to his feet and started throwing cheap weapons to the ground with force, a little further each time until the trap door fell open. No more spikes appeared. Shin took out rope tied to a grappling hook and tossed it over to the side of the party, tying his end to a second grappling hook and lodging it on the doorway. Wallace picked up the hook without a word and did the same to the door on his side, adjusting the rope so it would be drawn tight. The tactician gave a few sharp tugs on the rope and then a long strong one. Seeing that the precarious bridge held, he unequipped everything but simple clothes and hung underside the rope with his legs crossed. He waited for a few moments before pulling his way over, reach by reach, letting his legs slide with him. Carefully and slowly he moved to rock the rope as little as possible but made it all the way in short time. He stood in the doorway with Shin and looked back to the others. ¡°You¡¯ll want to travel light.¡± Chapter 22 Lynn let herself drop down delicately from the rope, the latest to cross over. Zoya glanced at the curer racked with anxiety before unequipping her robe to the simple shirt and pants underneath. Lucas shot her a harassing whistle, small revenge for the insult before, which she ignored with a scowl. She climbed slower than the others and with more difficulty but made it safely all the same. The party waited for a few moments but the priest made no sign of moving. ¡°Hurry up, lad, we don¡¯t have all day.¡± ¡°I¡­ no, it¡¯s¡­ w-we can, just¡­¡± ¡°Just fucking do it!¡± Lucas snapped in frustration. ¡°Get on the rope and climb over or stay there and die.¡± Wallace offered a calmer but sterner motivation. The curer hesitated for a bit then took to the rope, doing a poor imitation of the ones who went before him. It was clear by his struggling that even the own bodyweight of his thin figure was a strain for him to endure. Slowly and shakily he scaled the robe, wobbling it more than it had before. He made it passed the open pit before his movements faltered. ¡°i-I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°This is your life on the line, lad. Pull.¡± The healer did as told, pulling himself across on shaking arms. Soon he started muttering, devolving into a full panic as his grip slipped from the rope. With a scream he fell from the rope and landed on a solid stone floor to the silence of nothing. ¡°Fucking sissy.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Tawny quieted down Lucas. ¡°Get up, Georgie, you¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± The curer rose to his feet and joined the others through the doorway, trying his best to stifle his embarrassment. ¡°Mark, take front. Use that spear to poke around.¡± The fighter did so with obvious reluctance. Unlike their recently lost scout, he had no skill to detect traps. The front position now amounted to a glorified canary. They walked through a small dark corridor, much like the one they entered, slowly and carefully. Mark tapped the exit all around and stepped out, the party following right behind. A massive cavern entered Shin¡¯s vision, the ceiling of which may have well been the sky. A dense sprawling forest covered the ground of stone blocks and soil, though many took notice that among all the goblins trees were small versions of varying sizes. Goblin Tree Saplings as the system revealed. Beyond the large forest stood a temple, towering high up a massive stone flight of stairs. ¡°That¡¯d be our goal, then.¡± Wallace said. ¡°Stick close and let¡¯s get through this quickly.¡± The party assumed their standard formation, save for one missing piece, and headed in the direction of the temple. The forest grew denser and higher the more they walked, clusters of saplings forcing them to take detours more and more frequently. Anxiety and vigilance steadily increased on each of their faces, none finding the leisure to notice Shin glancing around at very specific areas. A green blur lunged from above, taking Lucas to the ground. ¡®Shit, shit!¡± One sword impaled the creature through the torso while the other desperately kept its claws and teeth away. A spear thrust through the face of the goblin and its body fell limp. Lucas kicked the body off him, wiping the blood from his face. The tree goblin had longer limbs and a more wiry body than its kin, with a sharper face and strange eyes that lacked pupils. Its feet were more tensile, almost like hands with nails just as sharp as its claws. [Tree Goblin Ambusher (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 91 Agility - 134 Constitution - 93 Vitality - 99 Dexterity - 117 Perception - 121 Force - 65 Spirit - 60 Control - 71 Willpower - 86 Skills: Greater Lurk lvl. 9, Greater Blend lvl. 8, Claw lvl. 10, Lunge lvl. 10, Traits: Barkskin (uncommon), Photosynthesis (uncommon), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), ¡°Stealth¡­¡± The curer mutter. Before anyone could say anything more another figure lunged from the opposite direction. Shin sidestepped, leaving a spear in his place, letting the creature impale itself. He jolted back as the goblin variant swung its long arms at the same time, the dagger almost grazing him. The ambusher crashed on the ground and struggled to its feet before an axe buried halfway into its skull. ¡°Guerilla fighters! Stick closer!¡± Wallace barked, pulling his weapon out. The party snapped back into focus and huddled together in a tiger formation, leaving only as much room as they needed to fight. They moved more briskly now, eyes darting around, especially the duelist who had no one to watch his back. Ambushers lunged at them one after the other from all sides, their presence only appeared after they made their move. Tawny caved in the head of one who targeted her, and another pounced from the opposite side. She swung her shield on reflex, slamming the creature into the middle of the party, cursing as she realized her mistake. The tree goblin sliced deep into the mage¡¯s arm before Shin put a hole in its brain with his hammer. Zoya cursed, holding her arm as Georgie scrambled into action healing her. ¡°Let¡¯s burn this whole place down.¡± She snapped with gritted teeth. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas agreed. ¡°And die from the smoke?¡± Lynn shot down the sentiment as she put an arrow between a goblin¡¯s eyes. ¡°We stick to the plan, save ye breath.¡± A creature burst out from the trees, sprinting on the ground as Wallace spoke. ¡°Wood goblins!¡± Lucas yelled as he sliced it apart, only for roots to impale it from below and start regrowing it. ¡°I need a clear shot!¡± Zoya yelled as she raised her good hand. ¡°No, save your mana. Lad, use whatever fire you got.¡± Wallace shouted at Shin. The old tactician was likely expecting a spirit, his eyes lingering on the talisman Shin took out. The still stationary wood goblin was an easy target but the fire from the talisman burned rather weakly. It took one more for the flames to set in and the wooden golem to stop moving. ¡°More ¡®em coming!¡± Lucas yelled as several more greater peasant wood goblins charged towards them through the forest. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You two put them down. Rest of ye protect the casters.¡± Tawny, Lynn, Mark, and Wallace stood around the healer and mage in all directions as Lucas cut down the wood goblins charging from behind. Shin threw two talismans each at the downed creatures as soon as Lucas made them still. Several more appeared as they fought, though no more ambushers appeared. Lucas breathed in deep once the sound of stomping on soil ceased and the cavern forest fell silent again. ¡°Same number as the ambushers¡­¡± The fighter pointed out. ¡°So we fight everything twice then.¡± Tawny frowned. ¡°Keep your heads up. We¡¯re halfway there.¡± As though he summoned it, thunderous stomps bounded their way. The ground shook with every step accompanying the sound of trees snapping apart and crashing down. A giant goblin the size of the gatekeeper broke through the trees into view and roared at that party, the deafening noise echoing through the cavern. A giant sword carved from wood and sharpened sliced clean through a tall sapling. [Giant Tree Goblin Warrior (rare) - Greater Peasant] ¡°Heavy!¡± Tawny bellowed as she moved up to meet the giant. She baited a swing of its giant sword and jumped back as it sailed by. An arrow caught the warrior in the eye and burst into flames. The giant goblin roared in pain and thrashed around wildly. Its swings, faster than the lumbering gatekeeper, prevented anyone from drawing near. A half dozen more arrows peppered its face, forcing it to hold its hand up as cover. Lynn rushed around its left, aiming for its blindside, and a freshly forming eye pointed in her direction. She halted her bow and darted back. A green blur lunged at her from the trees and the silvery sheen of a sword flew past, piercing the ambusher. Lynn snapped to her senses and loosed her arrow into its skull. ¡°Still more greenfuckers!¡± Lucas yelled, rushing over to retrieve the sword he threw. ¡°Dodge!¡± Lynn yelled at him and he just barely noticed in time to avoid the giant wooden sword. The giant goblin roared again, the wounds of its face disappearing. ¡°Fuck, it can heal!¡± Tawny yelled. ¡°Wallace!¡± ¡°Zoya!¡± He gave the go ahead. The mage raised her hands and fire swirled into a mass in front of her and fired, and a blur lunged at her. An arrow passed behind her head into the eye of the ambusher as her fireball slammed into the face of the warrior. She startled as the ambusher hit the ground before she realized it even attacked, and turned to Shin holding a bow. Wallace glanced for only a moment. ¡°Lad, you¡¯re on rearguard duty! Summon your spirit!¡± Nor appeared as Shin kept the bow in his hands, an arrow nocked before he even received the command. ¡°Save your skills.¡± Shin whispered to him. ¡°Aye!¡± Shin struck a camouflaged ambusher waiting on a tree, undoing its illusion and Nor quickly sliced through its head. The giant goblin flailed about as another fireball struck it in the chest, Zoya returning her attention to her job. The warrior thrashed its sword as it swatted at the flames, trying to snuff them out, before its movement slowed and the giant started to keel over. ¡°Yeah, one m-¡± The giant goblin leapt straight up into the air, its massive body clearing the height of the trees surrounding it and crashed down. The stone and dirt shattered and caved in around him and the ground trembled with a fierceness that shook the party off balance. Tawny staggered to a knee and the giant wooden sword cleaved at her. Mana swirled around her shield and the giant sword bashed her off the ground, sending her crashing into a tree. The battlepriest coughed up blood as she gasped for air, struggling to move let alone stand. ¡°All in!¡± Wallace yelled. The party burst into action. An incendiary arrow struck the giant goblin¡¯s heel. Lucas threw his sword at the same leg and a booming shout knocked the giant warrior off balance, stalling a second jump long enough for a third fireball to slam into it, fire wrapping around its body. The party stood in wait save for Lynn who continued to pepper the giant¡¯s face with arrows. The giant goblin warrior stumbled around then crouched down once again. ¡°Take cover!¡± The party moved away from the foe, waiting for the next impact. But another never came. The giant goblin faltered and slowly fell on its face, fire consuming it whole. Shin burned another wood goblin felled by Nor and glanced over. [Giant Tree Goblin Warrior (rare) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 303 Agility - 107 Constitution - 289 Vitality - 252 Dexterity - 208 Perception - 163 Force - 106 Spirit - 158 Control - 122 Willpower - 167 Skills: Keen Cut lvl. 10, Crash lvl. 7, Lunge lvl. 10, Traits: Greater Barkskin (rare), Green Blood (rare), Greater Photosynthesis (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), ¡°Healer!¡± Wallace bellowed at Georgie, who rushed over to the battlepriest in bad shape. She threw away a vial she downed already and the curer went to work immediately. ¡°No chest¡­¡± Mark said. ¡°Fuck, this wasn¡¯t even the boss.¡± Wallace started to open his mouth but roots burrowing up around the warrior cut him off. They crept over the warrior, smoke rising as the roots too started to burn but more covered those, smothering the fire as it dragging the giant goblin down. ¡°No.¡± Lucas shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll be all wood this time, easier.¡± Zoya said, though her expression was far from thrilled. ¡°Tawny, how mashed up are ya?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll heal.¡± Her complexion was already looking better and her breathing less labored. The party stood in wait, weapons ready and ears sharp, listening for the sound of giant footsteps. Moments felt like minutes as the ground finally started to rumble. But the feeling was off. A low constant trembling as a wave of drumming came from all sides behind them. Before anyone could speak a word, Shin sprinted off at full speed straight for the temple. ¡°Run!¡± Wallace took the hint and threw the healer over his shoulders, running after Shin. The fighter did the same for Zoya and Tawny rose to her feet and forced her body to move, unequipping her armor after a few steps. The party raced through the forest of saplings at Shin¡¯s lead as the low thundering drumming grew louder and clearer. By now all had realized what was happening. Footsteps, hundreds upon hundreds, bounded towards them. Through the trees the horde started to close the distance and the first of the wood goblins came into sight. ¡°Faster!¡± Lynn yelled at Tawny as she frantically shot arrows behind her. Tawny grimaced and grit her teeth as she willed her body to pick up speed. A line of blood drained down the side of her mouth as she suppressed the urge to hold her side. Shin was the first up the stairs, solid stone and just as steep as they looked. He ran a quarter of the way up before stopping to look back. A surge of green figures ran through the trees like waves, nearly caught up to the slowest of the party. The duelist reached the stairs first and bounded up without pause followed by the tactician and fighter carrying their burdens. The battlepriest made it up just a half dozen steps before the wood goblins scrambled up. The front most one reached out its head and was struck by an arrow in the head. It wobble and a second sent it tumbling back into its fellow pawns, slowing down a section but the horde quickly ran around and over its fallen comrades. The archer jogged up the stairs, taking shots to stall the horde with itself as the cleric continued to struggle upwards. ¡°Lucas! Take him!¡± Wallace glanced behind him then yelled up at the duelist. The duelist cursed then ran back down and flung the healer over his back like a sack of flour and sprinted back up. Wallace head back down and waited by the archer. ¡°Knock them back, as many as you can.¡± Lynn shot arrow after arrow across the stairway, doing her best to stall them as evenly as possible. Tawny approached them and Wallace inhaled deeply. As soon as she crossed he let out a booming shout. The front most goblins blasted in the air and fell down the steep drop and the rest knocked over each other snowballing into a wooden landslide. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± As Wallace and Lynn ran, the wood goblins had already started scrambling to their feet and trampling the ones too slow. Shin reached the top of the stairs and glanced around the flat balcony surrounding the temple building. Markings and roots lined the stone but no enemies in sight. He jumped to the top and looked down. Things were looking better for the slow battlepriest but she was cutting it close enough that the old tactician might need to use that booming shout skill again. The duelist scaled over the top of the steps on the opposite side and passed by Shin with a glare, heading towards the temple. The fighter ascended next and Shin followed him. They came to a stop by the entrance, a open carved door in the shape of a goblin¡¯s mouth, hesitant to enter. The remaining three came over the top of the stairs maintaining a sprint. The horde of wood goblins swarmed over the top like ants and continued over the platform. ¡°Into the temple!¡± Wallace shouts. All three waited in a standoff until the duelist broke first and ran in. The fighter followed and so did Shin. A few steps through the short hallway brought them into the temple, a single large room decorated with carvings, paintings and roots. Tawny made it through the entrance and vomited up blood, her legs giving out under her. She turned back in fear, clutching her side, but the wood goblins had stopped. They stood silently, eerily, just beyond the boundary of the temple floor, as though they had reached the limits of their territory. Tawny scrambled to her feet and joined the others. ¡°Georgie¡­¡± She groaned with as much volume as she could. Lucas dropped the curer and he rushed to her side immediately to resume healing. The rest looked around the temple, all eyes eventually settling on the most concerning thing in the room. A goblin tree with a furled face in the center. [Great Goblin Tree (rare) - Greater Peasant] Zoya raised her hand at her but Wallace waved her to stop, more than willing to continue these uneasy silence for a while longer. But a few moments were all he got before the giant stone doors shut and the face in the tree started to move. ¡°You¡­ trespass¡­ burn¡­ my children¡­¡± The tree face wavered then stretched into the baleful sneer of a goblin. ¡°No longer¡­¡± A giant bark armored goblin crashed down from the sky, a goblin in elaborate cloth and leaf robes riding its back, and let out a thundering roar. [Giant Tree Goblin Warrior (rare) - Greater Peasant] [Tree Goblin Highpriest (rare) - Greater Peasant] Chapter 23 ¡°Stall!¡± Wallace, Lucas, and Mark rushed towards the goblin duo. Lucas ducked under the howl of a giant sword cutting the air above, and dived away from a downward slash that shattered the stone floor. Arrowed peppered the face and neck of the warrior as Mark lunged close and piercing through a part of its heel. The warrior raised its sword but Wallace let out a sharp yelp, and the warrior¡¯s sword held high as it wobbled slightly in a daze. Fire crashed into its body, spurring a roaring flail from its lull. Lucas charged through the thrashing and falling flames his swords glowing white and slashes deep into the unprotected back of its knee. A shout of victory was met the goblin highpriest raising its staff and the fire snuffed out, the burns and cuts healing in moments. An arrow filled with power soared towards the highpriest¡¯s head as was cut short by a bark shield that materialized in mid air. The three melee players darted around the warrior, slashing, thrusting, and hacking away as they dodged its lethal swings. Lynn encircled the giant, loosing powerful arrows at the highpriest and was blocked every time. Between casting its shield, its staff glowed yellow and the warrior¡¯s wounds healed faster that they appeared. ¡°Kill the priest!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Lynn yelled back. ¡°It never stops using skills!¡± Wallace glanced at the great goblin tree in between slowed fighting, leaves falling off its branches one by one, and back to the highpriest cackling in elated arrogance. ¡°Fire on the tree!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much more!¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± Zoya gathered swirling flames and blasted the tree. Fire engulfed its bark and branches, its sneer falling into a low wail. But just as quickly as the fire spread, it snuffed out with a cascade of blood. The tree¡¯s thick roots swallowed up something in large gulps and its charred body restored to pristine health, its sneer returning. ¡°The priest won¡¯t let it work!¡± Before anyone could suggest a plan, the warrior broke into a charge straight for the evoker, ignoring all damage and wounds inflicted on it. Zoya froze as the giant monster bounded upon her and brought down a towering sword. The clang of metal boomed throughout the temple as sword struck Tawny¡¯s shield. The stone cracked and caved under her feet and the weight of the blow strained her body, but she stood tall and pushed the sword off to the side. ¡°Wallace!¡± The troubadour¡¯s eye¡¯s sharpened and he let up an energizing war chant. Power surged through the battlepriest¡¯s body as the warrior raised its sword with a lean and brought it down again. This ground shattered even more but this time Tawny didn¡¯t budge an inch. Lucas and Mark sliced through the back of its legs and Lynn relentless shot arrow after arrow at the highpriest, giving it no time to heal. Shin watched the party fight, well coordinated and effective as the rare elite duo struggled, slowly whittling down, then glanced at the falling leaves of the goblin tree. Victorious shouts of encouragement and grit filled the temple as much as the roars. It was going poorly. The party had gotten lost in the sight of victory, failing to see their attacks were steadily being undone. Barely a tenth of the leaves had fallen but sweat and exhaustion were already visible on the players. Their mana and stamina would expire long before their opponents. Not even the old schemer seemed to have fully come to terms with that. And that would lead to the other problem. Shin hopped over to the side of the evoker. ¡°Hit the warrior again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re gonna lose.¡± Nor appeared at Shin¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re running out of time.¡± The evoker hesitated, doubt and anxiety conflicting within her. But ultimately she held out her hands and fire swirled in. ¡°Kill the priest.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Nor burst forward, wind on his back, as fire crashed into the warrior. The highpriest¡¯s attention jolted from his defense against the incessant arrows and raised its staff, and a slash of a scythe lodged into the bark shield it just barely managed to erect. Nor darted around the warrior, its claws finding footing in its bark like armor, tail scythe slashing at the highpriest from all angles. Fire continued to rage on the warrior as the goblin priest frantically tried to douse the flames in spurts between the blades and arrows raining down on it. A desperate roar made it linger its attention just an instant too long, and an arrow struck the back of its skull. The highpriest fell limp and dropped off the warrior¡¯s shoulders. The now unhindered attacks ate through the giant goblin¡¯s legs until they gave out. The warrior collapsed to the floor and a whirling wheel sliced through its exposed neck, shallow at first but deeper the second time and with the third dug into its throat. The party stayed their weapons and jumped back as the warrior choked on its own blood, the stone floor beneath it quickly painting red. ¡°Tree!¡± Wallace yelled back at Zoya. The evoker inhaled and cast fire at the goblin tree, engulfing it in flames once more. The warrior¡¯s movements slowed to a limp and the tree let out deep wails as the leaves burned away. And then it cackled. Blood poured from its back and leaves, dousing the fire. Giant roots broke through the stone floor and swallowed the goblin duo below. The tree began to shift and fold into itself. A second fireball as doused with blood again. The party watched in a daze as the tree morphed into a giant body of flesh and wood, the highpriest¡¯s face emerging on the giant goblin¡¯s forehead, eyes blank and mouth agape, a deformed goblin face growing from the wooden torso of the giant goblin, and stretched into a sneer. [Great Goblin Tree Champion (rare) - Greater Peasant] With a rugged shriek the champion rampaged towards the evoker. Shin fled as the creature barrelled over, ignoring all attempts of the party to halt its charge. The evoker stood still, her face fallen into despair as the arm of the champion morphed into a club and smashed her to paste. ¡°Noooo!¡± Lynn yelled as she shot arrow after arrow that burst into flames on the champion body. The highpriest¡¯s eyes shone and the flames snuffed out. ¡°Fire paper!¡± Wallace shouted at Shin. Shin drew a single one and threw it at the giant chasing after the archer. One at a time, sparingly, and from a distance, Shin threw talismans at barely effective areas. The champion faltered but bound its focus on the archer. The archer nocked another arrow but mana fizzled out around the tip. She gritted her teeth and shot a bare arrow and then another, determined to kill the vile creature one way or another. She took aim again and her foot caught on a broken stone tile. She tripped to the ground and before she fully realized what happened, a wooden axe cleaved through half her body. The champion turned to the rest of the party with a sneer full of malice. Mark sprinted away, towards one of the large torches on the wall. He reached out his hand and the floor fell from under him, his cries cut off from the trap door snapping back up. The highpriest¡¯s face broke into a mad cackle overflowing with mockery at the devastated faces on the remaining party. Shin grabs the healer, having moved to the back without anyone noticing, and throws him over to the rest of the party. A white fox masked warrior appeared by his side, swords drawn. The party stared in shock as they inspected the summon. ¡°Fight it or fight both.¡± A sword and axe found Shin¡¯s hands as he casually handed out the ultimatum. Wallace let out two more war chants on himself and Lucas, looking worn for it. ¡°Tawny up front! Georgie keep us alive!¡± The three remaining combatants gritted their teeth through frayed emotions and faced down the champion. Tawny dodged an axe cleaving into the ground and a club slammed into her shield, sending her skidding away on her feet. A booming shout knocked the champion off balance enough for a third strike to miss wide. Lucas sliced through a chunk of the warrior¡¯s arm and dived away from the retaliation. He looked back to see the two wounds heal in moments, and clicked his teeth. The champion tensed into a crouch then leapt high into the air. Tawny scrambled away as it fell down towards her, the shockwave of the impact knocking her to to the ground. She rose to her feet and a club smashed clean into her. Her body crashed into the wall and fell to the floor, broken and unmoving. ¡°Tawny!¡± The curer cried as he ran without thinking. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Stop, you fool!¡± No sooner had Wallace¡¯s words landed that the club did too, splattering the priest into paste. Lucas sprinted straight towards Shin, face twisted in anger. ¡°You die first!¡± With a cry full of hate he slashed down at Shin and his two swords met Inari¡¯s. She flourished the swords away and kicked him in his chest, sending him skidding across the ground. He looked up just in time to see the giant foot crush him. Shin glanced to the side at the old man who had used this time to position himself at the back with him, just 20 yards way, holding a purple vial. ¡°Use your summon or we both die!¡± A desperate threat and one Shin abided. Inari sped off towards the boss while Nor remained, facing off against the old bard with Shin. ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough to take me, you little shit!¡± Wallace spat. ¡°Yeah.¡± Wallace inhaled and Shin dove to the side, avoiding the tunnel shaped shockwave of his booming voice, throwing an axe as he went. Wallace swatted it away and ducked under the sudden slash of Nor¡¯s tail. Two axes bore down on the airborn sickle weasel and were lightly deflected by its claws, digging his tail into the ground as footing. Wallace leaned back avoiding the arrow out of the corner of his eye and Nor brought himself down to the ground, lunging into a whirlwind. Wallace sidestepped the wheel and jolted again, but an arrow struck his shoulder. Three fluttering talismans set off, burning the top right side of him. He hit the ground in a crouch, as a sickle wheel flew over him, and burst towards Shin. A purple vial appeared in his hand and an arrow pierced his wrist. ¡°Ha!¡± Wallace threw a large cloth pellet with his other hand hidden behind him. The black ball burst into smoke as it struck the ground, filling their area of the temple. Under cover of smoke, Wallace let out a booming shout, blasting it clear, exposing Shin mid jump to the side. Wallace¡¯s arm was already cocked back, the purple vial switched over. With a mad smile of victory, a scythe cleaved through his neck from his blindspot. Blood spurt from his neck and his body collapsed as his head rolled across the ground, mad smile still etched on his face. [Achievement reached - Apostle Slayer I. 25 attribute points rewarded.] ¡®Slay an apostle of a god.¡¯ [Befriend Spirit has reached lvl. 10. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] ¡°A worthy foe, Sir Shin!¡± Nor landed by Shin¡¯s feet. ¡°I should like more of them!¡± ¡°Better one over there.¡± Shin glanced over, his focus moving away from the patron backed player. The battle of rares raged fiercely. Inari darted around, easily avoiding the champion¡¯s strikes, slicing deep wounds all over. But the champion endured and healed itself just as fast, its bark armor body preventing easy lethal wounds. She spat trickfire on its face and again the goblin boss countered its attacks, the fire quickly douses with blood. An arrow coated with fire talismans strike the highpriest¡¯s face and set ablaze. While the champion lurched, Inari shot Shin a look. He stored his bow and adopted a casual stance. ¡°Ha ha! She walks the path of knighthood after all!¡± The fire dispelled and the arrow pushed out, as the highpriest¡¯s face healed back to full. Inari continued her solitary battle, now targeting the same wounds and areas instead of cutting wherever she found herself. The champion spun around with its weapon morphed arms, and the white fox weaved through them, slicing away at its heels deeper each time. The champion tensed and jumped, aiming to squash the pestering spirit under foot. But the white fox took to the air in steps and watching the giant fall, its flailing falling short of her. The champion shattered the floor as it landed, and its half severed foot broke horribly, sending it crashing to a knee. Inari spit grayish blue flames on the giant once again. The eyes of the priest glowed but the flames leapt off the giant¡¯s body and into her shining swords. A white figure blurred and Inari buried her weapons into the face of the priests and slashed away, inflicting the fires upon the champion again. She jumped back as two morphed weapons slammed into one another above the giant¡¯s head, and slashed through the corners of the goblin head¡¯s mouth, spitting more fire inside. The champion flailed as the fire raged across its body and smoke rose out of its mouth and nose. Still, Inari did not relent, slashing away at its neck, deeper and deeper until it severed it through. The giant goblin¡¯s head rolled away in a spasm, fire doused and its wounds still healing. The flaming body¡¯s flails grew weaker and weaker until fire quelled its movements entirely. Inari walked to the half healed priest face and raised her sword. ¡°Fool¡­ trees¡­ save us¡­ protect us¡­ you freed it¡­ cursed¡­ beast¡­ agony¡­ you die¡­¡± A sword ended the words of the face with a mocking sneer and the temple shook. The roots that lined the walls withered away revealing images of fierce wolves killing goblins and at the back, a painted wall of a black wolf trapping by roots as surrounding goblins cheer. [Giant Tree Goblin Champion (rare) - Greater Peasant] Strength - 363 Agility - 128 Constitution - 345 Vitality - 302 Dexterity - 249 Perception - 195 Force - 126 Spirit - 197 Control - 146 Willpower - 201 Skills: Slash lvl. 10, Dispel lvl. 10, Crash lvl. 10, Greater Lunge lvl. 10, Blood Dousing lvl. 10, Traits: Barkhide (epic), Regeneration (epic), Green Blood (rare), Greater Photosynthesis (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), [Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian has reached lvl 7.] [Achievement reached. Dungeon Conqueror I. 25 attribute points rewarded. 25 bonus attribute points rewarded.] A searing pain on the back of Shin¡¯s hand interrupted his focus on the points. Body Supremacy did nothing to stifle the feeling, reminding Shin of the weakness he felt from his uncontrolled eyes at the start of the tutorial. Withstanding it was left to his own will, but that was more than enough for such a small matter. A symbol carved itself out on Shin¡¯s hand, vertical squares connected at a point with a three pronged line straight through it. It finished in mere seconds and the pain subsided. Shin took inventory of himself then tilted his hand around, starting at the mark. [Brand of the Reviled] Identify told him nothing but the name. By Shin¡¯s best guess, it was a curse of some kind but there was nothing that told him what he caused exactly. Inari rushed over immediately and grabbed his hand, her demeanor a bit frantic as she deliberated what to do before coating his hand with holy fire. It might not be as effective as normal magical fire but it charred his skin all the same, the mark unaffected. Inari cancelled the golden flames and her panic increased. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shin consoled her as he used Cure Wounds to fix the burn marks. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out later.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you later, Nor.¡± ¡°Till the next duel!¡± Nor bid him farewell as he disappeared. The fighting was over and the sickle weasel was expensive to keep up. Shin continued to heal as he walked towards the eight chests that appeared in the center of the room, Inari following meekly behind. Shin noted the number of chests matching the number that entered the temple before opening the first unceremoniously. Light shone up and a black shield too large to fit in the chest materialized, floating in place. The shield a dull shiny black of rugged make with a red painting of a goblin face stylized to be more frightening than the actual creatures. [Obsidian Goblin Shield - Rare] ¡®Passive: Lesser Fear Resistance.¡¯ Shin grabbed the shield and it crashed to the ground. Shin attempted to lift it before conceding and storing it away. It was heavy, very heavy. He estimated he needed at least double his current strength to even hold it steady, let alone wield it effectively. The second chest bore the same effect as the first, shining light and an item floating above. [Rapid Ironbark Vest - Rare] ¡®Active Skill: Quicken.¡¯ ¡®Double the user¡¯s speed.¡¯ Shin equipped the torso armor which adjusted in size to fit him. It was relatively light, enough that it wouldn¡¯t slow him down. More importantly, Shin felt an option in the back of his mind. He activated it and burst into action, his body blurring as his shadowboxed and darted around. The test lasted only seconds as he got what he needed. The skill doubled his speed, an immense boon. However, it drained his mana rapidly, much more than even Nor. He zipped over to the next chest. [Vermillian Helm - Rare] ¡®Passive: Minor Fire Resistance.¡¯ Shin stored the bloodred metal helm without a second look. [Ring of Improved Healing - Rare] ¡®Improves the efficacy of healing abilities twofold.¡¯ Shin equipped it on his right index finger. The effects were immediate and obvious, living up to the twofold promise. [Vermillian Daggers - Rare] ¡®Active Skill: Hemorrhage.¡¯ Shin equipped and slashed around his daggers, foot long curved blades the same color as the helm. They weighed about 16 or 17 lbs each, quite heavy for daggers but 50 strength was good enough to wield them moderately well it seemed. The hemorrhage skill made inflicted wounds bleed faster but he would have to test that later. [Elm Longbow - Rare] ¡®Active Skill: Aircutter.¡¯ ¡®Wraps sharp wind around an arrow to increase its piercing power.¡¯ Shin stored his daggers and equip the bow. Light enough to aim properly, he found by waving it around. An arrow appeared in his hand and he nocked and aimed, but his arms trembled halfway. He tensed his muscles, being bulging across his arms until he finally stopped. A stronger bow was great but he lacked the strength to even fully draw this one. [Obsidian Macana - Rare] ¡®Passive: Repairs damage through absorbing blood.¡¯ Shin held up the club sword the system called a macana though it bore a strong resemblance to an aztec macahuitl. It was a flat wooden club shaped like a long oar head with a short handle. Razor sharp rectangular black blades protruded from the sides of the club with small spaces in between. It was a weapon meant to saw enemies rather than slash or chop, if Shin recalled correctly. Shin waved it around. The wooden base meant it was light enough for him to use. It didn¡¯t say active skill either, which meant he could repair damage without expending resources. He stored the macana and headed for the last chest. [Spirit Sealing Jar - Rare] ¡®Contains and suppresses mortal spirits up to rare tier.¡¯ If the qualities of the players affected the items granted, this one would be his, Shin figured. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to use it though. He could only bond with one spirit at a time, skill attached spirits not withstanding. He had no desire to imprison spirits either, though he supposed it could be used against an enemy spirit as a last resort. Shin threw his newly gained 125 attribute points into Spirit bring the total to 391, and stored the jar. He then hopped between the bodies of the party, rummaging with their gear and spatial bags. He acquires a greater stock of potions and rations, a few upgrades to replace his gear, and from the old bard an uncommon tier axe with the Chop active skill and that vial of uncommon tier purple poison. He glanced over to Inari who still looked down. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shin repeated, showing Inari his healed hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Inari followed, her body language perking up as Shin headed towards the exit portal at the back of the temple strewn with blood and corpses, feeling rather content. Chapter 24 Shin sat calmly on a tree branch watching Inari massacre a horde of hobgoblins, his focus truly on his build. It was a matter he planned to address before the tree hunter party accosted him, and now he finally had the leisure to return to it. He had a number of abilities he¡¯d like to take up the free skill slot he had, but after the tree goblin dungeon, he only had one in mind. Speed. Quicken was an incredible skill. It did not boost his Agility but the very concept of his speed in all endeavors. The only problem was its cost. At the rate he felt mana leave his body, it was almost twice as costly as Nor. All his other skills revolved around mana already, so this put a significant burden on his mana capacity, even as high as it was now. But a solution, he found, was in the old bard¡¯s axe. The Chop skill, which magically allowed him to transcend the limits of his body in a way even body supremacy wouldn¡¯t allow, didn¡¯t use mana like his other skills did, but instead he felt his aura drain away as was the case with his Quickstrike. He had asked Inari and Nor and both had confirmed that their Keen Cut skills drew mostly on aura as well. Nor shed some more light on the matter saying he use to have a cut skill which drew solely on aura and a keen edge skill which drew solely on mana, but both became Keen Cut when he started on the path of knighthood. Shin didn¡¯t quite understand what made it aura based when it was clearly magical in nature but that was of passing concern. The true importance was there was a second resource pool he wasn¡¯t making enough use of, and what he wanted it to make use of most was speed. A skill like Quicken that drew upon his aura. He stood up and jumped over to Inari who had just about mopped up the entire large tribe. ¡°Tag in.¡± Inari showed some reluctance but dismissed her swords and stood back in a sulk. The hobgoblins maintained more wariness towards the white fox that had nearly slaughtered them whole, but were forced to turn their attention to the charging human as he decapitated one of theirs with ease. With the hobgoblins baring down on him, Shin stored his weapons and dodged an attack and then another, and another. He made no attempts to strike back at the hobgoblins, emboldening their efforts, but to no avail. Shin only half focused on the now middling threat of normal uncommon monsters, the other half pledged to his body. He twisted and turned, and jolted at odd angles, straining the limits of the speed of his movements and subsequently the coordination of his body. [You have acquired common tier Footwork lvl. 1.] ¡®Minimally increase the speed of steps.¡¯ Shin activated the skill with indifference. He felt the faint increase in speed as he dodged the arrogant lashes of the green monsters, sidestepping one and punching it in the side of its face. Each dodge he made now came with a counter, single or even seven punches. He added in kicks, elbows, knees, thoroughly exploring the effects of the skill. [Footwork has reached lvl. 2] He jumped back to Inari with a casual stance. She sped off back towards the hobgoblins, understanding Shin¡¯s intention without the need for words. As the slaughter resumed, Shin evaluated his new skill. His concern about the wording of the skill had proven true. His movement speed increased but only for his stride, with no direct effect on his regular strikes. Somehow the system knew the difference between it. He had wanted an all encompassing speed increase for every form of movement just as Quicken gave, but he supposed that he shouldn¡¯t have expected too much from a common tier skill, and that he could progress it to how he needed it to be. It was a start. Inari landed in front of him in delicate precision, the sounds of battle already faded away. Shin smiled at her then glanced around to find more targets along the way of the dungeon, and stopped. Ten human figures headed right towards them. They seemed to keep to a formation and there was nothing chasing behind, their target increasingly more obvious. Inari perked up, turning in their direction. Shin stood where he was, waiting. An arrow shot straight at his head and Inari effortlessly knocked it away. It was a fast arrow with some weight on it, nothing more. ¡°Rare!¡± The archer stopped in his tracks with a yell of fear. Shin and Inari burst forward at the same time. Inari¡¯s speed much faster, slipping a desperate arrow and slashing the man in two, bow and all. Two red daggers appeared in Shin¡¯s hands as he ducked under the heavy slash of a greatsword and sliced the woman¡¯s thigh where the leather looked thinnest. Blood splashed from the wound, far more than what was normal. The warrior woman stepped back and slashed down at Shin, his reflection showing in the shinning blade as he spun away before she even moved, his arm spinning with him, slicing deep into her wrist just above the bracers. Tension flared on the Bruiser¡¯s face and was met with a cloud of dust and dirt. She swung wildly, trying to rub her eyes clear and an arrow punctured her skull. Shin nocked and drew another arrow, aiming it at a fearsome heavily armored squire. He jolted his bow right and loosed an arrow into the throat of a camouflaged spotter, the sword of the knight passing straight through his body and vanished. An arrowed pierced the illusionist¡¯s shoulder before he could cast another spell and two more struck his thighs, bringing him down. Shin stored his bow and ran over to the squirming caster, Inari appearing by his side. The illusionist glanced at them in fear then around the still forest in horrified realization. ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± The illusionist¡¯s attention snapped to Shin but he quickly averted his eyes, some mixture of rage and disgust within the fear that was lost on Shin. The man murmured to himself, his body shaking, failing to answer Shin¡¯s question. He let out a scream as Shin yanked out one of the arrows from his leg. ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± ¡°T-the System! We kill you¡­ it¡¯s like the boss. W-we win¡­¡± ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°We just knew¡­ We can feel it. I¡¯m sorry¡­ please, j-¡± A dagger sunk into his head to the hilt. Shin moved it away as he pulled it back out so the blood wouldn¡¯t splash on him, and glanced at the mark on his right hand. This was something of a problem. He doubted these people were special, which meant likely everyone in the tutorial was the same, however much that was. Seeing as the party who gathered the goblin emblems were mundanes as far as he could tell, there was without a doubt more than one zone. But that didn¡¯t tell him how many were in his. A thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand. Most of them were certainly weaklings but it still cost mana and energy to deal with them, and he had a boss on the loose somewhere to think about. Shin rose to his feet, seeing another group of figures about three miles away heading towards them, and took off. A dungeon was now a bigger priority than ever. Other players wouldn¡¯t be able to follow him in, he guessed, as there was little other reason for the goblin hunter party to put him in theirs. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°I need a place to train in peace¡­¡± Shin thought as he cleaved through the neck of a sneering attacker. --- Shin dashed through the forest, a shade under top speed. From all directions he had been hounded the past day by parties looking to claim his head. After the fourth, Inari¡¯s time limit ran out and he decided to save mana as taking them on was like emptying an ocean with a bucket. Even with his ability to detect everything coming, the sheer number in pursuit meant he had to chose his paths carefully and stay on the move. His body was already straining under the relentless exertion, Vitalize and Cure Wounds keeping it from falling apart. He could fight with a broken body if need be, but preferred not to take that risk. His skills could only heal, not regenerate. Shin glanced up ahead and veered right for barely a few moments then a bit left again, aiming for the gap between the two groups. Half a minute passed and he took a sharp left deeper into the forest, dozens of enemies spread out up ahead, but in even less time he met the same problem. Shin turned again and stopped in his tracks, enemies, dozens upon dozens encircled him in their trap. Inari and Nor appeared by his side and followed him towards the thinnest part. ¡°Kill them all.¡± An axe and club sword appeared in his hands as the two spirits overtook him. Inari sped ahead to quickly silenced yells. Nor and Shin burst into the carnage and burst in opposite directions. Shin heard the sound of whirling wind as he deflected a throwing knife and disemboweled a lunging rogue with serrated obsidian edges. Shin¡¯s body flew into a frenzy painting the forrest red. His eyes darted around as quickly and erratically as his limbs with prismatic flashes. He didn¡¯t stop to hear their shouts or inspect their classes. He only saw threats and where to target them. Two arrows struck a tree he passed by and his axe claimed another. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°Group up!¡± Dodging, weaving, feinting, disengaging, provoking, relentlessly as he killed one by one. Seven players rushed towards him. He bent low almost to a starting crouch, then glanced left and pivoted right. The players¡¯ eyes followed him and Nor tore straight through all seven. A bow appeared in his hand as he sniped two people in robes then switched back weapons and followed after Nor. [Achievement reached: Player Slayer I. 25 attribute points rewarded.] ¡®Slay 100 players with a higher stat total.¡¯ Shin threw the points into Vitality without thinking. He could feel his body groaning under the stress but still he pushed himself further as his muscles started to tear and his bones creaked. He and Nor tore down the line of encirclement, blocking and covering for each other against the swarm of enemies. ¡°Nor.¡± Shin drew a rugged black shield which crashed into the hard ground as he crouched behind it. Nor appeared on his back as bolts of mana from a dozen mages battered the shield and ground around him. Dirt exploded, trees broke in two and the impacts sent shockwaves through his body as they knocked him into the air with his shield. The shield slowly flipped through the air revealing his back, and Nor¡¯s tail flurried in front, swatting away the arrows that followed. Shin let the weight of the shield drop them down, storing the shield just before his feet hit the ground and he sped off, putting distance between the platoon of mages as she circled around them, Nor by his feet. He drew a bow and nocked an arrow wrapped in talismans but before he could aim, screams erupted from the artillery line as Inari tore through them with brutal abandon. She made straight for Shin and readied her swords against the remaining enemies from the direction she came. A third, maybe a quarter remained, and Shin was reaching the limits even his body would allow. He downed a healing potion and checked his surroundings in the breath of time they had. ¡°Stick together. Inari in front.¡± They took off to the left, avoiding the center where they could be surrounded. The enemy line saw them second and far too late. None even among this horde of players could match the kitsune guardian in raw physical stats and the ones who could last more than a moment fell to her flames. As the small army thinned, Shin¡¯s focus tightened, and he noticed something. Fear and desperation had replaced the greed and arrogance he had grown used to. Even if they were surrounded by corpses, they still numbered three dozen strong. If not faith in his limits, he failed to see why they wouldn¡¯t turn and run if they lacked hope in the fight. Shin killed as ruthlessly as before as he thought. ¡°Leave one alive.¡± He hadn¡¯t felt the need to question any that pursued him since the first but this situation felt odd. There was something he was missing. The murderous trio mowed down the remaining players whose coordination and team balance plummeted by the second. One of them finally stalled and fled, only for Nor to slice through a leg. The man fell with scream of pain and writhed over to a tree before he realized the boy crouching in front flanked by two spirits and the quiet field of bodies behind them. ¡°Why are you attacking me?¡± The man averted his eyes and Shin recognized the same expression as the other he questioned. ¡°...the¡­ system said¡­¡± ¡°I know that. Why are you attacking me and not the boss?¡± The man¡¯s expression dropped, his expression wrapped in fear and despair. ¡°That monster¡­ we can¡¯t¡­ no one can¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too strong?¡± Shin asked with some doubt. As mediocre as they were individually, a group like this could have beaten the Great Goblin Tree Champion eventually, even if they lost most of them. ¡°It¡¯s a wolf, right?¡± The man jolted at the words and fell into a muttering mess. ¡°Is it part tree?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ we can¡¯t¡­ kill us all¡­¡± The man raised his teary face with pathetic desperation. ¡°Can¡¯t you just die?¡± Inari split his head open in a flash and kicked the body away in contempt, an irate frown underneath her mask, the man¡¯s request falling of deaf ears. Shin tilted his head and rose to his feet. He doubted he would have gotten much valuable out of him, making a note to leave two or three next time. Still, although he hadn¡¯t found out much of anything about this roaming stage boss, it must be stronger than even the champion, and if it isn¡¯t a plant type that makes things difficult. More reason yet to reach the dungeon quickly. Shin jumped up a tree to check for any more problems like the one they just dealt with, and dropped straight down, breaking into a full speed sprint with the buff of Quicken filling his body. The dungeon was near, perhaps he¡¯d make it in time. Nor clung to his back and Inari followed without question, her speed about equal his. Shin cut through the forest, making it to the sandy ground next to the cliff and glanced left, urging his body onward as a black figure blurred through the forest. The entrance of the dungeon came into sight, decaying bodies of hobgoblins surrounding it, just seconds away. A figure appeared in a blur at a speed Shin¡¯s eyes could barely register, and he came to a sudden sliding stop. In front of them, right between the dungeon, stood a wolf. Large as a lion with fur as black as night and glowing red eyes. A thick mane coated its shoulders and two long saber teeth pointed down from the top of its snarling mouth, dripping with drool. Loose chains attached to shackles on each ankle floated in the air around it but didn¡¯t make a sound. Two red marks crossed down its face like scars and tattoos like runes lined its sides. [Worg Ravager (rare) - Greater Peasant] The ends of its mouth curled into a sneer. ¡°So close. Just a moment away.¡± It slowly stepped to the left as if goading them to make an attempt. It took an exaggerated smell of the air. ¡°The scent of spirits. Will you tame me, too?¡± It mocked. Shin drew the spirit sealing jar without hesitation and poured his mana into it. A inhaling vortex enveloped the worg, threatening to pull it in, and Shin burst past. The red markings on the worg shone and with a roar, a curtain of fear descended upon them. Inari stopped in her tracks, trembling against invisible chains and Shin¡¯s mana flew into chaos as the jar shattered in his hand. Nor struggled and with a burst of will raised his head. His body glowed like light and shattered to reveal a superior armored form, and he lunged. The clang of metal sounded as the worg¡¯s claws repelled off the armored sickle weasel¡¯s tail. And Shin watched as the worg bit Nor in two, his body dissolving in the wind. The initial parried attack nothing more than a momentary inconvenience. Shin¡¯s mind went blank. Something bumped against him and the worg¡¯s claws shredded straight through it, slicing deep into Shin¡¯s arm, knocking him away. Time slowed as Shin watched Inari turn towards him and smile before she too vanished. Death and tyranny fell upon the land, a suffocating promise of the end. The worg froze, fear reaching deep into the core of its being, the weight of nothing swallowing him alive. Black rose up from Shin¡¯s eyes, creeping to envelope them whole. And a star bloomed within his soul, distinct and familiar. The black darkness slipped away and the aura of intent vanished as Shin hit the ground. He lunged with all his might into the dungeon entrance as the worg¡¯s maw almost grazed him. The comforting sensation of the portal enveloped him and he fell into the dungeon, crashing into a slump on a dirt wall. There he sat in a lull. The familiar soul within him faint, but unmistakably Inari¡¯s. But Nor¡¯s bond was gone. He poured mana into the skill to summon Inari but it failed to even activate. He felt for it again. Slowly, very slowly, it was growing, regaining its strength. Shin put his hand where Nor¡¯s soul used to reside, his eyes harboring a strange deepness, his slight smile gone. Chapter 25 A hazy thin mist of mana surrounded Shin¡¯s body as he sat with his back to the entrance, starting at the dungeon with prismatic eyes unblinking. The wounds on his arm had healed, the product of Cure Wounds and Vitalize, but they had healed slowly. Half a day it took, the unnatural bruises around them having etched into runic bands. Identify revealed nothing, unlike the mark of the reviled, the only hint given was the pain body supremacy couldn¡¯t suppress. A torturous, agonizing pain by all respects but not a trace of that could be found on the boy¡¯s expression, it overwhelmed by a quiet dormant intensity. [Meditation has reached lvl. 10. 50 attribute points rewarded.] Shin rose to his feet, all 50 points put into Spirit as an axe and macana appeared in his hands, and walked forward. His eyes scanned the narrow dirt tunnel, taking in everything. There were no signs of traps, none obvious at least. He continued unhindered towards the souls in his sight. [Giant Ant (common) - Greater Peasant] The nearest ant, as large as a dog, perked its head as he drew close and raced towards him. The ants behind perked up one by one as though something swept through alerting them, and they took the same action as the first. The giant ant scuttered close, its sharp mandibles clattered and an axe cleave through its head. A whirl of weapons hack, shattered, and severed the squadron of ants in no time. Shin headed on without looking back. The ants were nothing. Their carapaces were slightly hard but the creatures were simply too weak to pose any kind of challenge he needed, common tier as they were. The tree goblin dungeon had been similar, the bulk of its mobs a tier below the dungeon¡¯s. He¡¯d need to delve deeper to find what he sought. Still encountering no traps, he continued down the tunnels massacring ants as he went with nothing but a single level in Footwork to show for it. A copper red ant stood out among a group and charged with burning mandibles and was dispatched as easily as the others, a giant fire ant variant still merely common tier. The tunnels spread out in winding paths like a maze but it mattered little to Shin who could see the ants waiting along the correct path. Finally he encountered something different. They stood five and a half feet tall with the head of an ant and the torso of a man on four back legs sticking out of a large bulbous gaster drawing likeness to a centaur, their segmented bodies coated in carapace. [Myrmekes (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] The two ant centaurs stood sentry to the open doorway, a crude spear in hand, seemingly fashioned out of ant parts. The antennas on their heads twitched, significantly earlier that the giant ants and without pause they bounded towards Shin, spears at the ready. Shin swatted away a thrust, macana drawn back at his side and sawed into the myrmekes¡¯ torso with a full swing. Halfway it gnawed, but the myrmekes thrust its spear again with a slight pause. Shin slipped it and kicked the ant away, green mucous oozing out of its wound, as the second ran around and thrust at Shin. An axe buried into its head cleanly and it collapsed, and the club sword sawed through the injured one¡¯s neck. Both fell limp instantly. [Myrmekes - Greater Peasant rank] Strength - 118 Agility - 68 Constitution - 106 Vitality - 85 Dexterity - 92 Perception - 81 Force - 44 Spirit - 57 Control - 45 Willpower - 43 Shin glanced at the fallen ant guards. Their carapaces were quite a bit harder than the giant ants but the insides seemed just as soft. The one persisted through what should have been a serious injury but both died as soon as their heads were destroyed. Their thrusts had some weight behind them but too slow to be a problem. Still, they were better opponents than the common tiers. Shin passed through the entrance into a huge empty dirt cavern, empty save for three large beige mounds covered in holes. The first two identified as giant ant mounds, which no rank given, and the largest one ahead a myrmekes mound. Soon the sound of chittering erupted and giant ants poured out of the mounds one by one, rushing towards him. Shin swapped out his macana for a mace and attacked, hacked and crushed the ants as they came. Light work but a spear piercing the air where his head had been signalled his true interest in the room. A mace to the side knocked it off balance and an axe shattered its head. Another myrmekes charged out of the mount but Shin first dispatched the enemies in his peripheral vision, making room for the next challenger. He danced around the thrusts of the myrmekes, let his legs do all the work as the spear caught nothing but air. He sidestepped at a second spear attacked, and positioned himself between them, dodging and deflecting their strikes as inconsequential giant ants died inbetween. [Footwork has reached lvl. 4] A third myrmekes appeared, yet still Shin stayed surrounded, straining his body to its limits to dance around their spears, knocking the wielders back occasionally as he dealt with the growing swarm of ants. [Superior Martial Combat has reached lvl. 6.] Shin saw something out of the corner of his eye and shattered the heads of the myrmekes in quick succession, earning a level in combat. He killed the latest myrmekes to appear and carved out some greater respite from the giant ants as he turned his attention to a new type. [Giant Ant Worker (common) - Greater Peasant] The yellow brown ant, smaller than its normal kin, paid Shin no mind and scuttled under a dead ant, carrying it on its back through a sizable hole in the wall near one of the mounds. A dozen more worker ants did the same, a few carrying away myrmekes corpses to their mounds instead. Shin left them be and returned to his self imposed training, hoping that his guess was correct. --- Shin danced through the field of spears. The number of myrmekes had long surpassed what he could handle surrounded, but he had long stopped caring, lost in the sea of battle. He spun around a piercing spear and slammed a mace into the ant warrior¡¯s chest, shattering an invisible coating and leaving a slight crack in its natural armor. He spun more and crashed his mace into the same spot once, twice, and with a third shattered open its chest, viscous green blood splashing out. And as the monster fell to its knees, caved in head. Another charged from the side and Shin glanced, a transparent sheen of protection glossing over it. [Footwork has reached lvl. 10. 10 attribute points rewarded.] Shin didn¡¯t think, he just felt. More. Faster. His movements sharpened and strained against their limits. [Footwork has upgraded to uncommon tier Quickstep.] Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Shin darted left and cleaved through the head of another enemy, lashing through the ants around it. Deeper into the daze he sank, time and enemies melting away leaving only a being of instinct and desire. [Buffer has reached lvl. 10. 25 attribute pointed rewarded.] He flipped over a wreath of spears, glowing white energy flowing around him, strengthening, hardening, growing closer to unbreakable. [Buffer has upgraded to rare tier Greater Buffer.] [Achievement: Skill Upgrade I. 25 attribute points rewarded.] ¡®Upgrade 10 skills.¡¯ The white sheen surrounded a myrmekes and a sailing axe bounced off it, leaving not a scratch. A jagged club sword appeared in his hand and sawed along the creature¡¯s leg and still the coating held. Again and again he hacked and sawed through the sharp tipped obstructions of outsiders until the coating broke and the ant followed. [Superior Martial Combat has reached lvl 10. 50 attribute points rewarded.] Deeper still into the trance he sank. Ants broke and fell all around him as more took their place, fuel for the flame. He forgot his thoughts, his situation, his pain. There was nothing but him and the pursuit of power. A star within flared through the dark and Shin snapped out of it. Immediately he ran for the door weaving through the ants, entering back into the tunnel. The keepers of the room stopped at the entrance, stayed by some invisible hand. Shin didn¡¯t look behind, he didn¡¯t think about anything else but pouring his mana into a skill. Mystic energy swirled and a fox masked warrior dressed in white appeared before him. Inari reached out and softly held his cheek, a sad frown on her lips. A comforting melancholy found Shin, his eyes mellowing and a slight smile returned. Shin checked the stage notification for the first time in a while. A full day had passed since their encounter with the worg and less than two hours remained. ¡°We only have a little time. Don¡¯t kill the little yellow ones or damage the mounds.¡± Inari sped off into the cave carving the ones standing by the entrance into pieces. Her body blurred as she massacred the ants and myrmekes in droves. Shin hopped back into the center of the carnage, waiting around as she worked. The room full of ants turned to corpses in no time and she darted between each mound killing the ants as quickly as they appeared. [Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian has reached lvl. 10. 50 attribute points rewarded.] [Requirements for class upgrade reached.] ¡®Shaman. Spirit Tamer. Divine Summoner. Magic Monk.¡¯ Shin scanned the descriptions and made his choice immediately. [Class has upgraded to rare tier Shaman. 50 attribute points rewarded.] [Acquired rare tier skill Harvest Spirit.] Only one given skill this time, unlike the previous two tiers. But it gave him an option to selection one skill, just as it had before. Shin scoured through the rare tier options looking for a different type of skill this time, a wish that also went unanswered. With that hope failed, he moved on to his second priority. [Acquired rare tier skill Spirit Possession.] A skill that allowed a bonded spirit to possess his body, granting a portion of their stats. At level one, it merely bestowed 10% of the chosen spirit¡¯s attribute values and access to their skills but not traits. Not immediately useful nor an addition to his arsenal towards his current goal, but it changed things, things that he¡¯d need to consider later. With that, he turned his attention to his status and the 210 unallotted points. Even that was not enough, but he had little choice but to make do. Spirit would go neglected this time in favor of his immediate goal. 101 into Agility for much needed speed, 90 into Perception, his ability to follow the movements of others sorely lacking, and the remaining 19 into Constitution. It would likely not be enough be for his body to handle the strain of its enhanced stats but hopefully it would hold up as long as he needed it to. Just as he thought as much, his golden light enveloped his body and broke into dazzling lights. [Rank has advanced to Lesser Lord. 100 attribute points rewarded.] [Acquired mythic tier trait Ethereal Soul.] Shin looked at the notifications in silence and moved around his body sensing something. There was a qualitative change, something deeper than stats he couldn¡¯t put words to but so clearly felt. He checked the new trait. ¡®A soul attuned with Ether.¡¯ Shin sunk into a trance. He could feel his soul more clearly than before and instead of the sensation of tempered mana, it was like swimming in a sea of the mana of spirits, playful, foreboding, and unfathomable. Something nudged his shoulder once and then continuously. Shin opened his eyes to Inari standing in front, her three tails swaying enthusiastically, the ant mounts burning around them. [Mystic Kitsune Guardian (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 250 Agility - 315 Constitution - 164 Vitality - 202 Dexterity - 277 Perception - 216 Force - 288 Spirit - 270 Control - 241 Willpower - 276 Skills: Greater Trick Fire lvl. 5, Keen Cut lvl. 6, Greater Paralyzing Stare lvl. 4, Greater Celestial Fire lvl. 2, Superior Sword Combat lvl. 7, Traits: Hallowed (epic), Windwalker (epic), Lesser Soul Weapon (rare), Greater Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp (Rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Lesser Charming Resistance (rare), There was no change to her skills, but her stats increased massively, a third across the board. Something she was very happy about ¡°You¡¯re incredible.¡± Inari smiled and burst into an elated frenzy, exploring the extent of her new physical capability. Shin followed her with eyes for a bit. What would have previously been a slight blur was now a clear figure. His current Perception would work, which meant he had options. Shin himself broke into a darting sprint and full speed strikes, stopping after just a few seconds. His speed was not quite what he expected. He threw a small amount of points into strength and moved again, adding strength bit by bit into it totaled 67. He came to a stop, satisfied with his current speed. It seemed Strength being a third of Agility was optimal for speed. His already aching body posed problems but he would have to bear with that. It was not just the strain on his body, but the speed of exhaustion beyond his expectations. Shin inched up Strength to 75 and Agility to 225. He planned to put the rest into Spirit but stamina and aura was a far more pressing concern. The remaining 50 points all went into Vitality. [Human Shaman (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 75 Agility - 225 Constitution - 50 Vitality - 84 Dexterity - 33 Perception - 150 Force - 24 Spirit - 391 Control - 83 Willpower - 36 Skills: Cure Wounds lvl. 7, Mystic Wall lvl. 1, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Greater Buffer lvl. 1, Superior Martial Combat lvl. 10, Quickstrike lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Vitalize lvl. 8, Quickstep lvl. 1, Harvest Spirit lvl. 1, Spirit Possession lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, With that looking promising, he turned his attention to the second unexpected boon, two ability options for reaching lesser lord, but these were rare tier. Had he not gotten the 100 extra points he would choose something immediately useful, but that was no longer necessary. Shin instead looked ahead to the future. First, he limited his options to offensive magical skills that weren¡¯t affected by Force. That shrunk the expansive list by a lot. There were a number that caught his eye but his interest sat with one in particular. [You have acquired rare tier Ripple lvl. 1] ¡®Emit steady waves of vibration. Potency increases with amount of mana used.¡¯ Shin held out his hand and half spherical waves pulsed out from his palm. They faded in strength rapidly after a certain point and dispersed entirely at about a foot past his hand. He hopped over to the wall of the cave and struck. The hardened dirt wall exploded at the point of contact, an impact above what he could accomplish on his hand. Shin thought for a moment then made the pulse parallel to his palm, like ripples on the surface of water, and struck again. The explosion at the point of impact was smaller, but surrounding the hole were several layers of rings perfectly encircling the center, the first reasonably deep but each successive ring shallower than the last. Shin stopped his experimentation there, content. He scanned through the list disjointedly, making a note of skills that caught his interest, but had a thought about what they all seemed to have in common and searched for something more specific. [Acquired rare tier Condense.] ¡®Compress a skill smaller and denser to increase the potency.¡¯ This was the only universal power enhancing skill among the rare choices and one that seemed quite good, though he postponed testing it for now. He was in quite a good position mana capacity wise with Inari still having an hour remaining on her duration and he didn¡¯t want to waste it. He sped off through the tunnel revealed by the destroyed Myrmekes mound and Inari followed. The tunnel led straight into a wide room which sat a myrmekes queen, twice as large as her kin, and four intimidating myrmekes guards. The queen emitted waves from antennas and aura enveloped the guards as they pointed their spears forward, and a white blur reaped their heads where they stood, severing the queen in parts. Shin jumped over and tapped the chest that appeared in the center, pausing for a moment at the floating uncommon tier truesteel scythe before storing it and turning to the entrance. ¡°We find him in the next hour.¡± Inari¡¯s disposition steeled as she followed Shin out of the portal, in concert with his eyes deepening again. Chapter 26 Screams and fearful war cries flooded the half broken fortress. Soldiers making desperate charges and deserters who lost their will to fight died in equal droves. The black wolf burst around, invisible to the eyes of most, leaving mangled and torn scraps in its wake. A bearded squire among the first residents fell back as his legs gave out under the sight of the carnage. The black wolf appeared in front and waited, slowly opening its mouth. The trembling man scrambled to his feet pathetically and ran for a few steps before the wolf snapped his body in half, armor and all. Ulverk raised his head with a sneer, blood draining down its mouth, and took in the terror, relishing it. He tilted his head away from an arrow and a weak human sped off, sprinting as fast as he could, heading for a trench carved out in the open bailey, and was mauled to shreds. A piercing shrill enveloped Ulverk and the little rats he smelled long before peeked out of their holes, flinging their petty arrows and spells. Ulverk vanished, the pitiful bardic noise having no effect on him, and tore and gnawed away at the attacks in their holes one by one. He blurred and appeared next in front of the bard woman only once she had bore witness to the massacre of her people. He raised a paw at the helpless human, tormenting her with the slow stay of death, and froze. Ulverk¡¯s head snapped to the distance and he raced over the fortress walls and into the forest in an instant, his smile more elated than ever. --- Shin stood atop the short plateau overlooking the forest, the wisping mana of meditation swirling around him as he kept watch on all sides with prismatic eyes. Inari stood near, swords drawn, vigilance coiled for a fight at any moment. Shin¡¯s eyes locked front and Inari took the vanguard in an instant. The worg darted through the trees crossing miles in moments and stepped into the rocky surface. ¡°I was beginning to think you¡¯d never leave your hole. That would have been¡­ wiser.¡± Ulverk seemed to notice something as he eyed his prey. ¡°So that¡¯s it. You gain a little power and think the world is yours.¡± Ulverk laughed calmly. ¡°Or maybe your minds are clouded. Thoughts of revenge?¡± Inari burst forward as a gnarled bow appeared in Shin¡¯s hands. Ulverk raised his neck away from a slash, and Inari hastily shielded her left with both swords against a heavy swipe, sending her crashing away. The worg blurred and snapped at Shin, swallowing his afterimage whole. Shock found its face as the boy dodged his lunge clean and aimed his bow. Ulverk turned to face the arrow and a sword slashed deep into his side. Inari leapt back before claws could find their revenge, positioning herself between the black wolf and Shin before charging again. Swords and claws cut only air, Inari sticking close. Ulverk¡¯s jaws snapped shut, just barely missing her, and tilted away as an arrow sailed by, a sword grazing his neck in the opening. The white fox pressed her attack as another arrow came to her aid. But the arrow found its target as Ulverk struck at her again. Shin nocked a third. If he strained his body past its limits with his current strength he could draw deep enough to shoot, but not fully and not quickly. The arrow in the wolf¡¯s shoulder barely sinking to the shaft. Shin took note as that arrow pushed out of the worg¡¯s flesh and the bleeding from his sword wound already ending. He noticed, and let loose arrows as Inari battled its claws and fangs, the wolf now utterly ignoring them in pursuit of the stronger target. Shin nocked another, this time pouring mana into the bow. Sharp wind emanated from the head of the arrow and cut through the air, this time striking deep into the worg¡¯s side. Ulverk grimaced, caught off guard by the wounds inflicted by the human he had written off. He let out a roar, bringing an instinctive fear into all around him. His body melted into shadows and swam towards the boy. Shin dashed away, arrow at the ready, and the shadow sank into the ground, Ulverk¡¯s jaw surfacing from the shadows behind Shin, lines of white fangs bearing down. And snapped shut on air, as Shin blitzed away, faster than he had dodged before. A glare of frustration crept on the worg¡¯s face and Inari slashed deep from his side again, as his focus strayed. Ulverk mauled Inari away and glowered menacingly at Shin. His speed frustrated him but more so the absence of any trace of fear. The boy had frozen at the dungeon entrance before and he could not have acquired such resistance since in that paltry den. He had come here for slaughter, not true combat from such inferiors. A wrathful snarl took hold on its face in the lull in combat, no trace of the derision and mockery of before. His body shook and began to grow larger in erratic pulses until he neared the size of a giant direwolf. The enlarged worg bounded towards Shin, the ground breaking beneath his feet. Shin stowed his bow and sped away from the worg¡¯s rampage. Closer and closer the giant worg¡¯s claws tore as he pushed his body as fast as it could go. The beast¡¯s true speed had not increased but the distance he could move in the same amount of time had, by virtue of its size. Inari lagged behind, her occasional slashes when Shin was able to draw the worg nearing evaded and ignored. Her attacks failing, she stayed her hand and lunged to cut them off, spitting a mass of grayish blue fire. Shin darted towards it and the worg followed as the fire sailed between them, suddenly veering towards the worg and reached for it. Ulverk jumped away, his eyes turning to the ball of talismans hurled through the air by his face, as they burst into a giant ball of flames, covering the worg in fire. The flames coated its face and neck, but the worg sped around and shook them off in the wind, his fur only slightly singed. But no sooner did he shake off the flames, did Inari appear in front and spit again. The worg leapt to the side of the blue fire stretch out on both sides, the mass just barely grazing its fur and like adhesive it stuck, pulling the rest of its mass straight into the worg. Ulverk roared, trickfire burning far more intensely than the common flames of the talismans. He thrashed at the white fox who had gotten too close, shattering a transparent sheen around her as she crashed along the ground. But the fox warrior spun to her feet and charged again as another light gleaned around her. Shin fired aircutter arrows at the flailing worg as Inari took to the air around it, keeping it at bay with more fire. A wave of fear was met with another arrow and a glare to counter, which paused the worg for an instant, nearly enough to be caught by the second trickfire as it fizzled out. The worg thrashed and darted away, until the trickfire finally died down. Patches of burnt fur and charred flesh marred the body of the once seemingly infallible beast and blood spilled from its wounds. But quickly, it healed. Gashes closed, charred flesh returned to its color and fur regrew. The giant worg looked down at its enemies, all its laidback arrogance lost, replaced with only wrath and hatred. The red markings on its body shone and a feral fierceness spread across the worg¡¯s face. Shin dove away as the worg barrelled through, tearing across the ground as it turned to face him again, mouth pouring with drool and eyes devoid of reason. Shin blitzed into the forest, a second lunge crashing through trees and dirt just barely missing him. Shin fled as fast as he could, weaving through trees as the giant raging wolf barrelled and thrashed through them, the barest resistance of such obstacles the only thing slowly the great beast down enough for Shin to keep away as he twisted and turned. Shin stopped feinting or laying traps, the mindless wolf immune to such tricks with him in his sights. But in that mindlessness, it became predictable. A tree shattered in his place. The wind from its claws cut into his skin. A dive away just barely kept him from a lunge of its jaw. Shin¡¯s body ached and strained as his mind raced to stay a half step ahead of certain death, yet still he continued this deadly game of tag through the woods. Mana and aura depleted as rapidly as the forest demolished behind him. As he took another step, a sickening snap came from his leg. His speed faltered for an instant but it was an instant too much. Shin dove forward, just barely twisting his body away from the worg¡¯s fangs but a mere bump on the barrelling beast¡¯s shoulder, sent him crashing out, the protection surrounding him shattered. Shin took to his feet without rest, forcing his bones together and suppressing the pain as the worg slammed into a cluster of trees and burst forward again. A wall of gray blue fire bloomed between them and the worg recklessly charged through, the pain only enraging it further. The barest trace of intelligence flashed in its eyes and it turned towards the firebreather that inflicted such pain. Shin pivoted and sped in the same direction, towards Inari. ¡°Sky.¡± Shin spoke as he shot arrow after arrow to steal the worg¡¯s attention, to no avail. But the kitsune guardian kept to the ground, keeping the worg¡¯s attention focused solely on her. Shin¡¯s urgency heightened as he swerved closer to the rampaging worg, drawing two red daggers. Relentlessly he slashed at the worg¡¯s leg in the instances it stayed on the ground, the might of its strides far too much to strike directly against. But the worg took no notice. More and more, Shin sliced as fast as he could on the same shallow cuts, again and again, until blood started to splash and pour in droves dousing Shin along with the forest, until finally it struck deep and the worg¡¯s head flinched and turned down. In a flash Shin leapt back and claws tore through his chestpiece and into his torso. Inari lunged with frantic wrath through the air and slashed through the eyes of the distracted worg, pouncing from the air over to Shin. His torso and the ground below him painted red before he could stop the bleeding by force, the claws had sunk deep, even with avoiding the worst of it. He could keep his body together, keep everything in place and force it to operate normally, but he could not fix the chestpiece, the active skill of which vanished with the change in description adding the word ¡®damaged¡¯. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Inari appeared by his side, half worried half angry. Shin drank a red potion but he could feel her urging to do more, yet he couldn¡¯t spare the mana, not now. ¡°Burn it more. Don¡¯t get close.¡± Inari lingered in protest but gave in to the look in Shin¡¯s eyes and sped off. Shin drew his bow and fired arrow after arrow at the thrashing worg. There was only one way they could win now. Inari darted around and spit fire at it, the blind mindless worg unable to avoid these. Blood lined Shin¡¯s fingers as he continued to shoot arrows. A breath from Inari fizzled out before it formed and a blind maul sent her crashing through trees. She stumbled to her feet and sprinted back over to Shin, one arm hanging limp, the other drawn towards the worg. They waited and watched as the giant worg slammed against the trees and howled, flames stuck firmly to it, burning away. But soon the flames died down, the smoke that blocked its nose gone and it turned its head towards them, a single eye healing. It took a step, and faltered. Its body trembled and rapidly shrank back down to its normal size, its charred flesh and severed eye remaining. Without pause the worg burst forward. Shin jumped back and Inari met the beast head on. She blocked the a paw that sent her sliding back and kept between it and Shin as best she could, but even without the strengthened mauls, she was forced on the backfoot, unable to counter. Ulverk glanced at Shin, doing little more than loosing useless arrows, and moving slowly. A malicious sneer returned to his face. With a lunge, he crossed Inari, ignoring the slash against its side. A talisman sailed in the air between them and the worg¡¯s smile reached elation, a single useless ember all that remained between him and the kill. Shin triggered the talisman as the worg tensed its legs for the final lunge, and a blinding light consumed the world. Ulverk¡¯s mind raced rapidly. They was no injury, he could not see from the blinding flash but that was all. His sense of smell still worked, his legs coiled to the brink. He could still sense the prey, slowly stepping to cover behind a large tree. Ulverk lunged and threw all his might behind a swipe, aiming to destroy tree and human both. His mighty paw struck the tree, and a veil of protection shattered. The tree cracked and half uprooted, but stood firm. A slash halfway through its hind legs woke him from his blank shock. He turned to swipe at the fox but his rear legs gave him no strength and buckled slightly, and the fox slashed deep into his neck. Ulverk balked, another swipe swatted away and a second slash dug into his neck. An unfamiliar emotion crept into the back of his mind as he lashed out, receiving slash after slash. A feeling he had given many before. Inari raised her sword, and he fled. Blood drained down his wounds and spluttered as he pushed his body forward, the perk of regeneration gone with his depleted mana. The wounds worsened with every step, and his vision started to turn hazy, but still he ran. He could hear two sets of footsteps in pursuit. Further and further, blindly he ran through the forest. The stage would soon end. If he could just make it that far, he thought, he only needed to make it that far. His pace slowed, his stride uneven. Breathe wouldn¡¯t take in his body. Still, he stumbled, slower and slower, and finally he collapsed. He urged his limbs but they would not listen, his vision gone too. The heat from his body slipped away, and he heard something land lightly in front of his head, with the smell of man. ¡°Fortunate¡­ boy¡­¡± He taunted. It was all he knew how. ¡°A spirit¡­ like me¡­ before you¡­ now¡­ you¡­ will have¡­ true power¡­ I will¡­ accept¡­ a bon-¡± A scythe whipped through the ground, its edge glowing, and the worg¡¯s head rolled across the ground. Shin watched the worg break away into mana and fade into the air. He laid the scythe on the bloodied ground and stared at it in silence, ignoring the notification of achievement. Inari stood at a slight distance, feeling unable to walk near, but gathered her resolve and stepped in front of him and held his cheek as her body turned to light, returning to Shin¡¯s soul. Shin¡¯s eyes softened, but still he waited in silence. Minutes passed by and finally the world around him froze. A screen appeared before him with a numbered list of names in ascending order and his at the top. Shin paused for a moment before looking through it.
  1. Shin
  2. Leon Moore
  3. Sereth Narmer
  4. ¡­
¡°Someone did better than Sereth¡­¡± Shin was somewhat surprised but his attention moved on quickly. He scoured down the list, noting the placement of a Genjiro Igarashi at 29 before finding what he was looking for.
  1. Yuna Igarashi.
Lower than what he expected, but he guessed she was being cautious. Shin dispelled the ranking. He had no doubt in his heart of the survival of those two, merely wanting to check how they were doing. He turned his attention to the notification he ignored before. [Achievement: Boss Slayer I. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] 100 gold coins entered his spatial bag to his knowledge of that fact by mysterious means, but his attention was firmly on the black elastic long sleeve silk shirt appeared in his hands. [Semi-divine Training Shirt - Legendary] ¡®Doubles recovery rate of mana and aura. Compounds with other recovery abilities.¡¯ Another notification popped up, granting an option for a legendary tier ability along with an additional skill slot, his stage reward as the top ranked initiate. He searched for a specific ability and chose it without hesitation. [Acquired legendary tier trait Spiritkeeper.] ¡®Store the root of a bonded spirit¡¯s soul. Limit: 3.¡¯ No sooner had he made his choice was he bombarded with hundreds and hundreds of notifications, all invitations from gods. Shin dismissed all but those with messages, which still left dozens. They bore the standard promises of power, status, glory, even marriage proposals, but none appealed to him save for one. [The Master of the Great Land invites you.] ¡®Talk to me if you¡¯re fond of spirits.¡¯ Shin accepted it and once again found himself in a dark space devoid of naught but himself and a young man who looked to be not much older than himself. His face an exceeding handsome beauty with emerald green hair, loose and mid length, he wore a loose silk tunic generously stitched in finery tied at the waist in a cloth belt and baggy farmer¡¯s pants that stopped rolled up halfway down his shins. Barefoot he stood, balancing one foot on his lower leg as he leaned casually to the side. ¡°Yo.¡± He held out a hand in a laidback greeting. ¡°I¡¯m Onamuji.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Onamuji crossed his arms and tilted his head as he slowly floated around Shin, wholly unhurried unlike the first god. ¡°It is hard to read you¡­ But you did save that little pixie with no expectations. Wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve gotten the circle if you were. That doesn¡¯t happen that often¡­ And fusing the holy and the ethereal¡¯s ¡®sposed to be a lot harder than you made it seem. Guess anything goes with the ethereal.¡± ¡°Can spirits do anything?¡± Shin interrupted him abruptly, a trace of deepness in his eyes. Onamuji floated in silence for a moment. ¡°Yes and no. Can¡¯t go into detail here but if something can¡¯t be done with the ethereal it can¡¯t be done at all.¡± ¡°Can it bring someone back?¡± ¡°...the little sickle weasel¡¯s gone. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shin lowered his gaze for a moment, then brought it back. ¡°Can it find a soul outside the tower?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know enough about outside the tower to know. But the Spirit Realm is connected to more than just what¡¯s in these walls.¡± ¡°Okay. I choose you.¡± ¡°Great, of course it¡¯ll be a greater-¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°...true blessings are serious, y¡¯know.¡± The god looked at Shin¡¯s uncompromising casual smile and sighed. ¡°Burden¡¯s always on me¡­¡± A notification appeared in front of Shin and he accepted. [Received a True Blessing.] ¡®Your fate and existence has been tied your patron god¡¯s. 30% increase to all attributes.¡¯ ¡°Alright, we don¡¯t have a lot of time. That Ethereal Soul trait is more incredible than you know. For now, use it to store the souls of spirits.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°That skill you just got with the Shaman class. Harvest strong spirits and store them inside yours. It¡¯ll matter later. Also, and this is important, don¡¯t go over 2000 total stat points in the next trial. Maybe one or two hundred if you need to, but no more. Keep as many free skill slot space as you can, but that isn''t as important.¡± Onamuji¡¯s expression turned a tad more serious. ¡°Try not to get too reckless. You might rank first now but you¡¯re not the most gifted even from your world. Some peerless talent¡¯s got the whole Tower riled up.¡± ¡°Leon Moore?¡± Shin thought. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you. But it¡¯ll be obvious. Anyway, you can¡¯t beat them right now. Not a chance, so don¡¯t fight them if you meet.¡± Onamuji stared at Shin¡¯s indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯m serious, don¡¯t do it.¡± Seeing no change in his new apostle¡¯s face, he sighed again. ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. Won¡¯t be able to talk to you again for a while¡­ so just keeping doing all you can, I guess.¡± The space ended with the god¡¯s words and Shin found himself back in the tutorial stage frozen in time. The goddess from the start stepped into existence in the sky, far away yet close at the same time. ¡°Hail all thee who hath found the dawn of thy destiny.¡± A divine voice, distant and near, rang throughout the stage. ¡°From this stage, thou shall step into thy world made anew, a branch of the Tower. Find solace in this blessed tree amidst the World of Darkness. Find hope. Find thy path of fate.¡± A light consumed the world and when Shin opened his eyes, he found himself in a rolling meadow stretching on and on, grand mountains far in the distance. His injuries healed and energy restored to full. Shin let his eyes relax into prismatic splendor and entered the world of colors more fully than before. Clear and calm, he let his mind drift in the sea of wonder. Black filled his eye and crept through another, stalling, straining, before suppressed back to where it came. ¡°You will never take me.¡± Words spoken to something and nothing. Shin looked out on the new world and saw no path but the one he chose. --- A wiry old man with a long thin white beard stood in a barren wasteland of dead orcs, a larger fiercer one dress in wolf fur and partial armor dead with them. Several players healed their wounds behind him as he looked over the list of ranks in a calm pose, a new intricately crafted glaive resting against his shoulder. Quite a large number of Igarashi had made in on the list of a thousand, nearly a fifth in fact, and three of them had entered the top 100 as he. Though he recognized quite a few other surnames as well, the vast majority of the list, but that was to be expected. He stroked his beard as his attention returned to the top. The system acknowledged the preferred name of his leper grandson, not the name he was born with, as was the case with all others he knew. He had thought this world one of simple myth and fantasy, but this was different. There was something more to this. A crazed grin spread across Genjiro¡¯s face, one he had retired long ago. This world could be conquered. A man of perfect chiseled physique with long red hair and dauntless golden eyes strangled a fearsome lion in his hands. A smiling man with deep blue hair and cloth tied around his eyes walked through a sea of poisoned bodies. An enchanting woman with light brown skin, silky purple hair braided in fine shoulder length strands, and piercing amber, sat with a smile, surrounded by mindless loyal pawns. A crazed man, eyes blackened and skin reddened, laughed drenched in the blood of monsters and players. A light brown skinned man with a light beard and flowing black hair and a white lotus tattooed on his forehead stood at the helm of nine others, eyes full of purpose and confidence. A silky orange haired woman with blue eyes, panted heavily, injured and disheveled, staring at the charred trollskinned creature she had just killed. A young boy with long black hair played with magic, ignoring the world around him. A brown skinned woman with flowing black hair and cold golden lotus eyes stood alone amongst the vines. A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail casually walked away from a ruptured and dented creature. A dark skinned man of towering powerful build, hair cut low and clean shaven with eyes glowing pure white stood tall like a divine warrior. A blonde haired fair damsel of unrivaled beauty with golden eyes stood back as nine others fought for her with all their might. A stoic crimson eyed woman patiently waited in front of a headless centaur. A blond man with casual pink eyes and slight smile that held not a shred of doubt walked away from an ogre severed in two, the light from his sword fading away. And far away, a jester bound wholly in red and black watched everything unfold from behind a white smiling mask. ¡°Can you feel it, o Lord?¡± He looked to the sky from his crouch. ¡°The third rebellion.¡± Chapter 27 Flutter laid on her flower bed, wholly uncontent. The servants were slow in getting her morning honeydew again. That it could only be obtained beyond the grove now was no excuse. It was unacceptable. Thinking of the grove¡¯s sudden relocation only made her mood worsen. She sat up, the single long braid of her blonde hair flapping between a set of gorgeous butterfly wings on her back, her mind decided. She would punish them. ¡°Flutter!¡± A shrill resonating voice sent her into a panic, but before she could make her escape, the source barged into the room escorted by fairy guards, a fairy with wings much like hers and flowing blonde hair wearing a crown of flowers and a beautiful dress fashioned from the silk of petals. ¡°I heard it all.¡± ¡°H-heard what?¡± Flutter played dumb. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend. I know all about how you¡¯ve been sending the pixies and young fairies outside the grove.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason for that¡­¡± ¡°No there is not! It is dangerous! Big monsters and big people everywhere!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a little outside.¡± The fairy queen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°You leave me no choice. You will patrol outside!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Flutter¡¯s attitude changed in an instant. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve warned you but you won¡¯t listen. Maybe when you see where you¡¯ve been sending the servants, you¡¯ll stop this nonsense. Escort her away!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Before she knew it, Flutter was outside the grove, a fairy guard closing the gate on her with a piercing stare from the shadow of his helmet. The spoiled fairy stared at the grove for a moment before shaking into a scream of frustration. The outside was truly dangerous. Her mother might be smarter than the average fairy but she was still prone to stupid decisions like this. And this was the stupidest of all as it was her life in peril. Flutter quieted down, partly because she vented some of her anger, partly because she remembered where she was and wasn¡¯t too keen on making much noise. On that note, she turned to the problem before her. Scouting for the grove was more than some roughshod planning. There were specific trees far away in all directions that scouts are to take a piece of bark from as proof of their journey. These pieces are all compared to others so they can¡¯t be faked. Had Flutter thought there need, she would have hidden away some of these pieces to cheat but never did she expect her mother to be so foolish. She sighs again and looked around anxiously before heading off. Cautiously and carefully, she darted from tree to tree, checking every which way at all times. What felt like hours but could more accurately be described as minutes passed before she reached her goal. Flutter stared at the large tree with missing spots of bark from behind another. She swallowed her nerves and darted out, snatching a piece before returning to the comfort of her newly designated hiding tree. There were still three more to go but it had gone without hitch, save for her frayed nerves. Flutter began to think more optimistically. Perhaps there were no threats around today, and perhaps she could be done with this and be back in the comfort of her faerie tree within the hour. Things were looking up. ¡°Hi.¡± Flutter turned in silence to the blacked haired eerie eyed human beside her, and her throat sank into her lungs. She screamed and fled with all her might. It took a few seconds before she realized the trees around her weren¡¯t moving. She turned to see the human holding her feet by his fingers. She shouted back, meaning to say to let go but what left her mouth were nonsensical noises. ¡°I¡¯m looking for spirits.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t eat me!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t?¡± Futility and time, but mostly futility calmed the fairy down. Or rather, she half resigned herself to her fate with a bleak expression. ¡°I can bring sacrifices¡­ I¡¯m very useful alive¡­¡± Flutter sold out her own without hesitation in a desperate last bid to save her hide but even she didn¡¯t seem to have much faith in the result. Shin tilted his head at the muttering fairy. ¡°Do you know where strong spirits are?¡± Flutter looked up at her captor and a speck of light returned to her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Flutter¡¯s disheveled expression gave way to a brilliant and cooperative smile. ¡°I can get them and bring them here. I¡¯ll bring them right away so stay here, okay.¡± Flutter repeated her promises as she took her leave, flying at first with a forced smile and once the human was out of sight, sped off in a panic towards the grove. Forgetting all her previous fears, she made a beeline for the safe haven as fast as she could, slamming into the magical wall of trees and pummeled on the gate. ¡°Open the gate! Let me in! Let me in, let me in, let me in, let me-¡± ¡°Here?¡± Air wheezed into Flutter¡¯s mouth as she turned to see the same human standing casually near. A window in the gate opened up and the soldier looked at Flutter and then Shin. ¡°I wanna talk to the strongest spirit here.¡± The soldier shut the window and then there was silence. Flutter floated down to her hands and knees on the grass. The grove had abandoned her. Shin waited patiently, oblivious to the fairy princess¡¯ despair, and the gates soon opened. He nonchalantly walked in like an invited guest and Flutter followed behind on autopilot, her mind having shut down. Shin looked around. It was a rather big place for a fairy village and interesting. Little trees filled much of the land, their trunks hollowed and furled together like roots, a glowing yellow mostly oblique substance like solid honey filled in the gaps like glass windows. Small doors were carved into each one at varying heights and all manner of plants, mushrooms, and flowers decorated them uniquely. All of the residents stared at him, most with a kind of innocent curiosity, but the variants, especially the soldiers had a more guarded disposition. Shin continued on his way calmly over to a gathering of little souls awaited him. Like a makeshift open court, soldiers and other variants lined the sides on a path leading up to a fairy queen. ¡°That¡¯s close enough!¡± Shin came to a stop at the shrill but shaky command. ¡°Why have you come, big human?¡± ¡°Looking for strong spirits.¡± ¡°We are a grove of fairies, who told you there were strong spirits here?¡± Shin looked at Flutter who flinched at the others¡¯ attention turning to her, the queen among them. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The fairy queen cleared her throat. ¡°There are no spirits for you to tame here. Please leave.¡± ¡°Are you scared of being tamed?¡± The queen flinched. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it changed to befriend.¡± ¡°Do, do you think you can beat all my brave guards?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The certain response gave the queen pause. ¡°You seem stressed.¡± The queen¡¯s face reddened in a fluster. ¡°Y-you are not welcome here! Leave at once!¡± Flutter felt a wave of relief as soon she would be free of the human. ¡°Flutter, for bringing danger to the village I banish you for good!¡± ¡°Wha?!¡± The queen waved her hands and magic surged up from the village, Shin and Flutter finding themselves standing back outside the grove, a fairy guard closing the gate on them with a piercing stare from the shadow of his helmet. Shin looked around the grove, not particularly bothered by the whole thing. ¡°None of them seemed that strong.¡± Flutter let out a shrieking wail in response, the shock at losing her safe and easy home sinking in. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening! I¡¯m gonna die out here!¡± ¡°Lesser lord uncommon variant isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°Fairies aren¡¯t built for fighting!¡± Flutter snapped at him. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s over¡­ It won¡¯t be long until some monsters or players hunt me down now. I¡¯m done for.¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± Shin wished her well as he started to leave. ¡°Wait, this is all your fault! You have to fix this!¡± Flutter shouted at him forgetting her past fears or the reality of her situations. ¡°I have stuff to do, though.¡± Flutter¡¯s eyes teared over in frustration. ¡°Fix this, fix this, fix this, fix this-¡± Shin thought for a moment as the fairy princess threw a tantrum. ¡°I could make you a dungeon master.¡± Flutter¡¯s tirade stopped for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s even worse! Dungeons are super dangerous, they get wiped out all the time!¡± ¡°Dungeon or outside?¡± Flutter started to open her mouth. --- Shin jogged through the woodlands as Flutter followed close behind. ¡°Hey¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡± The fairy complained. She complained a lot. Shin ignored her, continuing his search for a dungeon. He had passed by a few already by they were Peasant rank, preventing him from entering. Flutter got a bit annoyed at the lack of pampering and took it upon herself to find a solution, which came in the form of lying on top his head. ¡°Stinks¡­ Run steadier¡­¡± Shin came to a sudden stop. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it, don¡¯t eat me!¡± Flutter stopped her apology halfway as she noticed the portal in front of them. ¡°Why are we not going in?¡± ¡°You probably can¡¯t come in with me without a bond.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna waste one on you.¡± ¡°What do you mean waste?! I¡¯m super smart and incredible, you¡¯d never find someone like me in a thousand years!¡± ¡°You said fairies were weak.¡± Flutter flinched. ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t everything¡­ Anyway, you owe me!¡± Shin paused for a moment and a wave of a welcoming expanse washed over Flutter, infinite and ethereal. Shin felt a bond form within his soul and inspected the silent fairy. [Fairy Princess (uncommon) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 45 Agility - 132 Constitution - 58 Vitality - 51 Dexterity - 124 Perception - 126 Force - 198 Spirit - 216 Control - 159 Willpower - 138 Skills: Pixie Dust lvl 5, Dancing Light lvl 4, Befuddle lvl. 6, Glitterveil lvl. 1, Traits: Lesser Magic Affinity (rare), Faerie Presence (uncommon), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), Minor Charming Resistance (uncommon), Petty Poison Resistance (common), Petty Disease Resistance (common), Her stats weren¡¯t bad due to specialization, but her abilities truly weren¡¯t suited for combat. Befuddle the superior version of Muddle, Glitterveil shrouding the area in dazzling lights making it harder to properly see the user, and Dancing Light outright just magic of convenience, creating a sphere of light to illuminate the surroundings. Pixie Dust seemed to be the most hopeful by name only but its description was quite vague, enabling one to manipulate specks of ether. Shin¡¯s attention shifted to the fairy who had been uncharacteristically still for a while and thought for a moment. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Flutter snapped out of her daze and looked around still a little confused. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Flutter¡­¡± She answered on reflex. ¡°What does Faerie Dust do?¡± ¡°Huh, oh¡­ Make things, change things a little, make things float, make people sleep or do silly things¡­¡± ¡°Playing tricks¡­¡± Shin thought. Mildly useful in combat but with that she lacked any form of offense. Shin¡¯s mind turned to his gradually draining mana capacity, which he had been monitoring for a while. 1 mana about every 12 seconds consistently. Even with the greater blessing boost he couldn¡¯t maintain a lesser lord uncommon variant for even 2 hours, at the cost of 5 mana a minute. Terrible efficiency considering he could summon Inari for 2 hours for less than half his total. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin wasn¡¯t particularly thrilled but he made his choice and the slight regret already left his mind. As the comforting sensation of water enveloped Flutter, she began to thoroughly consider she may have made a terrible decision. --- Flutter watched from the safety of the human¡¯s hair in horror as gnolls died in mangled droves. Vicious, terrifying, strong creatures, they were said to be. She could still remember being told stories of them as a newborn fairy to scare her into obedience. And they were being sawed through and cleaved in slaughter. A drop of blood splattered on Flutter¡¯s cheek. Her eyes slowly slide in that direction and then back forward, dust cleaning it off as her shellshocked expression remained unchanged. A large gnoll appeared before them, covered in heavy armor and wielding a long bloody flail. The human dodged around as the spiked ball bit and tore into the ground around them, dense pulsing mana swirling in his palm. He blurred in front of the armored gnoll and struck. Like the hammer of a giant the gnoll crashed back into the hardened rock wall, a dent caved into his armor. The gnoll staggered but an arrow pierced through its eye and it fell limp. Shin tapped the chest and stored the mask that floated out of it. ¡°Okay, done.¡± Flutter didn¡¯t react. ¡°Flutter?¡± The fairy jolted in fright and prostrated on top his head. ¡°I pledge my soul in service of you forever, master!¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Great Master Shin, long may you reign!¡± ¡°Here.¡± Shin pointed her attention to a glowing orb that appeared in the back of the boss room. Flutter hesitated then flew over nervously. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± Flutter paused for a few moments, a million thoughts running through her mind, and reached out her hand to touch the orb. Shin sensed the bond leave his soul and looked back at the orb, feeling the same sensation from it at a distance. Flutter glowed bright and lights shattered into fragments, revealing the now Fairy Queen with a crown of flowers and more elaborate dress. [Achievement: Dungeon Pioneer (uncommon). 50 attribute points rewarded.] ¡®The first of your world to become the master of an uncommon tier dungeon.¡¯ From the 100 points he acquired for slaying the worg boss, Shin had already put 25 points into strength, bringing it to a level that he would be able to use his elm longbow well without straining past his limits, and the remaining in Agility. The gnolls were easy to kill but uncommon tier monsters weren¡¯t his concern. With his skill of Quicken lost, he needed more base speed, much more. He put 12 into Strength and 38 into Agility. [Human Shaman (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 112 (145) Agility - 338 (439) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 84 (109) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 150 (195) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 416 (541) Control - 83 (108) Willpower - 36 (47) Skills: Cure Wounds lvl. 8, Mystic Wall lvl. 1, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Greater Buffer lvl. 1, Superior Martial Combat lvl. 10, Quickstrike lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Vitalize lvl. 10, Quickstep lvl. 3, Harvest Spirit lvl. 1, Spirit Possession lvl. 1, Ripple lvl. 2, Condense lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, His skills were progressing slowly, but that was to be expected with the 10x boost of the stage no longer present. Onamuji said there would be a second, so it¡¯d be better to just wait until then and focus his efforts elsewhere. Namely, acquiring items. He had been given one for his rank, so others likely did too. But to do that, he¡¯d need to find people first. Shin glanced around at the now almost barren dungeon. ¡°Can you get more?¡± Flutter flinched and fiddle with the orb until a lightly armored Gnoll Savage appeared from thin air. It seemed similar to summoning and a quick glance with spirit eyes showed no difference between it and outside monsters. It showed no sign of hostility towards either Shin or Flutter. ¡°Just gnolls?¡± The fairy panicked for some reason and a Redcap Butcher appeared, standing around in the same vein as the gnoll. Their statuses were visible to Shin, both being uncommon variants. Things seem to be fine. ¡°I¡¯ll be back later.¡± Shin sped off back out of the dungeon, leaving behind a bleak eyed fairy. Chapter 28 Shin stared at the simple walled village from a distance. A few hundred buildings and twice as many people, the first of whom he¡¯s encountered since the tutorial, though he did find them by spotting a few residents returning after a hunt. He eyed the guards standing atop the walls and donned the wooden mask he recently obtained, the color of his clothes and body shifting to roughly match his surroundings. The moment a guard¡¯s sight shifted opposite his he sprinted forward in a crouch, quietly and carefully, keeping track of the guard¡¯s line of sight. Through the field of wild grain and with a sudden burst vaulted over the wall into the town proper, none the wiser. Shin glanced around then walked to the area of most activity, his form returning to its true colors. Shin toured through the small village, taking his time. The buildings were wattle and daub of varying types but seemed well crafted, quite a few even being two stories, and the streets were firm ground dotted with large circular stone tiles. Nothing compared to vast cities of imagination but an impressive accomplishment in only five days. Shin made his way into the village square. Most of the residents were out and about, talking and trading. Stalls lined the streets and signs hung from buildings and workshops. Shin glanced at one such stall run by a bored old man and headed over. As Shin caught his notice, the stall peddler glanced the masked stranger up and down. ¡°Only sell inscription items here. What you need?¡± ¡°Uncommoner tier talisman slips and ink.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t nobody got that¡­ You above Novice?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯chu¡­ No, nevermind. Just got common stuff if you want that.¡± The man started placing samples of his wares on the stall, all basic material Shin was quite familiar with. ¡°Who built the village?¡± ¡°No one. Was here when we got here. First ones found it empty. Beats spending the night outside with the monsters. How much?¡± ¡°All the paper and ink.¡± ¡°...2 silver coins. You got that much?¡± Shin took out one of his gold coins. ¡°Wha-¡± Before the man could say more than a few words, Shin darted away to a commotion in the center. ¡°Do your job as a servant and take us to mother!¡± A young boy yelled. ¡°I ain¡¯t your fucking servant and I sure as fuck ain¡¯t doing shit for two fucking brats!¡± ¡°You will if you don¡¯t want the Igarashi to kill you in your sleep.¡± A young girl warned. ¡°Then better for me if they don¡¯t find out!¡± The spindly man blurred in a burst of speed and recoiled with a shriek, one hand less than usual. The blond haired boy pointed a bloody dagger at the rest with a cocky grin. ¡°Who else wants to disobey the Igarashi?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± The boy startled and jumped over to the girl, both on guard against the masked stranger that snuck up on them. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Shin seemed to remember something and took off his mask. ¡°Shin?¡± Ko and Kei¡¯s expressions of alert were replaced with shock. ¡°What do you-¡± ¡°How did you get number 1?!¡± Ko interrupted her. Shin inspected the twins. Both Greater Peasant and uncommon tier, Ko a Striker in rogue type armor and Kei a robed Illusionist. ¡°What number did you get?¡± Ko clicked his teeth and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You didn¡¯t get on the list?¡± ¡°Shutup! You cheated!¡± Ko changed his stance. ¡°Kei!¡± Ko burst past Shin as Kei disappeared where she stood. The boy stepped into a shadow cast by a building and sank into it. Shin felt a strain on his mind that he easily dismissed as Ko burst out of his shadow behind him. Shin spun under the lunging dagger and kicked Ko into a yelping empty space. The twins fell to the ground, Kei turning visible once more. They startled again realizing Shin crouching down right in front of them. ¡°Some players and monsters can see through invisibility. Look at them to figure out if you¡¯re actually hidden. Don¡¯t just sit back and think your first move will work. Follow up with Ko and attack at the same time.¡± Shin directed at the girl before turning to the less receptive boy. ¡°You¡¯re too impatient and underestimate your opponents. You fell for the fake opening because of that. Make sure the kill you see is real. If you were fighting someone serious, you¡¯d be dead.¡± The twins flinched, partly because they knew Shin was stronger, partly because he had never spoken so much or so bluntly towards them. ¡°You said something about mother?¡± Shin changed the subject. ¡°...that man said there¡¯s a village with mother¡¯s name. She gave him items to tell other villages about it, but he won¡¯t take us back there.¡± Kei answered as the stubborn Ko kept silent. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Somewhere that way.¡± Kei pointed. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± The man spoken about with a bloody stump of a wrist lunged towards them and a knife flew through the air and sunk into his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Shin told the reluctant twins as he rested his arm back in place. --- The trio of siblings ran across the field further north at a quick and steady pace. It had been half a day and the twins were keeping up without a word of complaint. They were only kids but there were still Igarashi who had started training, though complaints were hardly the only thing they had in their arsenal. ¡°Hey, demon.¡± Shin showed no sign of response. ¡°Stop ignoring me! Stupid Shin!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Shin glanced back nonchalantly. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Identify work? You cheating again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m higher rank.¡± ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Thousand stat point total.¡± Ko¡¯s attention turned in front of him, no doubt doing some quick addition. ¡°Max four rare tier skills to get a rare tier class.¡± Shin added for their benefit. ¡°If we were rare lords, we could kill you easy!¡± Ko snapped back, unhappy after checking his stats. ¡°You have to get there first.¡± Ko¡¯s face flushed with frustrated embarrassment but he didn¡¯t respond. Shin glanced back at the now quiet Ko and the girl who had been quiet for a while now. ¡°Did you start in the same zone?¡± ¡°...yeah.¡± Ko answered. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find anyone else. Kei said there were a lot of different zones. But no one could beat us when we teamed up. Everyone was super weak.¡± ¡°How did you kill the boss, then?¡± ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°There was probably a boss for each stage. You didn¡¯t get on the list because you didn¡¯t beat it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll kill the next one¡­¡± Ko muttered. ¡°Was the boss strong?¡± Kei finally spoke up, quietly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...only Mother and Yuna and Grandpa were on the list. Everyone is okay, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin couldn¡¯t know for sure but they were all capable enough. His father could at least stay alive. ¡°Of course they are.¡± Ko told Kei. ¡°Mm.¡± Kei¡¯s concerns seemed to be relieved a little by the affirmation. ¡°It¡¯s really mother¡¯s village right? What if it¡¯s a trap?¡± Ko couldn¡¯t find the confidence to answer but Shin was there. ¡°Yeah.¡± There wasn¡¯t no chance it was a trap but it was very unlikely. No other clan would try something so specific this early on, and it¡¯s too high risk low reward for a member of the clan. Shin had checked his surroundings from the tallest tree after the first stage ended and by the distance he could see before the horizon, this world was much bigger than earth. The village they just left had a diverse mix of people, so the players were likely scattered all around at random. The siblings could be anywhere so betraying the clan for a shot in the dark by using their mother¡¯s name would be quite stupid. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Shin noticed Kei starting to show signs of fatigue, her stats as a caster type likely not geared to the physical, and slowed his pace a little. There was five days left in this break between stages and the trip would only take two. They¡¯d at least have the willpower to maintain this speed throughout. That would give him time to do a little more exploring. --- An arrow struck a beast before it even sensed them coming, loosed from a fully drawn bow, Shin¡¯s stride not affected in the slightest. ¡°How do you keep seeing them?¡± Ko asked, somewhat annoyed. ¡°Spirit eyes.¡± Shin glanced back at Kei who was starting to struggle. ¡°Need a break?¡± ¡°Shut up, I can run!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin returned his focus to scouting around as Kei started to open her mouth but couldn¡¯t find the words, seeming a little regretful. A human figure appeared in the distance. Shin debated for a moment about what to do before the person threw something into the air that exploded with a loud boom and lingering dazzles. Shin blitzed forward and pinned the man down, a red dagger pressing against his throat. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°M-my job, just signal if I see someone, make sure your not bandits or-¡± The man screamed as an axe took his hand, wreathing on the ground in pain, forcing himself to stay still as his neck pushed into the dagger enough to draw blood, reminding him of his position. ¡°Boss is looking for clan types. People with special powers. I¡¯m just doing what they said, fireworks if I see asians. Don¡¯t kill me, I can-¡± The dagger sliced deep into his throat as soon as anything important stopped coming out of his mouth. Shin rose as the man grasped his neck overflowing with blood. ¡°Keep up.¡± Shin told the twins as he broke into a sprint. He ran as fast as they could follow behind but it wasn¡¯t long before a wave of people convening on their location from out in front came into his sights, spanning a wide net across. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if it were just himself, but it was too risky to lead the twins into a battle. Shin strained his arms to draw arrows as deep as his longbow would go and took out anyone holding a bow as he led the twins to the thinnest side of the encirclement. ¡°Can you make other stuff invisible?¡± Shin asked Kei. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin scattered a bunch of talismans on the ground behind him as he burst forward, slaughtering their side of the encirclement. Kei snapped into realization and cast a thin blanket over the talismans that became almost indistinguishable from the ground itself. Shin slaughtered the last and rushed over in front of the twins as the horde of players caught up, standing ready and armed at a short distance as two men made themselves prevalent. One a fair skinned red haired man with golden eyes, tall and lean, the other a graying old man with a thin mustache with a sharp face. [Human Brute (rare) - Lesser Lord] [Human Shadowstriker (rare) - Lesser Lord] ¡°Did you name the village?¡± Shin asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to. Lady Kurenai went and did it herself. All I had to do was wait around to catch the fish that jump into my hands.¡± The thin mustached Igarashi member answered. Shin didn¡¯t know or care for his name but he recognized his face. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Grandfather will kill you!¡± The man¡¯s face changed into one of subdued contempt. ¡°Main family brats who know nothing of the world should keep their mouths shut.¡± ¡°Selling to the Atreus?¡± Shin asked. The Igarashi man smiled at Shin. ¡°I¡¯ve been promised a good deal for delivering members of a clan, especially if they¡¯re of a good lineage. I was quite surprised when I saw your name on the list, young master Shin. It was hard to believe the sickly black sheep of the clan would excel even more than the old tyrant but I know of only one person in murim who goes by that name alone after all.¡± The man exuded a smiling seriousness. ¡°You must be quite strong now, but you surely know the ones around Lord Garland and myself are unlike those riffraff over there. There¡¯s no need to die here. The illustrious Atreus would certainly offer you a seat of great importance in their house, if you accept their terms¡­¡± He eyed the twins. ¡°No.¡± The man¡¯s smile fade. ¡°The Atreus values talent. They will accept you gladly, there is no reason to stay loyal to a clan that has treated you like a stain on their clothes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± The man grew more frustrated. ¡°You don¡¯t even carry our name, is that not a sign you have no love for the clan?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then at least hand over those two and we will let you go.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I know full well you have never been close. They treat you just like the rest, why do you insist on throwing away your life for them?!¡± ¡°They¡¯re nine.¡± ¡°...is that so? Then die.¡± The goons charged forward and Shin detonated the talismans, bringing a short wall of flames around them. The Igarashi man blurred through the weak flames at and froze midair, Inari taking his head from his paralyzed body. The merciless pair massacred the slightly stronger goons with little more difficulty than the first group. Inari charged through the carnage and swung her sword at the red haired man, but it stopped on his bare hand without making the slightest mark. She froze his body with a paralyzing glare and blitzed around him in a frenzy of slashes, every one them having no effect. Garland stood tall as the glare wore off, his stoic expression of unyielding arrogance unchanged from the moment he stepped to the forefront. ¡°Worthless.¡± He glanced around the field of dead pawns who failed to fulfill their purpose. ¡°We will not accept you inferiors. You will merely serve to make our blood stronger, nothing more. All will bow before the house of Atreus.¡± Shin and Inari burst against the barbarian, a medley of skill and attacks doing nothing but moving his body around slightly. The Atreus man drew a club and slammed it into Inari, the protection around her shattered as she crashed along the ground even with her blocking it in time. Shin darted back to avoid a swing aimed at his legs. ¡°You will lose no matter how much you struggle.¡± Shin showed no hint of concern, having tested himself against a lesser lord elite player sufficiently. ¡°Keep the fire burning over his head.¡± Garland turned, sensing something on instinct as grayish blue fire struck his face and wrapped around his head. It burned fiercely, yet no damage nor pain arose from the man, not even a singe on a strand of his head. ¡°Pointle-¡± The man¡¯s words cut off as a hint of panic found his body language. He tore and struck at the flames to no avail. His head jolted around, eyes searching for something through the flames, and burst towards the river. Shin caught his arm and tripped his legs, flipping him to the ground. He jumped back as Garland lashed out his arm and rose to his feet, only for Inari to kick him away. Fiercely he struggled at first but soon his attempts to reach water lost their vigor. He fell to his knees, clutching his throat in futile struggle and collapsed, his body soon falling limp. Inari let the trickfire burn its full course until it fizzle out, leaving behind the indestructible Atreus, suffocated to death. Shin rummaged through the spatial bags and worn gear of the Atreus and Igarashi men before returning to the twins. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± The twins didn¡¯t move, looking a bit down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...do you hate us?¡± Kei asked, teary eyed. Ko expression turned a bit more ashamed. Shin glanced at them both then crouched down and placed a hand on their heads. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± The twins wiped their eyes through suppressed sniffles, seeming a bit better. Shin rose to his feet. ¡°Come on.¡± --- Shin stood with the twins overlooking a village from a distance where he barely make out people¡¯s faces. ¡°Don¡¯t go in. Tell the guards who you are and to tell mother you¡¯re here.¡± The twins stalled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being mean to you¡­¡± ¡°...sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go on.¡± They paused for a moment then rush off towards the village gate. Shin watch them for a moment then put on a a simple wooden mask and dashed off. Through the forested area near the village he ran, jumping up a tree and stopping on a branch closer to the gate than he started, watching the twins arrive. They stopped for a few moments outside and one of the guards ran off. ¡°Who are you?¡± A stern voice from his side commanded to know. A woman with long cerulean hair stood atop another tree of the same height, wearing a red oni mask covering the bottom half of her face and wielding a truesteel katana. Shin didn¡¯t respond. He had seen her before she did him and identified her already. The greater peasant duelist didn¡¯t ask a second time, lunging straight at him, her slash blocked easily by an appearing fox warrior. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her.¡± The oni masked warrior fended off Inari will everything she had as the white fox upheld Shin¡¯s request to a relative minimum, toying and punishing the person who dared to strike at her bondholder. Shin paid no mind to the desperate struggle of the guard, focusing on the twins. It wasn¡¯t long before a woman appeared with black hair and crimson eyes, seeming to be in her early thirties. The twins leapt into her arms and she held them tight. Shin rose from his crouch. There was no illusion of any kind. She was genuine which meant his job was done. Haru slid back from Inari¡¯s press and held her sword in a drawing stance, channelling a skill. Identify didn¡¯t work on this person either. The foxed masked woman was strong, strong enough to toy with her like a child. She couldn¡¯t allow these strangers to threaten her mistress, even if she had to give her life to take them down with her. She tightened her grip and planted her feet, and the wooden masked man stepped behind her before she realized, her movements paused for an instant. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The man darted off and the fox women followed leaving her behind at a speed she knew she couldn¡¯t match. With that, she dashed back towards the village to shore up its defenses. Shin glanced at Inari. He hadn¡¯t planned on spending the mana but he had and she would be out for a few hours now. ¡°Let¡¯s find some monsters.¡± He didn¡¯t mind taking a detour. --- The man stood a towering seven feet tall with the rugged honed body of a warrior, lightly tanned skin with flowing brown hair and brown eyes, he donned only a fur and leather loincloth and the pelt of a bear, wielding a club befitting a hero. Beside him laid the body of an orc, dead and broken, and in the distance he looked towards a boy with long black hair standing casually. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Tiago.¡± The lesser lord brute greeted back after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°Join my party.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I will journey with no one weaker than me.¡± Shin thought about fighting but restrained himself. The second stage was about to begin and he wanted to face it with full mana. ¡°Wait here after the second stage. I¡¯ll come back.¡± With that Shin sped off towards his dungeon. He wanted to check on it before he left. It took just a quarter of an hour but when he arrived, he noticed a horde of familiar footprints scattered all over the entrance, and jumped in without pause. ¡°Kill them you worthless fools!¡± Flutter screamed at the top of her lungs, as she cast befuddle at another hobgoblin invader. The gnoll savage and redcap butcher hacked and sliced away by the hobgoblin horde continued to press them back, its chieftain sneering at the prize soon to be in his hands. Flutter cursed him. She cursed the madman who put her here. She cursed her foolish mother for sending her outside. She cursed this wretched world for ever giving her hardship of any kind at all. The redcap and gnoll fell and her enemies bounded towards her. As the hobgoblin raised its axe, she wished a death worse than hers upon that bastard of a master, and an arrow pierced its skull. Most continued their charge, some turned towards back towards the twang of a bow and the smell of blood, and all met the same fate. Flutter stared out at the dead dungeon once again, the black headed human standing among the severed chieftain and its guards with a sword and axe in hand, and darted over to a bow in the air before him. ¡°Thank you, master, every blessing upon you, I hope you live forever, master!¡± Shin looked around. ¡°You¡¯re bad at this.¡± Flutter bit her lip as she held back the tirade in her heart. ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s not easy.¡± She managed to stammer out without giving words to her true feelings, though her expression would have betrayed her to anyone normal. Shin thought back to his few experiences with dungeons. ¡°Don¡¯t just have variants, put regular ones up first to wear down invaders. Choose difficult types. And set traps too. And keep more than two variants in the boss room since you¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°A-anything else?¡± Flutter asked with bloodshot eyes. ¡°No. I¡¯ll be back in a month, probably.¡± ¡°What?! Wai-¡± The sound of Flutter¡¯s voice faded as Shin found himself in a vast rocky highland and in the far distance stood a towering mountain range larger than the eye could see. [Second Trial - Greed Mountain] - 30 days - ¡®Seek.¡¯ Shin glanced at the notification and set off. Chapter 29 An arrow pierced deep into the monster¡¯s neck, bringing only another fearsome roar. Nine feet tall, a hulking mass of muscle and fat wrapped in yellowish leathery skin, the ogre exuded raw brutish power. A second arrow pierced its neck and still its enraged charge did not slow. An arrow lodged firmly its head not even halfway down the metal, the first shot he loosed in the battle having not even pierced its skull. The ogre raised a crude club as large as a man and swung as Shin leapt back, loosing a third arrow into its throat as the wind struck past. The arrows all sunk deep but did nothing but anger it further, it¡¯s vitality and savage tenacity too much for attacks of this level. Shin didn¡¯t bother aiming for its heart or gut. He had tested such attempts on the one before and had met the same result. The ogre raised its club, slowly to Shin¡¯s current standards, and an arrow struck its eye. The ogre reeled but did not fall, its bone structure did not allow for normal barbed arrows to pass through. Shin made a mental note to acquire some bolt tipped ones when next he could as he blinded the monster fully. He stored his bow and burst forward unarmed, rippling waves pulsing and condensing in his palm. The ogre¡¯s head jolted, its sharp sense of smell not lost along with its eyes. Shin ducked under a powerful swing and rolled away as another caved in the ground at impact. A single hit would shatter his body beyond repair but still he ducked and sidestepped around the ogre, slipping inside as the ripples reached its peak and struck its side. A small shockwave erupted from his palm, knocking the yellow brute off its feet with the sound of snapping bones. The ogre landed with a thunderous crash and struggled to its feet with a grimace and bloody hurls, but on its two feet it stood again, tall and fierce. Shin drew two red daggers into his hands. A fully condensed ripple to the guts would have kept down anything he had come across in this temperate highland so far, but ogres were too tough, too big. He blitzed forward, dodging its wild and powerful swings, drawing lines of blood with each passing moment. Soon the great creature collapsed, its body and the ground beneath drenched in warm blood, still flowing rapidly. [Ogre (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 353 Agility - 118 Constitution - 309 Vitality - 322 Dexterity - 155 Perception - 214 Force - 101 Spirit - 147 Control - 133 Willpower - 152 Skills: Heavy Whack, Clobber, Charge, Greater Roar, Traits: Greater Tough Bones (rare), Greater Leather Skin (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Shin glanced over to the growing trail of ogre corpses as Inari drunk her fill of violence. Each took a medley of slashes to put down but she could land that medley before any grasped the hope of even grazing her. The last of the tribe fell and she sauntered over to Shin¡¯s side, gloating her overwhelming victory in the unspoken competition of who could kill the most things. ¡°I¡¯ll summon you again soon.¡± Inari nudged Shin disapprovingly, having not received the praise she sought, as she returned to his soul in dazzling lights. With his proud partner on forced respite, Shin headed off towards the large settlement he found quite a bit earlier. He had searched and fought across the highlands for hours and hadn¡¯t come across a single spirit above common tier. Training was of eternal importance but right now his priority was spirits, and for the first time, true party members. --- Shin glanced at the towering unmanned stone walls as he passed through the gate. 100 feet tall, nearly double what he could jump straight up at his best, and 20 feet wide of giant stone blocks, lined with battlements and elevated watchtowers, it gave the presence of infallibility. The town itself was nearly as impressive. Lined with buildings of various make and purposes, all large and made of mostly stone or brick unlike the new world villages. Workshops and stores hung signs with symbols easy to tell what wears they sold and fronting them were nonhumans. Short bulky bearded dwarfs, small large headed gnomes, long eared beautiful elves, scaled draconians and half monsters. All unidentifiable and all unmoving from their buildings. Shin saw none of the fantasy races walking the town proper, that role filled by the hundreds of players and parties that arrived before him, talking and arguing amongst themselves. With no oversight they were just as likely to fight as they were to partner, but a common trait among them was a sense of awareness. Most stared at Shin, either a glance or too long, the vast majority Greater Peasant but he was not the only lord among them. Shin didn¡¯t pay attention to his fellow players long as his eyes found a familiar sign, a quill across a scroll. He walked straight over to the old gnome woman sitting behind the open counter to her store with a jaded no nonsense scowl. Shin took notice of the little paper beings working behind her that the system labeled uncommon tier Origami, moving around items and cleaning up. ¡°Shikigami?¡± She scoffed, then looked into Shin¡¯s oddly sincere eyes with a pause. ¡°Origami. Step below Shikigami. No souls, just paper golems basically. Good for odd jobs and such but useless in a fight.¡± ¡°How do you make them?¡± ¡°What grade are you?¡± ¡°Novice.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t. What¡¯s your field? Talismans, scrolls, or brands?¡± ¡°Talismans?¡± Shin guessed. He hadn¡¯t heard of the other two, something the stern eyed gnome seemed to pick up on. ¡°Spell scrolls, allows any halfwit to use a skill for triple the cost. Brands are magical markings, gives the user power or changes their qualities, temporarily over time or one time use. How far are you into Novice?¡± Shin tilted his head. ¡°Your skill, boy.¡± The old woman stressed. ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°Fire, flash, light, illusion.¡± Shin recounted the talismans he had made so far. ¡°Failed any fire or light lately?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How many uncommon ones have you made so far?¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Control?¡± ¡°108.¡± The old gnome leaned back slightly. ¡°That¡¯s enough to get you to journeyman at most. Raise your Control if you really want to accomplish anything in this craft.¡± ¡°I can get to journeyman now?¡± The gnome woman looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re in a rush. 2 silver an hour and I can teach you anything I know.¡± Shin took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter. The gnome woman¡¯s expression turned somewhat exasperated. ¡°Can¡¯t do nothing with this. Split it up.¡± Another silent pause had her sighing. ¡°Hold the coin and focus on it, turn it into silver.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Shin did has instructed and the gold coin burst into silver coins clattering over the counter, a hundred in total Shin counted at a glance. The old woman picked up two and they vanished in her hands. ¡°Hide your wealth, boy. You¡¯re getting looks.¡± Shin glanced back at the greedy and examining faces, then stored his silver no more concerned than before. ¡°Door¡¯s around the side.¡± She thumbed. ¡°You can work in the back, plenty of supplies around. Don¡¯t expect me to mind you like a baby bird, got a store to run here.¡± Shin walked around building and through the unlocked door to the back, glancing around before turning towards a low desk. ¡°Just a moment.¡± The old woman beckoned as she placed out slips out on the counter and took out a brush. Her quill moved effortlessly as she drew across the paper slips one by one, Shin watching closely with prismatic eyes. ¡°Lightning, wind, water, earth, wood, clean, temperature. Get your bases covered before you move on, don¡¯t want to build on flimsy ground. Show me a hundred of each, then we¡¯ll start proper.¡± Shin walked off to the desk at the back of the room, and sat down, taking up his brush as his focus deepened. --- The dim hue of dusk painted the town orange. More and more players had gravitated in but few had started interacting with the stores much, least of all the less popular professions. Shin had been the only one to take up tutorage in the tiny inscription store but that didn¡¯t bother him nor the storekeep at all. Glowing light gathered and broke into falling fragments around the latest talisman. Shin picked it up and walked over to the old gnome who had barely moved from her seat all day. ¡°Another hour?¡± She asked, routinely. ¡°No.¡± She turned with some slight surprise on her face as Shin placed seven stacks of talismans on the counter. She flipped through each one randomly and sparsely with sharp eyes before putting the last stack down, looking at Shin for a moment. ¡°Alright, pay attention. Elements are the easiest to grasp for most but each step up is a mountain, not a hill.¡± She painted new slips, these with more intricate designs. ¡°Five main elements and lightning. Hundred each just like last time.¡± ¡°Can I work here overnight.¡± ¡°If you want. Money up front.¡± Shin handed over 30 silver coins. The old gnome pocked them and closed up the long windows of her open counter window, and throwing several talismans at it and the door before heading up the stairs to the second floor. ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise.¡± Shin silently nodded and returned to his desk, the symbols and processes of the uncommon tier elements fresh in his mind. --- The old gnome woman walked downstairs at the crack of dawn, unhurried and unenthusiastic. As she took her last step, he eyes perked up at the boy in the back. A thin veil of mana surrounded him as he painted talisman after talisman ceaselessly, failure or success irrelevant, his brush continued to move deep and deliberate from within his trance. The gnome stood patiently in silence, examining the boy for a while before walking over. ¡°What¡¯s your count?¡± Shin¡¯s hand stopped and easy going nonchalance returned to his eyes but the veil remained. ¡°27 fire, 23 lightning, 19 water, 22-¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s enough. You should have reached Journeyman with that. Those 50 points you got-¡± ¡°I put them in Spirit.¡± ¡°...You want my advice, go master a few of your skills and throw the points into Control. Then you come back and practice. Save yourself some time and coin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin thought for a moment then rose to his feet. He wanted to fuse and upgrade some of his skills soon anyway. ¡°Those uncommon tier element talismans only have a potency of about 100 Force, keep that in mind.¡± Shin paused for a moment. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Grenda, not that it matters.¡± The old gnome swished her hand and the talismans on the door and window returned to her, as she started to open up shop. ¡°Still got three hours left on your money.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shin head out and off towards the gate. Grenda watched him go with the same sullen expression as always, but not the indifference. Nearly a quarter of the quota in just one night. No matter how much the system was helping these initiates, that was abnormal talent. Still, her thoughts on it lingered only a few moments before she sighed them away, returning to thoughts of surviving one day at a time, no leeway for anything more. Shin headed out of the still unguarded town gate and straight for the mountain, taking only several minutes to reach one of the points of interest he spotted on his way here, a swirling portal to a rare lesser lord dungeon. He entered immediately stepping out into a solid rocky cave tunnel. His eyes flashed prismatic then returned to normal. Unlike the goblin dungeon, he couldn¡¯t see through the walls of the tunnel, at least not these parts. Inari appeared by his side as he equipped a braided brass ring. ¡°Stay behind me.¡± Inari seemed displeased about the arrangement but sulkingly stood at his side all the same, though only slightly behind. Shin walked through the dungeon carefully, every so often the carved eye of the ring glowed. He jumped over an area and Inari copied him, walking near the side of a wall next and then the other side, and jumped again. Like this they travelled for a few minutes, the quality of traps unimpressive but the sheer number of them an issue, more so as they hadn¡¯t encountered a single monster yet. Shin stopped in front of an slightly protruding section in center the rocky ground and glanced to the sides. It was obvious and the ring told him as much, detecting the real triggers along the sides around it. Shin threw a talisman at the center tile which turned into a clump of hardened dirt that struck it hard, the trap door beneath opening up. The trick for the goblin dungeon had been obvious too so Shin couldn¡¯t help but feel something was off. He jumped over the trap door and leant back instantly as a blade swept over him. Inari mid jump stepped on the air to flip over it landing right beside Shin. The ring hadn¡¯t detected that one either, Shin only evading it by sheer reflexes. He looked back at the jammed blade having served its one use and considered leaving the dungeon and its traps above his ability, but a sight up ahead convinced him to carry on. They came across an opening area flanked by small cliffs that didn¡¯t quite reach the ceiling. A small dragonheaded humanoid creature rose up from above the cliff and slung a stone straight at Shin. He sidestepped the stone easily and put an arrow through its red scaled hide, seemingly not nearly as sturdy as it looked. He waved off Inari to stop just as she was about to lunge, and threw two handfuls of talismans, clumps of hardened earth bombarding the ground as all manner of traps set off. Darts, spikes, falling rocks, and trap doors set off in front of them culminating in a pair of massive swinging axes cutting through the air from both ways, swinging back and forth like an executioner¡¯s pendulum. Inari burst into the air before they settled as panicked kobolds sprouted from behind their crude barricades pelting them with stones from the slings. Shin effortlessly stepped and slipped the slow attacks planting an arrow in three kobolds before Inari leapt over to finish his side off too. A slightly larger aged kobold carrying a leather sack fled down the path onwards, taking only a few steps before an arrow pierced the back of its skull. [Kobold (uncommon) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 86 Agility - 112 Constitution - 63 Vitality - 102 Dexterity - 128 Perception - 141 Force - 125 Spirit - 100 Control - 76 Willpower - 67 The Kobold Trapsmith up ahead had slightly better stats but unimpressive all the same. Shin ignored the destitute regular kobolds and skipped ahead to rummage through the trapsmith¡¯s bag. Mostly tools with a few parts and pieces and surprisingly crude blueprints for traps. Shin recognized some of the easy to detect traps that weren¡¯t part of the dungeon terrain itself, including the hanging axes. Although the implication that dungeon monsters could set traps themselves independent of what he assumed were those built into the dungeon¡¯s themselves, it was of little importance to him at the moment. He and Inari continued onwards, maintaining vigilance against further traps, but there were no more to be found leading up to a path sloping down. Inari took the vanguard on her own initiative and Shin readied his bow as they descended down into a large cavern inhabited by four creatures. Wingless dragons as tall as a horse and twice as long, the fire drakes stood on four clawed legs covered from head to toe in red scales, their murky white undersides like riveted plate armor. The fire drakes sensed them coming nearly as soon as they entered, clenching their throats and spitting large balls of fire at the two trespassers. Shin dodged the two aimed at him with a wide berth and loosed an arrow that barely pierced the white plate scales around its neck. Three more fireballs spat at him before two charged in for a melee. Inari struck one, luring it over to her personal brawl, leaving only one for Shin to deal with. The quick and agile monster dodged a second arrowed aimed for its eye and snapped at Shin as he leapt away, an axe and clubsword taking the place of his bow. Shin sidestepped another bite and rolled under a quick swipe of its front leg as he chopped at the drake¡¯s hide. The axe recoiled like it had struck a clump of metal and Shin jumped away from a second swipe. Another fireball, planted its feet long enough for Shin to dash forward and saw across its neck with the obsidian blades of the macana, though that too did little better than the axe, just barely reaching flesh to draw the slightest bit of blood. Shin flipped back as the angered drake swirled in place, lashing its thick flat tail like a jagged whip, before lunging at him once more. Shin¡¯s two weapons vanished and the obsidian needle sword he looted from the Igarashi traitor took root in his hand. Shin blurred to side of the drake¡¯s lunging jaw, his arm drawn back in perfect fencing position, and thrust. The estoc pierced through the creature¡¯s tough scales into its flesh. He slide away from the retaliation to a new opening, puncturing it once more. Shin danced around the thrashing monster like a wasp, taking small bites from its flesh whenever he could. The air around the drake grew hotter and hotter like a furnace he could feel, though his top shielded him from the blistering heat. The fire drake¡¯s wild movements slowed as Shin targeted its muscles and joints mercilessly. The kobolds had shown signs of more human intelligence but this drake was a smart beast at most, unable to answer greater skill and tactics for anything but raw anger and effort. Soon the drake staggered a moment too long and two quick thrusts stole its eyes. It recoiled with a great roar and two talismans triggered within its mouth, bringing paralyzing and searing lightning. It stunned the scaled beast for only a moment but that was enough for Shin to lunge forward and pierce through its open mouth into its brain. He pulled back his pitch black estoc as deftly as he thrust, and the drake fell with it. Over on the other side, Inari slashed through a wounded drake¡¯s neck again and again until she took its head fully, felling the final of her three opponents. But even she had found some trouble with these monsters, evident by her increased fatigue and a few claw wounds on her body. Shin¡¯s own status was not ideal. No injuries to speak off but he had but half his aura and hardly any mana left. ¡°We¡¯ll come back later.¡± He headed off back to the entrance and Inari followed. Shin had only intended on testing the dungeon¡¯s difficult with his current abilities but the result was worse than he expected. He needed equipment. He needed to train more. And above all, he needed teammates, chief among them a scout. Chapter 30 Shin put 16 gold coins on the counter and a four armed blue skinned woman with a third eye vertical on her forehead put the bundles of arrows in their place. Obsidian arrowheads, 200 each of bolt tip and barbed. Shin glanced at some of the bows hanging within the fletcher¡¯s store but left without further purchase. He casually looked and inspected the goods of various stores he could make use of but he was on a budget and had two priorities in mind above all. From a runeforger¡¯s dwarf, 47 coins turned into a red axe and black buckler, the small shield painted to look like steel. He equipped and tested them out. The vermillian axe contained the uncommon tier Keen Chop active skill, the cleaving equivalent to Inari¡¯s slashes, and the Buckler bearing Greater Deflect.. He waved and jabbed his left arm, the small shield on the larger side for a buckler but actually usable unlike the goblin faced shield still in his spatial bag. 36 gold and change left in his inventory and a number of items he wanted to buy but Shin held off for now. What he needed could change depending on the party he formed. Shin strolled through the town identifying everyone he saw. The quickly growing settlement had become even more impressive on this second day. Packed with greater peasants and more than a few lesser lords, a number of teams and individuals gave off big impressions. He found a lot of Spotters and even a roguish looking lesser lord Scout but none of them gave him the right feeling, or to be more exact, they didn¡¯t feel like anything at all. Shin jogged out of the gate and sped off into the wilderness, deciding to check back in the evening, and in the meantime, return to spirit searching. --- Basem fled through the rocky mountain woodlands in long strides, each step making more noise than he would like but he hadn¡¯t the mana to spare for that. He bounded over a ledge and darted to cover behind a tree, drawing his bow towards the path he came. Patiently he waited and loosed, just as a face charged into view, sinking an arrow between the man¡¯s eyes before turning to flee again. ¡°Catch him or I¡¯ll use all of you instead!¡± A voice far behind pushed the hesitant pursuers back into a sprint. Basem clicked his teeth. They wouldn¡¯t give up now, not with that bastard¡¯s threat. The boy burst forward and bounded up a tree, aiming back from half cover once more, the color of his body blending into his surroundings. He loosed a soaring arrow into the head of a lightly armored woman and then a man of similar attire before pulling behind the tree as an arrow tore through its bark where his head had been. An archer on the ground frantically aimed up above waiting for the boy to emerge and an arrow shot from the ground pierced his head just as the others. With the fast types dead, Basem burst off now thinking of nothing but retreat. Several he could deal with but not the numbers they had. Through the trees he weaved, wasting not a split second of time, glancing back when he could just to make sure he was truly putting distance between them. The pursuers were falling behind. As long as that leader continued to lead from the rear, he would make a clean escape. As Basem turned his attention to the front, a girl with long black hair and a slight smile stood in the opening that had just been empty. He came to a stop instantly and aimed his short bow at the player Identify made him wary of. ¡°You with them?!¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Shin drew two red daggers and Basem fired. Shin slipped and weaved towards the archer as arrows sailed passed in rapid fire, but as a step landed and an arrow neared his face, he paused for an instant in the slow world of thought and flung his body to the side as shards of buckshot from an exploding second arrow behind shredded the ground where he had stood. Shin darted around as faster arrows pushed him further away. He jolted to the side once he reached the boundary of the clearing, racing through the trees as cover. Arrows sailed over and around until one sailed right towards where his head would soon be in perfect timing. Shin eyes focused on the masked boy, his path unchanging, as the arrow struck a tree in their path, and another flew straight past it now at Shin¡¯s blindspot through nothing but air. Shin emerged from behind the tree in the direction he came, and threw a knife that appeared in his hand at an empty space in the area. Basem lurched back and the knife grazed his shoulder and the camouflage skill surrounding him, his expression shocked and vigilant. A second knife appeared in front of him, trailed by a fluttering talisman. A blinding flash of light filled the clearing and Basem recoiled with his eyes shut. He fired arrow after arrow in front at the footsteps but an impact tackled him to the ground, a foot stood on his drawing arm and the feel of a blade pressed against his neck. His vision soon returned to normal in erratic vision as the shaman lingered over him. ¡°Join my party.¡± Basem stayed silent, guarded and unsure of how to act. Shin tilted his head in wait for an answer. The archer seemed little more than several years older than the twins but his experience in combat and killing was evident. His green hood had been knocked off from the tackle revealing blonde hair and tanned skin, the tight silk mask of an assassin covering the lower half of his face but none of his wariness or contempt. [Human Archer (rare) - Lesser Lord] ¡°You¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Fuck you, whore! Your dog mother will find your body in a hole!¡± Shin didn¡¯t know what set him off but it wasn¡¯t the response he hoped for. As he stood in thought about how to convince the young archer to join, his attention pointed up and he jumped back, drawing a bow to drop an encroaching player. Basem stalled for only a split second before snapping to his feet, sliding a bit behind Shin to his side, bow in hand. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Shin watched the growing number of pursuers find cover as they lay in wait. Red and steel axes found his hands and he charged, bounding around their flimsy cover and cleaving through them in droves. As he cut down the last, he turned to the man walking casually towards him. A fair skinned eastern face with long black hair tied into a high ponytail by a metal clip, wearing silk and leather of decent make. ¡°That was a day¡¯s worth of workers. But it doesn¡¯t matter. You will compensate me.¡± An arrogant smile found his face. ¡°Offerings don¡¯t need to be whole.¡± The man vanished from Shin¡¯s sight, the glimpse of a sword swinging towards his legs just barely reaching his vision. A buckler replace his axe and Shin¡¯s mind raced. Too fast to dodge. His arm would barely move the minimum needed to block. Halfway into his leg, maybe more. He could stop a clean cut, that would be enough. An estoc appeared his other hand. A leg for a life. An arrow snapped the swordsman¡¯s head back, the silvery blue sword slashing air just in front of Shin with the end of his charge. Shin looked back to the crouching archer, camouflage of a slightly higher quality than Shin¡¯s mask coming undone, a second arrow aimed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The archer fled in a flash. Shin felt disappointed watching him go. That last shot was fired before the Lu scion moved, which meant he had anticipated his actions and waited for the opening perfectly. Shin hopped over to the aforementioned dead body to loot, shifting through the mostly unimpressive attire and goods. He inspected the metal hairpin then stored it without much interest and turned all his focus to the blue sword. An epic tier cobalt jian sword with the active epic tier skill Spellbreak that can cut through and dispel magic. Shin swung it around, finding it wasn¡¯t light enough to wield well, his movements sluggish. 200 Strength he guessed was the ballpark for making full use of his new weapon. Grenda told him to increase his Control but along with his strength, his agility and perception were sorely lacking against the speed of the Lu bloodline, greater than Shin expected. Combat will have to be his first priority, at least in these early stages. As Shin prepared to take his leave, he stopped, having realized a crucial mistake. He forgot to tell the archer where he was staying. --- An arrow sunk half way into the ogre¡¯s skull and its attention turned towards the archer with a bellowing roar. ¡°Hoooh!¡± A deep yell imbued with power brought the monster¡¯s focus back to the brown haired squire with a scar across his face in front. He jumped to the side as the small tree in its hand caved in the rock and soil where it struck. A leather draped striker darted around the ogre¡¯s blindside slicing away with a dagger but it scarcely seemed to do much more but enrage the creature further. As the ogre boorishly looked around and stomped at the pest buzzing beneath it, the squire burst forward and hacked a small chunk out of flesh from its gut, darting back to narrowly avoid the tree swung in response. A second arrow struck its head to no greater effect that the first. ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± ¡°Aim for the eyes!¡± The squire yelled back. The anxious archer took careful aim and loosed, the arrow missing the ogre¡¯s eye by a hair and a half, slicing its skin as it passed. The brute bellowed once more, and thrashed wildly at the closest ones around him. The striker dove out of the way, but the squire could do little but imbue mana into his shield. The tree slammed into him, breaking through his paltry skill and the veil of protection around him as he crashed across the ground. ¡°John!¡± Grass and roots bloomed from the ground, entangling the ogre. The monster ripped and tore the plants away but the moment¡¯s pause was long enough for the striker to steal its focus once more. The squire struggled to sit up as the priest beside enveloped him in a golden healing light. Brown skin and lush black hair, the priestess watched the battle with a stoic, nearly apathetic expression behind striking golden lotus pupils within royal purple eyes. While she healed the squire, she raised another hand towards the thundering footsteps of a second ogre and grass and roots grasped at its legs until it fell flat on its stomach, buying a few moments time. ¡°Get that angel out!¡± The striker yelled in a half panic, as the first ogre¡¯s swings grew steadily closer. ¡°No!¡± The squire coughed out. ¡°Hold him! We might need it for something worse later!¡± ¡°Not much fucking worse than this!¡± The striker snapped as he dodged another life ending swing. Kamala held out her hand, and the plants beneath the ogre exploded in growth, binding and wreathing around it. The ogre wrestled against it, tearing the plants apart and pulling them out by the root but more and more followed, overwhelming it, forcing it still. ¡°Jalil!¡± The squire shouted and the archer acted in realization, loosing an arrow square into its eye. ¡°Yes!¡± The archer¡¯s elation was cut short by the roar of the still very much alive ogre and the looming steps of the second. Kamala glanced at the situation for a moment then focused on the constraining plants as they started to burrow into the open wounds of the ogre to shrieking roars. The ogre flailed and struggled madly against the plants, ripping and snapping them apart with desperate strength. With a final burst of might, the ogre broke free of its grassy cage, and a swift arrow pierced deep into the back of its skull through its good eye. It stumbled for a moment before crashing to the ground dead. A second arrow felled the other ogre just as easily. The party turned behind them as a long haired boy jumped out in front. [Human Healer (rare) - Greater Peasant] ¡°Join my party.¡± Shin casually offered the lotus eyed woman, ignoring everyone else. ¡°You¡¯re wasted on them.¡± ¡°Fuck you¡­¡± The squire rose to his feet fully and the other two gathered together, the striker just as furious as the squire. Shin maintained his focus solely on the sole rare of the group. ¡°You want more, right?¡± ¡°Listen here-!¡± Shin chopped the squire in the back of his neck with a palm before any of them saw him move. His body blitzed again, tapping the archer on the chin and punching the striker in solar plexus, all three collapsing to the ground unconscious. Shin turned to the priest, plants creeping around her as a layer of protection and an angelic warrior appeared in front. A winged angel in heavy armor and a full helm that covered its head save for two lines small holes, a greatsword in hand [Malakh (rare) - Greater Peasant] Shin waited calmly for an answer but the stoic woman didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°No?¡± A long pause held the air before she spoke. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll like you.¡± Shin said bluntly and casually. ¡°Please leave.¡± Her words came far more quickly this time, just as emotionless as before. Shin tilted his head in thought. ¡°I¡¯m staying at the town over there, by the four spires. Look for the inscription store.¡± The squire started to rise, still groggy. Shin glanced over then vanished in a blur. The striker woke with a spluttering cough. ¡°What the fuck¡­ Hey, Jalil.¡± He walked over and shook the archer awake for a couple light slaps. ¡°What happened?¡± The squire asks Kamala, holding his aching head. ¡°He left.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The striker didn¡¯t mince words. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Ogres are too much¡­ Let¡¯s go back to the town.¡± The archer suggested with some urging. ¡°It¡¯s too risky out here for us now.¡± The striker agreed, directed at the squire. ¡°...let¡¯s go.¡± The striker led the way with the squire and archer at the rear. They moved at Kamala¡¯s pace, towards the town Shin had just pointed to. None noticed the scowl across the squire¡¯s face as he side eyed their priest. Disoriented he was as he awoke but he managed to catch some parts of the stranger¡¯s last words, and Kamala showed no sign of mentioning they resided in the same town. His scowl deepened. Shin meanwhile raced through the highlands and back into the forest, somewhat dejected. His search for party members was going poorly and he didn¡¯t know why. Chapter 31 Shin stood within the rocky woodlands, unconcerned with the sounds of brutal battle around him. He channelled the feeling of swifter movement from his steps to flow throughout the rest of his body, and yet again it failed. Shin paused in thought. Rare skills were much harder to upgrade, finding no success in the past day and a half of this second stage, but trying to upgrade the uncommon tier Quickstep in the way he wanted felt different. There was a wall preventing him. Inari was the same way, for some reason. There was no particular logic to his thoughts, but Shin felt sure he was capable of upgrading her to epic tier, yet it simply wouldn¡¯t work. With that, Shin brushed off his persistent desire for full body movement without so much as a sigh and focused on Quickstep again. His body blurred as he glided effortlessly through the narrow forest clearing, faster and faster he willed until light swelled and shattered off his body. [Quickstep has upgraded to the rare tier skill Greater Quickstep.] Shin checked the skill, finding as much as he expected. There was no fundamental change, only a slight increase in the amount it enhanced, sitting at 1.55x for level 1. Shin had no need to test the skill further, instead striking the air in a sudden rapid burst. [Quickstrike has upgraded to the rare tier skill Greater Quickstrike.] Inari dropped something at his feet carelessly before dashing back off to her one sided war. A new training partner. Shin walked over to the squirming gnoll, bleeding heavily from its severed limbs, and held out his hand. A warm yellow light enveloped the monster, slowly closing its wounds. As the injuries healed, Shin drew the cloudy dark blue sword and slashed deeply across the gnoll¡¯s back. It tried to reel away with anguished screams but a foot slammed down, pinning it in place as Shin began healing again. [Cure Wounds has reached lvl. 10. 25 attribute points rewarded.] Shin rode the wave of progression without pause, pushing the skill further to Greater Cure Wounds. He cut off half of the remaining stump of its arm and cast it again. The wound closed more quickly than before but showed no sign of regrowing. Shin tilted his head down, his version of a sigh, a regenerative ability of any kind sorely absent from his status. It was no small matter. There was a great difference between how he fought now and how he would fight if he no longer needed to worry about losing a few limbs. With that, he turned his focus to Vitalize. When he chose the skill he had intended on fusing it with Cure Wounds to acquire a healing skill based on the target¡¯s Vitality rather than his own Force. But with Spirit Possession among his repertoire, that was no longer necessary. Instead, he could try a different path. He took hold of the skill in his mind, and cast aside any trace of healing, pulling solely on the desire for stamina and something greater. [Vitalize has upgraded to the rare tier skill Galvanize.] ¡®Moderately restore the target¡¯s stamina.¡¯ Shin tested the skill and the boon of stamina was noticeable, but stamina was never an issue to begin with. He could push his body as hard as he wished so long as he was conscious, the true goal he had in mind being trading mana for aura. Shin couldn¡¯t say he was pleased with any of the four skills he upgraded, but it would have to do for now. Rare tier didn¡¯t seem to be able to meet his wishes in general. [Human Shaman (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 120 (156) Agility - 355 (461) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 84 (109) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 150 (195) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 466 (605) Control - 83 (108) Willpower - 36 (47) Skills: Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 1, Mystic Wall lvl. 1, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Greater Buffer lvl. 3, Superior Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Quickstrike lvl. 1, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 1, Greater Quickstep lvl. 1, Harvest Spirit lvl. 1, Spirit Possession lvl. 1, Ripple lvl. 3, Condense lvl. 3, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, He divided the points into Strength and Agility in the current split. Intermediate Lord was at 1500, based on what Onamuji told him, meaning he had little room to spare, at least until he was able to fuse a few pairs of skills. Or rather, by the look of his status sheet, advance to the next class tier. There were two pairs he had his eye on, Quickstep and Quickstrike seemed natural partners to get to his goal, blending the rapid strikes of his body with the speed of movement. The other was Greater Buffer and Mystic Wall. The result wasn¡¯t an issue. He already had an idea of what he wanted and was content with that, but the act itself would prove tedious. Greater Buffer was rare, so Mystic Wall would need to be upgraded to match it, and then maxed again. The magic shield skill line had been his slowest progressing by far as they scaled with Force, leaving him limited opportunities to train, not to mention being rather dangerous and inefficient mana wise. He had told Inari to throw him any monsters with a weak magic attack as her own skills were too strong, but by her current enthusiasm, even if she did come across some they were likely killed before they could even reveal such an ability. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The white fox in question appeared by his side with a look of gloating farewell as she returned to his soul. She had gotten much better at judging the duration of her time limit lately. Shin glanced around at the silenced hunting grounds and sped off. Quickstep and Ripple were the most important for fighting so he would focus on leveling those, although he still wanted to find some spirits most of all. As he scouted around him, the sight of a small figure dodging and fleeing a giant appeared in his world of colors. He sped over in an instant, spying the situation from the cover of trees. A towering humanoid monster lashed and swiped at a red haired girl who looked to have not yet reached her teens. [Troll (epic) - Lesser Lord] [Human Thief (rare) - Lesser Lord] The troll stood hunched over with bent knees, yet still taller than an ogre, its body more muscle than fat and its gray skin like bloated leather. It had massive head with a large tusked mouth like that of a deformed goblin, with long arms and large clawed hands that nearly scrapped the ground as it moved. But what Shin took notice of most of all, was the glint of intelligent glee in its eyes as it attacked just enough for the thief girl to avoid but never too slow to let her escape. It was toying with her at a speed almost enough to be a danger to him. The girl landed a deep slice on its hand but its flesh bubbled over and healed in moments. Shin paused, his mana not yet enough to summon Inari, but only for a moment before he drew an black bolt tipped arrow with several uncommon talismans tied behind. The arrow barely pierced through the troll¡¯s tough skin, but it was enough for its roll. The talismans burst into sizable balls of flame, and the troll roar in pain, it¡¯s attention turned to the fire. With only a moment¡¯s hesitation to realize the situation, The thief took off at a speed comparable to his own maximum. The troll slapped at the fire before grabbing handfuls of dirt to pack on it, suffocating the fire. Its burn wounds slow to heal unlike the cut. It stared at the direction the thief escaped to, then sniffed around and looked to the woodlands, its eyes finding Shin¡¯s. A deathly guttural roar fell down on Shin just as the worg had used and just as easily it was dismissed, with the same lingering strain on his mind. A boulder leveled the tree he hid behind and half a dozen more on its wrecking path as Shin dove away. The troll hurled several more boulders and rocks of varying size before barrelling itself towards him, faster than he had moved against the thief. Even with its lumbering size it wasn¡¯t much slower than his strained limit and its sharp nose preventing him from shaking it off. Shin glanced around for obstacles and distractions he could use against the monster, knowing his aura would run out first. The troll raised a mighty fist behind him and slammed it into the ground. The land trembled violently, soil and stone split and broke apart beneath Shin¡¯s feet and beyond. He burst to the side as the troll lunged face first with a snapping jaw at a speed so blistering he wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid if he hadn¡¯t seen it coming. As the troll sailed over the ground passed him, it lashed its arm towards the airborne boy. A black shield appeared in Shin¡¯s arms as he braced himself, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The strike battered him out of the air, sending him crashing through a tree and into another as the protection of buffer around him shattered. Blood spurted from his mouth before he could stop it, the heavy shield disappearing as soon as his feet hit the ground and he broke into a sprint, no slower than before. His organs ruptured, his ribs shattered and several more bones fractured and broken throughout, but he held himself together as he ran as fast as he could without falling apart. Roars and the sound of snapping trees followed him as the booming rapid footsteps drew closer. Shin darted through the sparse mountainous forest, bursting away from a second lunge and the mauling arm that followed, a trickle of blood draining down the corner of his mouth. Something caught his eye and he changed direction as the troll starting to gain again. Over a ledge he jumped, sprinting straight for the three players on guard. He drew an axe and sword, and ran straight passed the trio as they planted their feet in defense, and the roaring troll barrelled over the cliff towards them. ¡°Run!¡± The squire of the group roared, and shouted again before they could object. ¡°Now!¡± Bjorn cursed, grabbing the mage woman in his arms and sprinting away. Moments later the sickening crunch of flesh and metal sounded behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡± The distraught mage flinched at Bjorn¡¯ shout as he turned. If they could just make it to the cliff ahead and passed the river, they had a chance. With the edge of the cliff coming into view, Bjorn coiled himself for a lunge, and found his body sailing through the air. Buzzing in his ear was the only thing that accompanied the strange disorienting serenity as he floated, only for that serenity to quickly shatter as his body crashed back to the ground. He tried to scramble upright in a daze and slumped as his arm didn¡¯t take hold on the ground. As he started to come to his senses, he saw the blood pouring out of his arm half gone. He looked up in dismay to see the lifeless body of the woman between the troll¡¯s jaw. Bjorn roared in grief to his feet as the troll crunched down and thrashed a shrapnel of rock and soil at the man. He held up his arm on reflex and the stones struck him over the cliff and plunging into the river. The troll looked with disinterest at the sinking armored man carried by the swift flow of the rapids and sniffed at the air before ambling back where he came, swallowing the corpse in his mouth and dragging off the body of the warrior by the leg as he left. Shin stored the vial of red liquid he just downed, channelling the newly upgraded greater cure wounds as he ran through the woodlands. The troll had stopped its chase, but he was far from safe yet. His injuries were dire. Forcing his bones and organs to hold together was only a stopgap measure. He needed to heal, before another threat reared its head. He weaved through woodlands, avoiding paths with any monsters or players, searching for a deserted area of respite. A sphere appeared in the world of colors, distinct and wondrous and Shin felt something in his soul drawn to it. He stopped at its edge and through the veil, he would make out a spirit woman lying in the middle of the lake, sad and forsaken. He touched the sphere and was pulled in. He snapped into normal vision as the spirit rose up, tear streaks scarred her face of irrational distress. [Lovelorn Nymph (uncommon) - Lesser Lord] The spirit, beautiful and disheveled, let out a wailing shriek, water spouts shooting from the lake at Shin. He dodged through them and tried to pass back through the spiritual barrier around the lake to no effect. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Shin¡¯s offer of peace was met with another shriek and more piercing jets of water. The jolts of movement Shin was forced to make threatened to take their toll and he drew his bow. An arrow bounced off a hemisphere of mana with nothing but a crack. Three more arrows struck the same place and the shield broke apart but a fourth stopped on a second shield. The water streams grew in number and power as though spurned on by the nymph¡¯s rising madness. Shin was running out of time. He condensed a rippling surge within one hand and a red axe in the other. As he dodged another stream, he lunged at the nymph. A thrust shattered the shield and before another could take its place, his axe cleaved through the spirit. The nymph slowed and broke into prismatic lights which lingered and swirled into Shin¡¯s palm forming a glowing ball emanating mana in the shape of a whimsical flame. Shin stared at the soul for a moment with some pity and held it against his chest as it entered his soul. He looked around, the mysterious sphere still there but growing hazier. He took a seat on the grassy mound in the middle of the lake and fell into meditation, letting cure wounds heal his broken body, the consequences of the day already a footnote in his mind. Chapter 32 Yen ran through the woodlands with the speed of an olympic sprinter but such standards were meager now. She was beginning to regret not investing into her physical attributes. Her lungs burned but still she pushed herself onwards. Those goons wouldn¡¯t be held up for long and she stood no chance by herself. A town was her only hope. ¡°Found her!¡± Yen¡¯s heart sunk into her stomach. She had seconds now, not minutes. She thought about turning around but knew that would do her no good, but neither would taking a few extra steps. Stuck in quickly spiraling desperation, a long haired girl appeared in her sights. Her mind raced for only a moment before she made her decision. ¡°Faye!¡± She reached out her hand as if she knew the girl, and he raised his bow. Two arrows flew struck passed into the heads of the players chasing her. A third claimed the life of another who stalled and turned to leave too late. Yen found her head having turned to look at the Greater Peasant rare players killed like common vermin, and snapped back to reality, turning again to the cause of it, but the girl had vanished. Her head darted around in a panic before finding the archer behind her again, casually looting the corpses. She found herself staring in disbelief as the archer shifted through their bags before tossing them away like garbage, paying her no mind at all. A byproduct of her stunned state was that staring at his build through a tight silk shirt she realized he was actually a boy, and that his status was unidentifiable. Shin rose to his feet and glanced at the Evoker. Blue eyes and long silky orange hair, bangs down to her eyes and two thick stands split off by her shoulder over her leather vest, adorned in an assortment of what he recognized to be uncommon and common cloth and leather. ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Shin paused his leave and turned back to her. Yen froze. She had called out to him on reflex, not sure herself why she didn¡¯t just let the terrifying kid leave. A million thoughts raced through her mind until nerves and habit took the reins. Her panic and uncertainty melted away to a smile of radiant confidence, and a hand found her hip as her posture gained the poise of a queen unrivaled. ¡°Do you need a mage?¡± Charismatic and sure, her voice came out more perfectly than she expected. ¡°No thanks.¡± Her expression twitched. ¡°You¡¯ll slow me down.¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± The boldness remained but her poise and grace had slipped away. ¡°I finished a top 100 ranker, you won¡¯t find a better mage than me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shin showed a bit of interest. Yen took notice and perked up a bit. ¡°That¡¯s ri-¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re still Peasant?¡± Her poise fell again, but as she opened her mouth, she closed it shut in deliberation, staring at Shin for a moment. ¡°...What are you?¡± ¡°Lesser Lord.¡± ¡°How?¡± She asked with interest and urgency. ¡°Thousand points.¡± Shin answered and moved on to his interest. ¡°What did you get for top 100?¡± ¡°Epic tier skill, epic tier item, skill slot, spatial bag, and 100 silver. Believe me now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a downgraded version of what he got, and he didn¡¯t feel like she was lying. ¡°So?¡± Her question interrupted Shin wondering what abilities Sereth and Yuna chose. ¡°Change your mind?¡± ¡°No.¡± A silence followed. ¡°Okay, bye.¡± ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Yen seemed to have given up on her appeal. ¡°Guard me for a bit. Just to the town, okay?¡± Shin thought. ¡°For the item.¡± ¡°It only boosts fire skills¡­ You don¡¯t have any, do you?¡± Yen asked a bit desperately. ¡°Then a rare.¡± ¡°I have one¡­ Has a skill called Condense that lets you-¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡± Shin lost interest. ¡°Silver?¡± ¡°...I lost my bag¡­¡± She fell silent and Shin was about to leave, but a thought crossed his mind. ¡°Do you have the Mana Ball skill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Greater Mana Bolt now. Rare tier.¡± ¡°Level and Force?¡± ¡°1¡­ 216.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Help me train when we get there.¡± ¡°Sure?¡± Yen had barely finished her response before Shin picked her up and sped off. Her Force was a little high but with a simple raw mana attack, he could work around that. He hadn¡¯t had much luck with spirits or party members, so he could spare some time to level his shield. --- Shin rushed through the gates of the town and finally came to a stop in an open patch of land between the buildings and the wall. Dusk still an hour from turning to night, but dark clouds blotted half of what little light remained. He let the wizard to her feet, who wobbled over and fell to her knees, thoroughly motion sick. ¡°Okay let¡¯s train.¡± Yen shot him a look but she was too busy holding back her stomach and getting her vision straight to respond. Eventually she set herself right enough to stand and hold a steady aim. Shin hopped about 20 yards away and drew a black shield, his strength enough to hold it up with both hands. A shining purple stretch of mana appeared in front. ¡°Make sure you hit the skill.¡± ¡°Mana Bolt, right?¡± Yen asked rhetorically, somewhat invested in casting a bludgeoning force at the boy. A dense ball of mana swirled into form and shot out at great speed, shattering the mystic shield like glass and slamming into the goblin shield with raw explosive force that knocked Shin away. He hopped back in place the instant he landed and put up another wall, this one condensed smaller and stronger. Yenny raised her hand and mana swirled again. [Mystic Wall has reached lvl. 3.] [Condense has reached lvl. 4.] A sixth bolt raised his Condense skill along with another into Mystic Wall. Shin hopped back into place but Yen relaxed her posture, with some fatigue. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± She told Shin, who didn¡¯t seem to get it. ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Those things cost 20 Spirit, what did you expect?¡± Shin honestly expected a little more. ¡°You¡¯re not a good training partner either.¡± ¡°Why are you even wasting time like this anyway, just pay a bunch of scrubs around town some copper and train all you want! Unranked don¡¯t even get money, you can pay them scraps.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Acknowledging how good of an idea that was, He reevaluated the mage a little. ¡°How much mana do you have anyway? You condensed five of those walls.¡± ¡°605.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ How?! But you sprinted that fast for hours, what¡¯s your Agility?¡± ¡°461.¡± ¡°You need strength too¡­¡± ¡°Third is efficient.¡± Yenny stood in silence. Those three attributes alone already eclipsed her total. His Force was clearly abysmal but he¡¯d need a good chunk in the others to do what he does. When he said the next rank¡¯s threshold was 1,000, she didn¡¯t think he had passed it by that much. ¡°What¡¯s your total?¡± Shin asked, before she could. ¡°871¡­¡± ¡°You ranked with that? Did you kill the boss?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess you did too.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you rank¡­?¡± She asked with some reluctance. ¡°One.¡± ¡°...Shin?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen fell silent for a few moments. ¡°I helped you train so we¡¯re even, right?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯m going. Later.¡± The orange haired mage walked off, her mood distant. ¡°I stay at the Inscription store. We can train again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure¡­¡± She replied with no effort to be convincing as she rounded past a building. Shin lingered in her direction, then glanced up to the rumbling dark sky and sped off, knocking on the side door before entering to the cluttered store and the sitting old gnome, both unchanged. ¡°You raised Control?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...it¡¯s your money.¡± Grenada glanced out as rain began to fall and start to close up shop. She placed the sealing talismans and headed upstairs. ¡°You can pay me in the morning, I know you¡¯re good for it.¡± Shin walked over to his desk in the back of the room but incessant knocking on the stall shutters and a familiar voice interrupted him. The knocking stopped then started up in a few moments at the door. Shin walked over and inspected the talisman. He tried to peel it off but it wouldn¡¯t budge even slightly and it rejected his mana. Just as he was about to condense a ripple in his hand, the talisman shone and flew over to Grenda at the bottom of the stairway. ¡°All this racket¡­¡± Shin opened the door and standing out in the rain was the mage, completely drenched with a meek dour expression on her face, avoiding his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have money for the inn¡­¡± Shin looked over to Grenda. ¡°You pay for her time too.¡± Shin turned back to Yen who got the message and walked in out of the rain. Shin closed the door and a talisman returned to seal it shut, the storekeep heading back up the second floor without a word. ¡°...thanks¡­¡± Yen said, still not meeting his eyes. Shin took out a talisman and triggered it, enveloping her in a warm swirl of air that dried away the rain. With that problem solved, she glanced around the small store. ¡°No beds?¡± Shin handed her a large fur cloak from his inventory. She paused for a moment as he returned to the desk, then took it to the back of the store on the opposite side, rolling the fur with her to her side. Shin placed a slip of paper down and raised his brush, unbothered by the awkward silence. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Shin¡¯s hand stopped, looking over to the mage who was still facing away. A few more seconds of silence followed before she managed to find her words again. ¡°Sorry¡­ About earlier.¡± A hazy image of a red haired woman sitting by a fence in a quiet alleyway entered his mind. He lingered on the memory, lost in thought, his expression unusually blank, his eyes unusually vulnerable, just a bit. ¡°You can join my party.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yen said on reflex, then turned around, half realizing what he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shin.¡± Yen opened her mouth to say something but the words stuck in her throat among all the conflicting things running through her mind. ¡°Yen.¡± Chapter 33 A bolt of mana struck Shin¡¯s mystic wall, rattling it to the core and a second broke through to his shield, sending him sliding back a few yards. The old woman lowered her hand and Shin threw her a tiny wrapped pouch of seven clinking coins. A trick Yen had taught him the ranked spatial bag rewards could do, materializing cheap inferior tier cloth pouches around money drawn. She caught it and retreated into the small crowd of players facing him. All uncommon tier, most of them intermediate. A freckled faced curly haired boy stepped up to take the woman¡¯s place and cast the same skill as soon as Shin formed his shield. Two shields broke in two hits each but the third weathered a second hit, taking one more to break. [Mystic Wall has reached lvl 10. 25 Attribute Points rewarded.] Shin stored his goblin shield and focused on his skill in place, as the freckled young man paused unsure of what to do. Mana swirled in front of Shin with focused intent, growing, strengthening, until finally a large block of mana appeared before him. [Mystic Wall has upgraded to Greater Mystic Wall.] Shin threw the points into Strength and tossed the guy a purse of six coins. ¡°Come back tomorrow.¡± The crowd grumbled but dispersed quickly. Yen leaned off the wall from her spectating spot and walked over to Shin. ¡°Easy, right?¡± ¡°Mm. Let¡¯s go out.¡± ¡°Fuck no, what¡¯s even the point?¡± ¡°I wanna find spirits.¡± ¡°We can do that after we, I, train more so maybe I don¡¯t die?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I can see anything coming.¡± Her demeanor didn¡¯t change so Shin guessed she wasn¡¯t quite convinced. ¡°And your gear¡¯s bad. We can find an uncommon tier dungeon somewhere.¡± ¡°Then we really need more people. A tank and healer is the minimum to be a party.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine with a scout.¡± ¡°You might.¡± Yen stood off against the boy staring back with calm unyielding eyes and groaned. ¡°A tank then, at least. I¡¯ll settle for that.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s someone good.¡± Shin walked off and Yen followed, vexed and questioning her decision to accept his invitation. They strolled through the town starting to crowd on this third day, inspecting anyone with armor or a shield. ¡°Greater Squire.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Martial Artist but he¡¯s got a shield.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...tall Brute in the corner over there.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you taking this seriously?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen let out a fed up groan and jumped on top a wooden barrel. ¡°Listen up!¡± Her shout caught the ears and attention of everyone around. ¡°10 silver if you land a single hit on this guy!¡± She gestured at Shin. ¡°He¡¯ll hold back, no killing, nothing you can¡¯t heal from! Melee types that can stand in front of a monster only!¡± Yen looked at the one near by. ¡°Make some space if you¡¯re not fighting!¡± As she jumped down next to a cart a small distance away, the crowd quickly backed away, some not wanting to get involved, others waiting on a show. Only a few moments passed before a buff woman donning half leather half steel and a large two handed axe stepped forward. ¡°Just one hit anywhere?¡± ¡°Yeah, go for it.¡± Yen answered on behalf of Shin. ¡°Get your weapon out, kid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need to.¡± ¡°Your choice.¡± She burst forward and slammed down the axe, splitting apart the cobblestone street as Shin dodge away. She burst in pursuit, swinging the axe straight from the ground at his waist which passed straight over Shin as he ducked low, prone on the ground like a beast, and pounced, his lunge into a roundhouse kick catching her right on the edge of her chin, and she dropped like a sack. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡± Shin reassured Yen. On cue, the greater peasant brute twitched and slowly rose to her feet, holding her head with a groan. She glanced at Shin before walking off. ¡°Next!¡± Yen yelled at the gawking crowd. --- Shin slammed his maces against the two shields of the bald heavy man one after the other. Gradually and steadily he raised his speed, darting around at odd angles to put more and more pressure on the martial artist. The man grit his teeth and a shield flashed as Shin struck it, rebounded his mace back fiercely. He struck out with the other shield, but Shin let the momentum take him, spinning the second mace to knock it off course. Two quick blows at the edges of the shields as the man tried to reset his stance blew the doors open and the blunt end of a spear thrust into the man¡¯s solar plexus. He staggered back to a knee and raised his hand. That victory marked his fourteenth and Shin had found no one he liked. Just as he was about to ask Yen to call this thing off, a large armored man walked through the crowd. Dark skinned and bald with a thick beard, he stood at least six and a half feet tall, muscles and veins bulging against his skin. Shin stood unblinking at his confident smile and the greedy glint in his eyes. [Human Swordsman (rare) - Lesser Lord] ¡°Osee Baptiste!¡± The curly haired freckled young man balked at the attention his unintentional comment gathered. ¡°Kickboxing heavyweight champion¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± The greater brute woman from the start stared in realization. The crowd started to murmur and the man¡¯s smile grew, soaking in the attention. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°You have been throwing around silver all day like its rocks you can find on the ground. Someone told me they saw you with a gold coin and I did not believe it, but I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s true.¡± A buckler and estoc replaced the maces in Shin¡¯s hand as his body loosened. ¡°I don¡¯t want 10 silver. I think I will take everything.¡± Shin dove to the side as a greatsword demolished the street when it struck. Osee burst off in pursuit, drawing his sword horizontal just as the Brute woman had done. Shin ducked prone and flipped to the side as the heavyweight changed the path of his blade upwards, chipping away at the cobblestone where he had just been. Shin lunged at the opening with his estoc, then burst back in an instant as Osee spun rapidly in place like a bladed whirlwind. Wind pressure spat off as the Swordsman Lord came to a sudden stop and burst at Shin again. Shin dodged the flurry of slashes on the backfoot, maintaining a careful distance around, avoiding being pushed into a corner. The man was slower but not by much and his swings were mightier than ogres. Osee drew his sword back again and came to a sudden stop, the blade shone red and he slashed out a blade of red energy. Shin leaned back as the blade passed over him, faster than the guy¡¯s swings, severing a cluster of spectators behind. In a fluid motion, Osee stomped his foot down and fractures shot towards Shin, breaking the street beneath his feet. Shin watched a greatsword sail down towards him with near perfect form, Osee having burst at the same time he broke the ground. Like a puppet on strings, Shin¡¯s body rose upright, his left arm waving to the side and left foot sliding to the rear. The silvery gray buckler tapped the side of the greatsword and it tore into the ground beside him as he lunged, the needle shaped estoc piercing through the warrior¡¯s eye and out the back of his head. Shin pulled out his sword and the man collapsed with a spasm before falling still. As the crowd erupted into panicked chaos, Shin focused only on the feeling of the fight still in his hands. He had felt the ceiling of Superior Martial Combat start to crack. Just a little more, a little more danger, a little more hardship and he would have broken through. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Shin glanced over to the orange haired mage held hostage by two greater peasant men, blades drawn at her skin. ¡°Go on, test me! I¡¯ll fucking cut her!¡± The second spat out, tense and desperate. Shin¡¯s mind raced silently as he scanned over the situation but before he could make a move, Yen¡¯s body set aflame. The two goons jumped away with yells of pain, a hasty swing of a sword passing through her fiery head to no effect. Like an elemental queen, she held out her hands and two large fireballs blasted into them, burning their clothes to ash and charring their flesh. Agonizing shrieks soon faded along with the desperate flailing. Yen walked out of the flames as they disappeared into the wind, her own body and attire unharmed. ¡°Trash¡­¡± She muttered, her expression annoyed as she walked over to Shin¡¯s side. Seeing her perfectly fine, Shin glanced around the area then started looting the warrior apostle. His full torso armor and greatsword both rare and the rest uncommon tier, but none of it particularly usable by Shin or his teammate¡¯s whose capability he had just reevaluated once again. He had better luck in the guy¡¯s spatial bag, tossing a ring of meditation to Yen. ¡°Faster mana recovery.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± She equipped it without much fanfare and looked around at the empty streets where a crowd had just been. ¡°Might as well go out now¡­¡± Shin walked with her towards the gate. ¡°Your stats as ridiculous as his?¡± ¡°About.¡± A man with mid length dark blond hair parted down the sides of his head stood behind the side of a building, watching the whole thing play out with cunning eyes. A grin reached his face revealing a gold tooth as he walked off further into town. ¡°How hard is it to find one fucking damage sponge?¡± Yen grumbled as they passed the gate. ¡°No one-¡± ¡°Was good, I get it. You and your magic good shit detector.¡± ¡°You the one, right? Carved up them ogres yesterday. The Goblin Boy.¡± Shin and Yen turned to voice ahead. A young man in his early twenties, a little over six feet tall with a hardy athletic build, donning steel chestplate and bracers over otherwise leather armor. A shield on his left arm and a small a small silver hoop earring on his left ear. Clean shaved with blood red hair cut in a short fade, gray confident eyes and a laidback smile. [Human Squire (uncommon) - Greater Peasant] ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Donny. Wanna spar?¡± ¡°We¡¯re closed. Come back tomorrow.¡± Yen spoke up, having little faith that this guy would be any different, especially after the fight with the lesser lord. The red haired warrior glanced at her, a trace of pondering across his eyes, then back to Shin. ¡°You¡¯re the next rank up, right?¡± ¡°Are you deaf? Tryouts are over, fuck off.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you two looking for members?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you?!¡± Yen snapped at Shin. ¡°You his manager or something?¡± The mage scoffed, facing him as she assumed a more authoritative poise. ¡°Yenny Phoenix. You can brag to the tavern drunks that you met me.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Donny half laughed the word out. Still irritation found her face. ¡°...fight this one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± An axe appeared in Donny¡¯s hand and a mace stopped right in front of his face, a small wave of dust blown away under them from the impact. Donny stood in a daze, his prior confidence replaced with intensity. The boy¡¯s attack had stopped before he even realized he moved. Shin tilted his head under the view of the mace with a blank casual expression. ¡°I¡¯ll go slower.¡± A half eager smile appeared on Donny¡¯s face. ¡°Sounds good.¡± The mace crashed into the shield he just barely managed to raise, his body buckling under the weight of it. Donny swung his axe and a second mace knocked it along, making him overreach, as Shin stepped around to his wide open side. The squire shifted his stance in pursuit and Shin knocked away his arm by the axe, taking advantage of the sloppy momentum. A mace crashed against his shield again, this time brining him to a knee. Another swing of his axe stopped firmly on the top of a mace and a swift kick to the chin brought Donny upright. Shin danced around the squire with indifference, landing potshot after casual potshot, the cleaves of the axe holding no threat of even touching a hair on his head. A warrior¡¯s shout lessened Shin¡¯s strength and speed as Donny¡¯s speed doubled with the glow of his silver earing, but still Shin toyed with him as if nothing had changed at all. A steel sword took place of Shin¡¯s right mace, direct and obvious in front of Donny as he slashed down with a flurry from all angles, pushing the warrior¡¯s skill with his shield to its limit. Shin held his sword back and thrust forward with a burst of speed. Donny¡¯s eyes sharpened and he sidestepped the lunge faster than he had moved thus far, a axe cleaving towards the back of Shin¡¯s head, time perfectly. The perfect swing sailed only through air as Shin ducked into a leg sweep, knocking Donny off his feet. The squire sprawled back up as soon as he hit the ground and a heavy kick to his chest sending him sliding across the ground. Again, he rose with a jolt and burst forward, mana surging around his shield. Two hands wrapped from under his shield arm as a leg tripped his center of balance off course, the power of his shield bash used against him as Shin flipped him high into the air. Donny¡¯s thoughts slowed in the serenity of a freefall. Nothing was working. The boy matched his speed and pulled his punches but still, he couldn¡¯t see a single chance to win, not even the slight victory of a single hit he had been aiming for. Donny hit the ground and laid there in half realized defeated thought, the handle of his axe resting on his open hand. ¡°You can¡¯t follow me.¡± Donny looked over to the boy crouching down casually beside him. ¡°You won¡¯t make it all the way.¡± Donny got lost in his eyes, boundless and absolute beyond the mellow surface, something greater than world harbored within. The words were not said in mockery nor encouragement. Only as what they were. Shin disappeared, flickering over to the side of the orange haired girl as they started to walk off. ¡°We¡¯ll look for a tank again tomorrow.¡± Shin consoled. ¡°Some of them were half decent, your standards are just fucked.¡± Yen complained back. ¡°You understand they¡¯ll get stronger when they catch up in rank and class, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Donny listened as the sound of their chatter drifted way, having completely forgotten about him. A self-deprecating laugh slipped out. ¡°Big fish¡­¡± He slowly rose to his feet and walked into the woodlands. --- Alone in the wilderness, the sound of metal chopping into wood rang out in a steady rhythm. Donny stood in front of a wide tree, intensity burning off his body as he focused on nothing else, a trail of felled trees laid behind him. Two skills blended together and broke apart as he chopped into the tree once more. Failure didn¡¯t slow his purpose. Again and again he chopped, his will growing more with each swing. He raised his axe once more and it glowed firm and steady, and his strike cleaved through the half of the remaining cut. He stood, pouring with sweat and breathing heavily, and watched the great tree crack and splinter under its own weight and crash into the ground. An intensity held a glint in his eyes that had been missing before, and he turned to head back towards the town. Chapter 34 A fireball engulfed a monkey faced dog like creature and two more raced around it with incredible agility into an arrow between the eyes. Howls from above were answered with more arrows, each taking a life. Yen¡¯s eyes darted around, her expression tense and fierce. She raised a hand and Shin¡¯s arrow claimed the creature first yet again. Two more twangs of a bow put an end to the shug pack. Shin hopped between each off the fallen creatures slowly turning into wisps of mana, absorbing something from them into the shape of a serene ghostly ball and placing them inside of himself. A jaded acceptance started to replace the usual repulsion and disbelief on the Yen¡¯s face as Shin finished up his harvest and turned to her. ¡°Keep up.¡± ¡°I am a mage!¡± Yen¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°A glass cannon dps, understand? This is why we need a balanced party, the melee¡¯s clear the mobs and I one shot the boss and I don¡¯t have to be looking over my fucking shoulder all the time!¡± She glanced at a dead shug with a frustrated sigh. [Shug (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 204 Agility - 268 Constitution - 199 Vitality - 237 Dexterity - 261 Perception - 212 Force - 168 Spirit - 173 Control - 140 Willpower - 132 ¡°...everything is too fast, I¡¯m gonna get fucking ganked¡­¡± ¡°I can see them coming.¡± ¡°Yes, you told me about your magic eyes already, I feel super safe.¡± Yen glanced to the side and a welcome sight entered her eyes. A white robed beauty and a towering man, armored head to toe in shining steel. ¡°Finally.¡± She walked towards them without hesitation, a big smile on her face. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s team up!¡± The two players waved back with welcoming smiles and Shin put an arrow in their heads. The image of players dissolved into the air leaving behind creepy emaciated gray humanoids with round mouths lined fully with sharp fangs. [Creeper (rare) - Lesser Lord] Yen came to a sudden stop, her expression falling as if coming out of a daze and quickly turning into fury. ¡°Piece of shit deathtrap stages, this whole fucking game is made for psychos!¡± She kicked a tree beside her to vent her frustration. Shin looked at her for a moment. ¡°Maybe you should train in town for a while.¡± ¡°You think?!¡± Before she could lay on more, Shin scooped her up and sped off again, racing towards town. --- Yen tapped Shin¡¯s shoulder with urgency and he let her down, just in time for her to stagger off and hurl. He handed her a water pouch which she snatched and poured into her mouth from a distance and spat it back out, repeating the action once more. ¡°You need more Vitality.¡± ¡°Not the priority right now¡­¡± Shin thought for a moment. ¡°What are your rare skills?¡± Greater Mana Bolt, Greater Fireball, and Ignite.¡± Yen answered plainly, realizing she never had before. ¡°You should upgrade Mana Wall and train it like me.¡± ¡°Like I taught you.¡± She reminded. ¡°That was always my plan, just didn¡¯t have the money for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Thanks.¡± Yen said genuinely. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back when-¡± ¡°Oi¡­¡± The two turned their attention to the unarmed red headed warrior standing over a ledge on the other side, Yen¡¯s surprise and annoyance contrasting Shin. Gone was the careless arrogance in his gray eyes, replaced by a confident resting hunger. ¡°Can I follow you now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The derision and mockery loaded in Yen''s face deflated with her utter confusion. ¡°Why?!¡± Donny jumped down and walked over to them. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Training.¡± ¡°Yeah, needed more of that.¡± The trio stood in silence, two of them on the same page, the other still trying to figure out what was going on. --- Clanging metal and cutting air rang out in the dusk lit open plot of land the growing party had all but claimed as their own. Weapons swapped in Shin¡¯s hands randomly and often as he pressed Donny as much as he could go with the aim to level up his two combat skills as fast as possible. Yen levitated off to the side, focusing on staying as still and steady in the air as possible. ¡°Not upgrading your shield?¡± Shin asked, the flow of his fighting not missing a beat. ¡°Picking up the points in front of me, if that¡¯s okay.¡± Yen¡¯s sarcastic response had limited effect, given the target. ¡°Spirit.¡± He reminded. ¡°Yes, Fuhrer.¡± Sweat drained down the squire¡¯s face as he pushed himself to keep the pace Shin force, until a leg gave out under him. ¡°Time¡­¡± Shin stored his weapons as Donny let himself collapse on the ground, hands on his forehead in rest. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Levels?¡± ¡°...2 and 3¡­¡± He answered between labored breaths. ¡°Footwork?¡± The skill Shin had recommended for the recently opened slot, with Donny¡¯s recent fusion. The movement skill he had before was Dart, upgraded from the Sidestep he learned naturally. It was faster than Quickstep but far more limited, only allowed for a short burst of movement in a straight line. ¡°4.¡± ¡°Slow.¡± ¡°Fucking slavedriver, mate¡­¡± Shin looked at the squire he accepted. A whole half day they had trained, with the minimum amount of breaks in between. Donny¡¯s exhaustion was real and his effort and potential were there. Shin didn¡¯t understand why he progressed so slowly. Yen dropped down amidst their conversation, a satisfied look on her face as she briefly glanced at the air in front of her before walking over. ¡°Control is probably the problem. What¡¯s it at?¡± ¡°18.¡± ¡°Eight¡­ How did you even make it this far?¡± Yen balked in disbelief. ¡°Did you even read the descriptions. You need it to use and change your skills properly, it¡¯s literally control.¡± ¡°Been fine up till now.¡± Yen placed a hand on her hip. ¡°Get it to 50 at least. More is better.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yen glanced at Shin, preparing herself slightly. ¡°What¡¯s your Control?¡± ¡°108.¡± ¡°At least something about you is normal¡­¡± Shin drew an uncommon tier spare shield and rest it upright on the ground in front of her. ¡°Can you hold this up?¡± Yen paused for a moment then gave it a try, but struggled to even budge it. She dropped it flat with a groan, but before she could even ask what the point of it was, Shin hopped 20 yards away. ¡°Hit me with a mana bolt.¡± ¡°You starting to lose it?¡± ¡°Anywhere on the torso.¡± After another pause, she tentatively held out her hand and a bolt of mana rocketed out, hitting Shin square in the chest. The greater buffer around him shattered, the impact knocking him twice the distance away. A fractured ribcage his prize even with him standing limp to soften the blow. The mage would fare much worse with her lower Constitution against even half the force. He hopped back over, using Restore to heal himself. ¡°Too dangerous for you to take hits unguarded.¡± ¡°Could have told you that. Why don¡¯t you just stand in front with the shield?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll knock into you.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Yen realized. ¡°What¡¯s your Vitality?¡± Donny interjected, his breathing growing steadier already. ¡°30. Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s well over world class. Normal training¡¯ll be easy for you.¡± ¡°Like gym training? I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°You should do it.¡± Shin encouraged. ¡°Healing doesn¡¯t overwrite training.¡± ¡°Sorted, then. What¡¯s your strength now?¡± ¡°Three¡­¡± ¡°You can get it to 5 before tomorrow.¡± ¡°I need to sleep unlike you smash and bash fucks.¡± ¡°Need to get Vitality up a bit. 50¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Shin rose to his feet, healed enough to finish the rest while travelling. ¡°Inari¡¯s complaining. I¡¯m going out for a couple hours.¡± Before they could respond, Shin vanished over the town walls. ¡°Inari?¡± Donny asked. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Donny got to his feet too. ¡°On your back, then.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Donny took out a shield of his own. ¡°Got a few hours of sets till he gets back.¡± --- Shin and Inari fought through the wild in the dark, the white fox taking care to shoot him passive aggressive looks as often as possible, though the passive part was largely irrelevant when he could feel her emotions. Shin burst forward and playfully stole a kill from her with a calm smile, and ran off towards the next one. Inari chased after him, being the slower of the two now, and resorted to blocking off their path with trickfire, running up the air over it to get the creature first. They continued their macabre dance into the night, Inari¡¯s mood quickly improving with the fun, only coming to a stop when both felt the limit drawing near. ¡°I have to spend mana on other skills but I¡¯ll summon you more soon.¡± Inari smiled as she disappeared into his soul. Shin sped off back towards town but a quick glance to the side had him veer off to a detour. He came across the scene in moments, a large bird with the head of an ugly woman. Unkempt feathers matched her disheveled hair and her eyes glowed a monotone blue as she wreaked havoc on the crumpling party of players from above. A concussive scream blew apart the ground and trees along with the last of the members. [Siren Scornwreaker (uncommon) - Lesser Lord] Shin stepped out into the open, making no effort to be silent. The siren jolted in his direction and let out a piercing screech that caught him off guard. It was different from fear inducing skill of the troll and worg. The screech penetrating into his mind, dealing damage directing. Shin dove to the side as another concussive sonic scream blasted the area he had just stood, a small line of blood draining from his nose. He sped around her, baiting more and more easily dodged screams. The siren¡¯s expression worsened and she let out a terrible wail, a high pitched shriek that pierced into his body. Shin felt his organs tremble and his bones start to creak, and loosed four arrows in rapid succession, two striking her wings each. The siren faltered in the air as she tried to remain in flight, only serving to worsen the fall as she plummeted into the ground. One of her wings snapped in the crash but still she thrashed about and resumed the high pitched wailing. Shin darted back out until he was out of her range and waited. Soon the thrashing turned to distressed wreathing and the wailing ceased, leaving only common bitter yells. Shin burst in front and she turned to him with anger and pain. ¡°Bond with me.¡± ¡°No!¡± Her fury worsened. ¡°You¡¯ll leave me! Die! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Liars! Abandon me! All liars!¡± The siren screamed the same words over and over in a mad fit. Talking didn¡¯t seem like it would be enough. Shin channelled Befriend Spirit and laid his intentions and mind bare. ¡°Not abandon¡­¡± The siren started to calm, her expression shifting between desperate hope and mistrust. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± The siren went quiet as tentative hope gained control and the root of a bond formed within Shin. ¡°I¡¯ll call you later, so just heal in my soul for now.¡± The siren¡¯s body turned into light and vanished, leaving behind the arrows within her, the root becoming a full beating soul. [Siren Scornwreaker (uncommon) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 85 Agility - 138 Constitution - 76 Vitality - 99 Dexterity - 107 Perception - 136 Force - 282 Spirit - 232 Control - 183 Willpower - 171 Skills: Sonic Scream lvl. 8, High Pitch lvl. 6, Luring Song lvl. 9, Screech lvl. 10, Charm lvl. 7, Traits: Lesser Sound Amplification (rare), Nightvision (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), Minor Charming Resistance (uncommon), Only an uncommon tier but her Force was nearly as high as Inari¡¯s, her magical oriented stats quite good in general, the product of a specialized build. Her skills were good, two direct offensive attacks and three unorthodox ones that not many people or monsters likely had counters for. But most importantly of all, she felt right. He resumed his journey back to town, one spirit gained and another round of complaints from one whose mood had worsened again. --- Shin sped through the gates and stopped before his planned destination, finding Donny and Yen standing outside the Inscription store. ¡°She won¡¯t let us in without you.¡± Yen answered his inquiring look. ¡°All these NPCs act weird.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not NPCs.¡± Shin replied oddly direct as he cast Cure Wounds on her. ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡± Caught a little off guard by his reaction, Yen backed down and agreed, though a twinge of awkwardness spurned her to speak up more. ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, we should just go to the inn. I want an actual bed and bath again.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± Shin had no particular qualms with changing where they stayed. He raised Control but still had the bulk of his quota to fill. He had the tools and materials to work on talismans through the night wherever he was. The trio headed off to inn, Shin continuing healing the mage along the way. Donny opened the doors into a tavern area. It was larger than Shin expected, the half filled tavern with enough tables and seats for a few hundred and the area large enough for the two stories above to hold a few dozen rooms of reasonable size. He followed the squire who knew how things worked straight to the tavernkeep waiting patiently behind a counter. ¡°Three. Just one room.¡± ¡°One?¡± ¡°You can sleep unguarded by yourself if you want.¡± Yen sulked in response. ¡°Silver a night each person.¡± The Innkeeper said, rather monotone. Shin dropped three silver and the Innkeeper handed Donny a key with a numbered wooden block attached. Shin followed them up the stairs, ignoring the stares of many in the tavern following him, among them an armored man with brown hair and a scar across his face, his drunken scowl worsening. The trio entered the room and Yen glanced around, unhappy. ¡°There¡¯s no bath.¡± A talisman glowed in response and a light washed away the sweat and dirt of the day, leaving her clean as the name would suggest. ¡°Good enough¡­¡± Yen let herself fall on the bed without another word. Shin did the same for Donny then found a spot on the wall, talking out his inscription tools. Donny found a seat on the opposite side taking note of his position to the door. ¡°Taking shifts?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay up.¡± ¡°No complaints here.¡± Donny rested against the wall and closed his eyes. Shin held up his brush. ¡°Bed her.¡± An alluring if scornful voice called from inside. ¡°You want to. Know it. All the same.¡± Shin ignored the insincere urgings from the new spirit within and sank into meditation. Chapter 35 The early hours of the fourth day were filled once again with the chiming crash and shattering of magic. Yen sat against the wall, mana forming and failing in front of her, and Donny to side running through the stances and motions Shin had showed him with great focus and persistence. As the latest shield broke apart, Shin tossed a cloth bag and before it landed in the mage¡¯s hands, he burst over to Donny swiftly outmaneuvering him with a hard shove to his metal chest piece to signal his failure. Shin continued this rough game of tag without explanation but none was needed after the first shove. Yen shut her eyes as they trained around her, frustration and determination grew on her face until finally the mana in front coalesced into a solid dense wall. ¡°Yes!¡± She rose to her feet with a shout to the world. Shin sped by her side. ¡°Mana?¡± ¡°Low.¡± Yen answered, fulfilled grin still on her face. ¡°Still got some gas in the tank.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin turned his attention back to Donny but a commotion pulled all three of theirs to the town square. ¡°Should probably check that out.¡± Donny suggested. ¡°Why not? Could be something fun.¡± Yen headed off with renewed vigor and the other two followed. They walked through the crowd, who quickly made a path for them at orange haired mage¡¯s command to move, finding themselves in front of a huge message board lined with dozens of paper, many with drawings among short messages. ¡°A quest board.¡± Yen¡¯s excitement found her face. ¡°They give a ton of money, too.¡± ¡°Something to do in between training?¡± ¡°Shin, you can wipe out some ogres, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen ripped two pieces of paper of the board and turned with a cocky smile on her face. ¡°Lets bleed the board dry.¡± --- Shin put an arrow with the eye of each brutish ogre with ease, silencing their roars in methodical massacre. The highlands of the ogre¡¯s territory held a particular herb called a Hornflower, its dark yellow petals twisted around each other into the shape of its namesake. They tended to grow around habitats of ogres, trolls, and other giantkin. Terrible news for most players searching for them, but for those fighting elites, it was two gold mines in one. Among the most valuable hornflowers were lower tier herbs like Evergolds, Redglories, and Rockroots. None as valuable as the rare tier main quest target but provided good money in large amounts all the same. And left with the task of collecting such herbs as the blacked haired goblin of the highlands ran rampant was a certain squire and mage, one of whose previous smug enthusiasm was replaced with bitter annoyance. ¡°Fucking grunt work¡­¡± ¡°Gotta run errands before you get real work.¡± ¡°Yeah, you happy being a gardener?¡± ¡°It¡¯s relaxing.¡± Donny carefully cut out a red flower by the roots to the sound of ogres dying loudly in the distance. He stored the herb and glanced at Shin who held a large leather flask pouch draining the dead ogre¡¯s blood dry in a vacuuming stream. A magic item they had invested in specifically for this task. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted anyway?¡± Donny asked as he returned to herb searching. ¡°I wanted the money. This fetch quest shit is for noobs and goons.¡± ¡°Which one are we?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool. Why¡¯d you even challenge Shin with your shit build if you knew what he could do?¡± ¡°Not a lot fun running with people who can¡¯t keep up.¡± Donny casually continued his harvesting. ¡°Just didn¡¯t realized the gap was that big.¡± Yen fell silent. Behind them both in the quiet distance, Shin leapt high in the air, spinning around slowly and dashed next to them as soon as he landed. ¡°There¡¯s another tribe over there.¡± Shin pointed in the distance further away from the mountain. ¡°Donny glanced in that direction then over to the ogres. ¡°Nothing else we can get from them?¡± ¡°Bones.¡± Yen muttered. ¡°Would take too long to skin them clean.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a scary fucker, you know that?¡± Donny smiled. ¡°Get all the rare herbs and move on, then?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With the plan decided, Shin hopped around, adding another pair of hands to the harvesting, taking care to glance around in all directions regularly. --- The party returned to the town at a reasonable pace, what Donny currently considered a jog, so he doesn¡¯t waste stamina on travel. A pace Yen greatly preferred, even in the surprisingly stable arms of Shin. But unlike the previous times they returned, the gates were closed shut, with two greater peasant players stationed outside and more lining the walls. Donny and Shin came to a stop at the same time, and walked observant towards the entrance, Shin continuing to carry Yen. ¡°Silver coin for each person or you don¡¯t get in.¡± One of the guards firmly informed them as they got close. ¡°Do you know who we-¡± Shin flicked three coins in the hands of the guard who banged twice on the doors and they opened immediately. Shin let Yen down and the trio headed inside. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Hey, why¡¯d you fold? You understand you¡¯re the strongest person here, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± He directed at the two of them. Yen scowled. ¡°Point taken¡­¡± ¡°Cost of doing business.¡± Donny moved with them surely and casually, discreetly scanning over the town with observing eyes. The system settlement was quieter than usual and people either moved through the streets with purpose or stood around staring at others silently. The party headed to the Apothecary without incident and dropped off the quest items. Unlike the previous transactions Shin had witnessed, the items vanished and money appeared on the counter in their place without the storekeeper¡¯s involvement at all. 16 gold coins and 7 short stacks of silver went straight into his spatial bag. ¡°Not bad for five hours of work.¡± ¡°We need a lot more¡­¡± Yen responded as they made their way to their plot. ¡°Target practice!¡± Mana bolts crashed against Shin¡¯s shields again and again, each starting to hold up more and more, although such a feat meant little considering the other side. He condensed another wall as strong as he could. Two petty mana bolts sent wide fractures into the shield which stood firm for a third to break through and strike Shin in the stomach. [Greater Mystic Wall has reached lvl. 8.] [Condense has reached lvl. 10. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Greater Buffer has reached lvl. 5.] Shin stood still focusing on his status. Ideally, he would like to increase his Agility, his speed still not high enough for his liking, but he had another priority. 5 of the points he just gained he threw into Strength, 1 into Vitality, and the rest finally into Control. [Human Shaman (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 150 (195) Agility - 355 (461) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 85 (110) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 150 (195) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 466 (605) Control - 151 (196) Willpower - 36 (47) Skills: Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 1, Greater Mystic Wall lvl. 8, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Greater Buffer lvl. 5, Superior Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Quickstrike lvl. 4, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 1, Greater Quickstep lvl. 6, Harvest Spirit lvl. 3, Spirit Possession lvl. 1, Ripple lvl. 3, Condense lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Shin glanced up. ¡°More work.¡± The crowd that had started to leave seeing his changing attention stopped and waited around. ¡°Figured out a way for me to grind?¡± Yen asked from the wall. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin picked her up and burst back over to the center in a flash. Donny whistled at them in response. ¡°Shutup!¡± The mage collected herself after a pause, the practical urge to level winning out over her damaged image, and put up a blue mana wall. Yen didn¡¯t use the costly condense skill yet her shield was stronger than Shin¡¯s even from the start, taking three hits to break. Shin lurched down, letting the mana bolt crash into the wall behind him, controlling his body carefully to not put a strain on her. They continued for five more shields before Yen¡¯s mana ran out and Shin let her down. The crowd lingered for a bit but seeing them walk over to the wall, began to disperse truly this time. Yen sat against the wall, channelling her focus into the ring of meditation, and Shin turned to Donny. ¡°Shield training until you max Footwork.¡± A shield appeared on the squire¡¯s arm, his expression more than willing. --- A beautiful barmaid with cat ears and a tail deftly placed down food and drink in front of Shin, Yen and the open chair at the table, leaving without a word. Yen glanced over at her delivering an order with the same sullen attitude. ¡°Isn¡¯t something wrong with these N¡­ locals?¡± She corrected herself remembering Shin¡¯s opinion of the NPCs. ¡°All of them have this attitude. Like, the storekeepers I get, but barmaids?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shin asked, having taken no particular notice. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fucking weird.¡± She took a swig of the ale in her wooden mug. ¡°Something¡¯s up with this stage.¡± ¡°Found out what¡¯s going on.¡± Donny returned to them from his socializing around the tavern, leaning in as he started to eat. ¡°Town¡¯s got a leader now.¡± ¡°Like, a player?¡± ¡°Yeah. Goes by Chato. Him and that Osee Shin killed were in a power struggle, recruiting, getting ready for a gang war and all that. With the big guy gone, Chato moved in, snatched up his people and took over. Controls the whole place somehow. He¡¯s the one that put up that quest board.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s city builder mechanics this time? What else can a lord do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. But he¡¯s got a lot of people under him. 50 or 60, all greater peasant at least. Needs some way to keep them loyal, hence the new taxes.¡± ¡°Well, Shin¡¯s fine with paying and we make a lot more from quests.¡± ¡°You¡¯re missing the problem here.¡± ¡°What problem, no one is going to fuck with Shin now.¡± ¡°Shin is the problem. He¡¯s a threat and the new lord isn¡¯t just going to trust we won¡¯t try and take his place. Obvious move is to use his numbers to take us out.¡± ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to move, then?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you hear all that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen sighed, having been around Shin long enough to know he doesn¡¯t budge on random decisions like this. ¡°He might won¡¯t try anything right away. We¡¯ll just have to stay sharp, wait and see what he does.¡± Shin looked up to the person approaching them, and the other two turned to expressionless brown skinned beauty, alluring curves even through her robes and captivating eyes, golden lotuses within a sea of purple. Shin tilted his head for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ll join?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± He smiled. The stoic priestess paused for a moment, any hint of her thoughts absent on her face. ¡°Kamala.¡± Yen¡¯s expression grew a bit hostile, seeing her unidentifiable status. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Healer.¡± Shin tilted his head as he thought of something. ¡°Nature Priest?¡± ¡°I can heal.¡± ¡°You came to the right place, we¡¯re very environmental.¡± Donny greeted the newcomer with a smile. ¡°Be serious.¡± ¡°I am. Healing¡¯s gonna matter to me more than anyone.¡± ¡°What houses are you from?¡± Kamala spoke up in a calm stoic tone. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We got rid of those a while back.¡± ¡°...are they not murim?¡± She looked at Shin. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Murim?¡± Yen¡¯s voice perked up. ¡°Underground society of clans with special powers.¡± ¡°What?! How?!¡± ¡°When two people with the same power have children-¡± ¡°Shutup. How?¡± She directed at Kamala who promptly ignored her. ¡°...What part of this is ¡®more¡¯?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Vote of confidence from the man himself. Let¡¯s get along, yeah?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to say about this?¡± ¡°Saw a goddess stop time a few days ago, so no, not really.¡± Yen fell silent, unable to find a good response to that. ¡°So what¡­ I guess two rooms?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stay at the inn.¡± ¡°Hey, this is a group decision so you do what the group says.¡± ¡°I know a place.¡± Yen was the first to come to the realization. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± --- Grenda opened the side entrance to the party of four, a boy with a calm smile at the forefront. ¡°This isn¡¯t an inn, boy¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°...don¡¯t move anything around.¡± Grenda head back upstairs, sealing the door behind her without even looking. Donny was the only one who paid attention, glancing back at the talisman and then around the place. ¡°This is what you wanted so you better not complain.¡± Yen directed at Kamala, who walked past without a word finding a seat in Grenda¡¯s chair, her head finding rest gracefully on her hand as she closed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll get her next time¡± Donny patted her on the back as he found a corner next to the stairs facing the door and window to sit down against. Yen¡¯s frown worsened but noticed Shin holding out the thick fur cloak she had given back, pausing for a moment before taking it to her old sleeping spot at the back. Kamala¡¯s eyes opened slightly to the smiling Shin handing her a long cloth dress. She stared at it for a while before accepting it and draping it over her shoulder. Shin headed over and sat down behind the scribe desk, intent on reaching the quota Grenda had set by morning. ¡°Seducer. Liar. You want them. Beautiful¡­¡± Shin thought for a moment. ¡°Mara.¡± The other three glanced at him but returned to themselves after it was obvious he wasn¡¯t talking to them. The siren elite within his soul understood, quieting down with an air of happiness for the name she had just received. Chapter 36 A mana bolt shattered Shin¡¯s mystic shield and cracked his sternum through the veil of buffer, as had become tradition in the early hours of the day. A cycle of healing and shields continued until Shin obtained the notification he sought. [Greater Mystic Wall has reached lvl. 10. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] A hefty reward as usual but one Shin could not make full use of. 23 points went into Control, the rest stored away as Shin had reached the limit of this rank, his base stat total already on the brink of the next rank at 1,499. His Control would have to do until he freed up two skill slots so he could advance but 195 felt enough, at least for Journeyman. He had finished the remaining half of the talisman quota last night, planning on devoting the evening to the rest of the art Grenda could show him. ¡°Yen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Mana swirled and broke around the particularly focused mage today, her body erratically rising and shifting through the air just off the ground ever so slightly. Shin looked at Kamala, thinking for a moment. ¡°Do you still have Holy Screen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you try to learn Mana Screen naturally?¡± ¡°I already have that.¡± ¡°Maxed?¡± ¡°Holy Screen is. Mana Screen is 6.¡± Shin¡¯s body language seemed slightly more enthused. ¡°You can fuse them together. Mystic Wall is better against pure magic attacks. Force?¡± ¡°200.¡± Yen¡¯s attention drifted over for a moment before returning to focus on her skill. ¡°Stay if you have less than 150 Force and uncommon mana bolt or worse.¡± Shin told the mages. A portion of them walked off but most stayed. Kamala walked over to the open ground by Shin. ¡°I can move you to dodge the spells when the shield breaks.¡± ¡°No need.¡± A narrow dense barricade of vines grew out from the ground in front of her, and a thin blue screen appeared. The mages hesitated for a moment at the silent unapproachable priest before one stepped up and cast a small mana bolt. It broke through the screen and dented the vine wall but nothing more. A second screen appeared and the process repeated. It only took scant few moments before Kamala ceased recasting her shield and focused within. ¡°Make it swirly. Holy tries to fight back so beat it into the flow with mana.¡± Shin offered advise from the side. Kamala did not look at him but the flow of energy around her changed with deepening focus and grace. Blue and golden light swirled against and along each other until it shone brilliantly and a purple convex shield appeared in front of the vines. She paused for a moment looking at the air in front of her. Shin tilted his head. ¡°First time fusing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can fuse summons too. Intermediate Lord is 1500, don¡¯t go over it yet.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She said with the grace and distance of a courtly associate, looking up and staring at the crowd of mages until they resumed their duties. Donny stood at the side glancing between mages until something brought his attention in front of him. He smiled and walked out to the open space, shifting his feet between stances slowly as a warmup at first then rapidly increasing his speed and complexity until a small surge of aura burst around his feet. He stopped and stood motionless, intense focus took hold as he gripped an axe, and suddenly struck out with a light swiftness, aura surging around his arm briefly too. He glanced in front with a smile allotting more gained points. ¡°Easy work now.¡± ¡°Congratulations on no longer playing like a dumbass.¡± Donny held off on the banter and looked over at Shin. ¡°Should¡¯ve told me there¡¯s points for upgrading skills.¡± ¡°Pretty obvious if you just think about it¡­¡± Yen jabbed again. ¡°Skill options for lesser lord are tied to class tier.¡± Kamala spoke up softly and dispassionately. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°From what I know.¡± ¡°Hey, tell us stuff like that sooner!¡± Yen chastised both rare classholders before focusing back on training with a new goal in mind. A mana bolt broke through a purple shield into the vines and without a word, Kamala strolled over to stand by the wall again. Yen glanced at her in hesitation before tossing over the ring of meditation. Kamala equipped it and the two remained in silence. Shin tossed a few bags to the mages and hopped over to Donny whose shield appeared on his arm in response. ¡°Ogres after this?¡± Donny asked as Shin cast buffer around him, blitzing to land a barrage until the protection broke and Donny slid back, his speed a shade too slow to defend. Another veil of buffer shone around him. ¡°Yeah.¡± A mace followed his words. --- Blood and roars filled the highlands as the herb collecting duo turned trio worked in peace. They moved together from herb to valuable herb, staying casually vigilant even with Shin¡¯s watchful eyes. On occasion, Kamala came across a common tier herb which shriveled under a skill she cast, its essence condensing to form a single seed. ¡°Making ammo or you starting a farm?¡± Donny asked as he noticed. ¡°Training.¡± An indifferent distant word was all he got in return. ¡°Missing out on a lot of that because you won¡¯t let someone just carry you¡­¡± Yen muttered. Not wholly unwarranted as the journey had taken longer than normal with the priestess¡¯ insistence on running herself. Granted she had apparently invested a little into Vitality allowing her to maintain a pace covering 40 miles an hour but that wasn¡¯t much compared to Donny¡¯s usual jog. Her complaints fell unanswered leaving Yen feeling annoyed. ¡°Is that your power? Plant manipulation. The rest of your clan too?¡± ¡°It varies.¡± ¡°What¡¯s murim exactly. Like how magic are you all? And how the fuck is it a secret?¡± ¡°You heard yesterday.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, underground society, magic masquerade, all that shit. I mean, how specifically.¡± ¡°Some are born with powers. They pass those down to their children and a clan forms. Heroes dominated battlefields and kingdoms until guns became common. Peasantry and commoners rebel. Clans adapt or die out, become more hidden, embed themselves into the changing world. Technology advances, keeping them there. Clans come to a mutual agreement to maintain a stranglehold on secrecy across all countries and media. Is that enough ¡®how¡¯?¡± ¡°...are there a lot of clans?¡± ¡°Twelve that matter.¡± ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°The Pandavas.¡± Kamala glanced at Yen from the resulting silence. ¡°Descendants of the five Pandava brothers. And Draupadi.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like the extra information helped Yenny much, but Kamala had no interest in explaining further, returning her focus to the herbs. ¡°What¡¯s Shin¡¯s clan?¡± Kamala held silent for a few moments. ¡°Ask him yourself.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Fine. Hey Sh-¡± Her yell fizzled out as she looked over to the terrifying duel ensuing in the distance. A reddish yellow ogre, taller and leaner than the others, trembled the ground and ripped the air with a massive spiked club as Shin dodged and weaved around the Ogre Champion¡¯s blows. Thick jagged pieces of armor lined the whole of its club arm and half of the other. Cloth, leather and metal armor hung from its waist and a necklace of human and monster skulls hung beneath a full dreadful helm covering the whole of its head. Shin loosed two arrows as he dove, but the champion moved its head just slightly enough for the bolts to ricochet harmlessly off the metal helm. He rolled under the club towards it as the end tore into the ground, red daggers replacing his bow and blood splattering from a line carved on the ogre¡¯s hand. The ogre grunted and swung its club back and Shin rolled again, drawing another line through a small gap in its armor. Shin¡¯s body flickered, appearing in front of the ogre, his daggers drawing blood several times each. The ogre swatted its free hand at Shin and his body flickered again, slicing into the ogre¡¯s side. As Shin pivoted to burst again, the ogre shifting around at lightning speed as though gliding on ice, its club trailing the half spin of its body, dredging out another mass of rock and dirt. The ogre¡¯s senses turn his focus down to the human who had lunged through, taking a slice out of his other side. Shin flickered around the highland giant, taking his toll of blood as the ogre thrashed and struck, its blows keen and targeted but simply too slow. Wound after wound lined the ogre, blood pouring steadily from all, as the ogre flailed. With a furious grunt it stomped on the ground, sending a shockwave that blast away the topsoil along with Shin as he jumped back with the force, his buffer shattering but taking the full brunt of it in his stead. The ogre champion let out a mighty roar as aura and muscle swelled, suddenly bursting forward at shocking speed, his club cratering the ground as Shin dodged to the side. With another roar, the champion unleashed a flurry of blows forcing Shin on the backfoot. He darted and dodged, giving a wide berth to the club and its spikes, the power unlike anything he had faced before and the speed now enough to give him problems. As Shin dodged, he saw the path to victory open before him. But he did not act. A sensation overcame him, one he could not ignore, one he welcomed. He felt the precipice he stood atop, the safety he stagnated behind, the possibilities he was not reaching for. A dark blue sword replaced the red daggers as he sank further into the feeling. The image of what he could achieve laid bare before him. Shin darted inside the ogre¡¯s reach, faking left as he burst right. The ogre shifted instantly and Shin burst forward into a somersault between its legs, his sword slice through the champion¡¯s nether regions. As it roared in pain, Shin¡¯s feet hit the ground and burst backwards slashing through the back of its knee. Another shift brought a swatting arm sailing under the boy who loosed two arrows into the ogre¡¯s neck beneath its helm, and kicking off its arm as another shockwave stomped out. The champion ripped out the two arrows and Shin burst back as the shockwave died down with its range, an axe chopping halfway into the joint behind its kneecap. The ogre thrashed away and reached for the axe, lurching back up as an arrow came straight for his eye, and Shin appeared by its leg again, slamming down a mace into the axe like a hammer upon a nail, destroying the weapon and wedging the kneecap off fully. He spun as the ogre roared, chopping a second axe into the bloody flesh deep into its ligament. The ogre champion burst back and the weight of its body snapped its knee further, bringing it to the ground. Shin rushed forward and rolled past a desperate backhand swing, springing up to a step on its good knee and lunged towards the ogre¡¯s face, estoc appearing in his hand. A giant reddish hand swatted Shin away, his protection shattering. He spun through the air, another veil of protection forming around him just in time to shatter on the ground as well. The ogre¡¯s mighty hand held still in the air then fell limb, estoc piercing through the slit in its helm to the hilt, and the ogre champion fell dead. Shin lay on the ground, his broken and bruised body setting itself right as he began healing himself. [Superior Martial Combat has upgraded to epic tier Grand Martial Combat.] Shin let his body heal a bit more then rose to his feet, flickering over to the side of the spectating trio. Kamala added her healing skill to his but none of them spoke a word. Shin looked at his three party members, content. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Gonna be night before-¡± Beautiful long white feathered wings of an angel sprouted from Kamala¡¯s back, cutting off Yen¡¯s complaints. Shin snatched the mage up before she could voice her thoughts and the party of four raced back towards the town, a prismatic eyed boy at the lead. --- The town came into view in the distance before dusk, their pace faster than normal due to the time limit of Kamala¡¯s angel wings. Yen glanced at the two men with bored exasperation. They had bent over backwards to accommodate their latest member¡¯s whims and rules, damaging the efficiency of their day. She knew full well the value of a healer main, especially one that could take care of herself in a fight, and that any serious complaints to Shin would result in nothing as he was weirdly obstinate about certain things, but still she would rather someone who could be more of a team player. Thinking of Shin, she glanced up to the boy shorter than her who carried her at high speed with quite frankly eerie comfort. ¡°Shin, what clan are you from?¡± ¡°Igarashi.¡± A honest, blunt answer as she somewhat expected. ¡°Then, why¡­¡± She stopped herself out of consideration of what his situation might be. ¡°What¡¯s their power?¡± ¡°Body Supremacy.¡± ¡°Like, total control over your body?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Explains the deftness¡­¡± Yen thought. ¡°That¡¯s how you keep fixing broken bones into place and stuff, right? That mean you can live through any damage?¡± ¡°I can keep stuff together, keep my body working but only for a while. I¡¯ll die without enough organs.¡± ¡°I see.¡± His blunt sincerity was a bit comforting if she was being honest, but it also worried her a bit. ¡°Don¡¯t go around telling people that.¡± ¡°All of murim knows.¡± ¡°Still.¡± The party came to a stop at a slight distance outside the gate and walked towards it, Kamala¡¯s wings fading away. Shin threw a bag of four silver to a guard and walked forward. ¡°Hold on now. Bag¡¯s light.¡± ¡°Four.¡± Shin said back. ¡°Price has gone up. 2 silver a person now.¡± The man took notice of Shin looking at him in silence. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t get the memo, out there in the fucking wild, this is Ladron territory. You pay or you find somewhere else.¡± Shin didn¡¯t react, making the man¡¯s demeanor more on edge, more hostile. ¡°Is, are you¡­¡± A brief smile with a scoff returned to hostility. ¡°Do you think you can do something here? We got a hundred fucking guys behind this wall so give me the money.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just pay and go.¡± Yen suggested, annoyed but not concerned. ¡°Listen to your girl, man, before we hurt y-¡± Shin beheaded the guard before anyone could react. The second guard drew a sword but Donny had an axe on him before he could move. ¡°How about you open the door for us, and only one of you has to die today, yeah?¡± The man hesitated so Donny looked at him a little. ¡°My mate here¡¯s not a patient boy.¡± The guard banged on the door with zeal, his decision made. The tall wooden gate doors opened and the party walked in briskly, Donny subtly urging them on after passing through. ¡°Should we even come back here now?¡± ¡°Not much choice, right Shin?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thought so. Come on. We need to get to the tavern.¡± They followed Donny as he led the way, the veneer of subtlety dropped as he checked around town overtly, though nothing of substance happened on their short trip. Donny pushed open the door to the pub and made his way to the corner table in the back, occupied by a party already. ¡°Fuck off.¡± His casual suggestion bore little reaction so he stepped to the side, letting them see Shin. ¡°Fuck off now.¡± This time the party got up quickly and without complaint. Donny didn¡¯t waste a moment. Shin already took his spot at the very back facing the door so he turned to the others. ¡°You two sit next to him.¡± Kamala moved without much hurry but Yen grew a bit on edge as they both did as told. Donny himself took a seat besides Kamala, closest to the door, putting the chair to face towards it on a better angle as he sat sideways to the table and raised a hand for the barmaid. ¡°Four meals and some drinks, yeah. Best of whatever you have.¡± ¡°What are we doing?¡± Yen asked as the barmaid walked off. ¡°Waiting.¡± Yen was about to ask what they were waiting on but the answer came to them first. Three men with serious expressions barged into the tavern and looked around before finding the party. They stood near the door, one nodded out to someone and another man walked in. Dark blond hair, shoulder length parted to the side, a golden tooth visible through a smile and a flat nose. Good quality gear, most striking a thick coat worn loose revealing part of his toned chest and a golden jeweled amulet. Each one of his ten fingers had a ring, some flashier than others. [Human Buccaneer (rare) - Lesser Lord] ¡°The infamous¡­ goblin boy¡­¡± Chato greeted with flair, his inflection and tempo changing sporadically but rhythmically as he made his way to their table under the protection of a dozen followers, all greater peasant. Two of them, beautiful women, walked directly behind him. ¡°Living up to your reputation. I wish we could have met under different¡­ circumstances, but it¡¯s life, ah?¡± Shin looked at him in casual silence. ¡°Conversation, nino. We need a back and forth, huh.¡± ¡°He don¡¯t say much.¡± ¡°Was I talking to you, cabron?¡± Chato¡¯s tone and expression became harsher. A tense silence took hold as they stared off against each other, Donny remaining calm and firm. ¡°Ah.¡± Chato waved his hands as a smile returned to his face and his body language relaxed. ¡°This things always get heated, eh.¡± He turned the situation back to Shin with a pause. ¡°But here¡¯s the situation. You killed one of my guys¡­ yeah? So now, you owe me a debt.¡± Shin kept looking at him in silence so he continued. ¡°There¡¯s a mine, three or four hundred miles down the mountain that way. I sent some people down there to make use of it, you know, but there¡¯s these dog¡­ monkeys¡­¡± He looked back. ¡°Shugs.¡± One of his men said. ¡°Shugs. Fucking shugs, whole pack of them, just sitting on it interfering with my operations. Now if you were to get rid of them, I would consider us even.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do it yourself?¡± Yen asked, her expression confident and unfazed. ¡°You got a mouth on you, chica. Fiery, I like it. But no. I have a town to run. And now,¡± He gestured to the four of them. ¡°I have you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin spoke up for the first time in the conversation, casual as ever. Chato stared at him for a few seconds with a smile then slapped the top of the chair with a pleased demeanor. ¡°Okay.¡± He walked back a few steps carefree. ¡°By tonight.¡± Chato turned and left, his entourage staring the party down as they followed him out. ¡°What?¡± She pressed, at the look Donny gave her. He turned in to the table. ¡°Two hours of daylight left, at most. Not too keen about fighting in the dark.¡± ¡°Shugs are rares, we shouldn¡¯t be fighting them at all yet.¡± ¡°How much mana do you have?¡± Shin asked Kamala. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°330. 340. Wings will cost 50.¡± ¡°Malakhs?¡± ¡°150.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°We can do it.¡± Shin put some silver on the table. ¡°My mana will be full.¡± An atmosphere not particularly enthusiastic washed over the table. Donny took a drink from his mug as he stood. ¡°Might as well go now, then.¡± Chapter 37 Shin scanned the pack of shugs camped outside the mine entrance from atop a tree. A large pack, he counted at a glance, a few of them likely variants, and one very different. A white furred monkey with three eyes who sat around the place like he owned it. Shin dropped down the tree and silently ran towards them taking careful cover, just close enough to cast Identify on a few then headed back to rejoin the party waiting at a distance on the eve of dusk. ¡°Sixty at least. Lesser lords. Three variants, one elite.¡± ¡°Way too many. Let¡¯s just call this off.¡± Yen said immediately. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Why don¡¯t we just kill the lord and his goons?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be easier.¡± Donny agreed. Shin tilted his head. It was only a gut feeling he acted on but they might not get it if he explained it that way. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hear the plan before we decide.¡± Donny gave him an out. ¡°You lure the pack and keep them busy. Mara and me take out the leader and regroup.¡± ¡°I thought it was Inari.¡± A white foxed masked woman appeared in front of them with a frown, starting before turning her head way in a deeper scowl. ¡°Inari.¡± Shin introduced. ¡°What the fuck? How long have you had this?¡± Yen shouted, having inspecting his summoned partner. ¡°That helps.¡± Donny said, more open to the battle now. ¡°But we still can¡¯t last long against that many. 204 Strength, 268 Agility, Yen said. I can¡¯t fight that any more than a minute.¡± ¡°I just need three. Inari will help you stall.¡± Donny equipped his full gear. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get it done, then.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Yen significantly less willing. Kamala said nothing, her answer evident by the appearance of a malakh. With their course of action confirmed, Shin cast greater buffer on all three of the players. ¡°Good location to fight in over there, open¡¯s better, avoid the trees. Inari will lure them when you¡¯re ready.¡± Shin glanced at the sulking kitsune. ¡°Protect them.¡± Her expression didn¡¯t change but the white fox turned her head down and two swords appeared in her hands. Shin vanished from his spot without another word rushing to the over side of the pack. The party started their quick trek over to the spot Shin pointed out, Donny leading the way and Inari following behind. In front of the cave, the white furred monkey with a pitch black leathery face sneered, the third eye on its forehead glowing. It glanced down to a muscular shug with gray fur, purple face and reddish features, a more intelligent look in its eyes than the others, and a wariness directing at the mocking gaze of the leader. ¡°You stay, when I call.¡± The shug variant did not speak, but lowered its head in compliance. The leader snickered. ¡°Thoughts, so easy. Try, if you can.¡± Two on the outskirts were beheaded in a flash, grayish blue fire enveloping several more further in before the kitsune guardian retreated. A dozen or so shugs chased after her, but the rest remained. ¡°Go.¡± The white furred leader crowed and the gray shug sped off. A howl from the leader sent two dozen more barrelling after him. The moment the last of them disappeared from sight an arrow shot from the shadows straight towards the leader¡¯s head, and sunk into the thick outstretched arms of one of the two gorilla like shugs beside it. The white furred monkey glanced directly at Shin, his sneer deepening. [Shug Brute (rare) - Lesser Lord] [Satori (epic) - Lesser Lord] The shug brute ripped the arrow from its arm, letting out a brutal roar, and thirty shugs charged. A human headed bird formed in the air and screamed, the concussive force from her voice crashing into the center of the swarm knocking half a dozen away bloody. An axe and dark blue sword appeared in Shin¡¯s hands and he burst through the path Mara made. The satori¡¯s eyes followed him and a thousand knives stabbed his mind, more incessant, more brutal, more unbearable than Mara¡¯s screech had been. Shin faltered and a dozen shugs lunged at him from all angles. His smile blank from pain but his eyes focused and unwavering, Shin burst out of the encirclement back where he started, blood trickling down his eyes and nose. Mara charged forth with vengeful fury, his screech killing several more shugs but before Shin could stop her, the satori struck her mind. A shug darted up a tree and lunged at Mara but an arrow pierced its head, and at the same time, a brute bounded into the air, grabbing hold of her wing, and tore it off. Mara screamed in pain as she started to fall and the brute reached for her neck, but her body burst into light, returning to Shin¡¯s soul as he recalled her. A volley of arrows as the brute fell inflicted nothing but minor wounds and it returned to its post. The satori¡¯s expression dropped to less than pleased but held no trace of fear. The two brute guards at his side roared at the same time, the tone and pitch different, and the remaining 17 shugs barrelled towards Shin without fear. Inari sprinted through the rocky woodland, reaching the rest of the party half a minute after her ambush, sliding about face on the ground to stand vanguard. She had no desire to protect them but Shin had told her to so she would. However, he had said nothing about not joining him if all the shugs following were dead. She gripped her swords as the shug pack started to charge into the clearing. She burst forward, cleaving two shugs instantly and jolted as a fireball sailed past, striking one of the charging shugs, flailing as it burned alive. Inari glanced back then resumed her carnage, frustration finding her face as the simultaneous attacks from all angles slowed the rate she could kill them, sometimes even forced her to settle for mere injuries instead. Another fireball shot towards the growing crowd of shugs, and was caught by a wall of grayish blue flames, enveloping and smothering it before crashing into the shugs instead. ¡°What the fuck, it¡¯s messing with me!¡± Inari darted from all over, slashing at every shug that drew near, preventing them from passing her to the weaklings behind. She would have taken joy in the frustration of the orange haired woman had her thoughts not been preoccupied with returning to her partner¡¯s side. But the horde continued to grow, and finally several shugs slipped through the cracks. Inari glanced back but was unable to chase after them as the pack demanded all her focus and effort. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The shugs barrelled towards the trio with snarling fangs and grass and roots burst up wrapping around them. They tore and ripped at the surging plants but not fast enough. Donny burst forward twice as fast as normal and a shining hack of his axe took the head of a stationery shug. Two more swings claimed the others, made helpless by the ensnaring plants. Donny darted back close to the group, his glowing earring shedding its luster. Yen aimed her hand erratically at the frenzied fray in front, her eyes able to keep up but not her body. A mana bolt formed in her hand and shot out, missing all shugs completely. An anxious frown found her face and she shot another fireball at the crowd only for Inari¡¯s trickfire to snuff it out again. Yen grit her teeth, resisting the urge to curse at the supposed bodyguard obstructing her. Something gave in her mind and she lowered her hand, staring intently at the crowd and a mana bolt shot forth without any physical movement, cracking open the skull of a shug in the fray. ¡°Block that!¡± Yen vented at the fox guardian. A gray furred shug watched from the cover of a tree in the distance, gleaning over each and every one of the five enemies before him, his gaze most wary and focused on the kitsune guardian. Three more of the pack broke through, one to the armored human, the others headed towards the women. The armored human met his foe, merely as strong as the common grunt but none of the shug¡¯s thrashes passed his shield and finally the axe swung down as the shug foolishly lunged, burying into its skull. The other two shugs perished even more pathetically, caught on the growing vines and burned together by a single ball of fire. The gray shug set its eyes on Yen. A howl sounded behind them and the nearly twenty remaining shugs stopped and rushed towards it. Inari paused then flinched in realization, bursting after them with no regard for the party. ¡°Hey!¡± Yenny yelled, and before she could do more, a gray shug teleported behind her back and bite down on her neck. Its teeth stopped short by a shattering invisible force, sinking in only halfway. The shug paused for only a moment before it began to clench down. Yenny screamed in fear and anger, fire enveloping her body, becoming her. The shug bite through her neck but found only fire in its maw. It teleported away, fire raging on its limbs and in its mouth for only a moment before the energy of the flames sapped away to nothing. [Shug Magehunter (rare) - Lesser Lord] The magehunter darted to the side as fireballs from the human inferno shot after it. Yen paused and a mana bolt burst out straight for its head and it shattered the magic with single casual swipe. ¡°Yen, stop!¡± Donny called out to her. ¡°Stay like that, don¡¯t use any skills!¡± Yen snapped out of her state as Donny darted closer to Kamala, vines surrounding over her and around in a lose dome, her malakh ready at her side. Yen glanced for a moment then ran closer. The shug magehunter stalked around them, waiting, prying for weakness. Shin cut through two shugs surrounding him and the rest retreated into the range of the satori once again. He drew his bow and loosed an arrow at the back of one¡¯s head, who slipped under it, as though it knew exactly what Shin planned to do. He glanced at the sneering satori. This slow deadlock had remained ever since he started fighting alone, unable to make it past the satori¡¯s mental attacks with its underlings surrounding it. The attack itself was nothing to brush off either. He had attempted another charge from darting angles but it had caught him all the same, his fraying mind held together by force of will. Shin nocked an arrow attached to three uncommon talismans and loosed it at the satori. A shug jumped in its path a split second before he shot, hitting a non vital area. Shin triggered the talismans and the shug burned alive. He loosed shot after shot darting around to the same effect, accompanied by the malicious glee of the satori leader. It was inefficient, and he was losing precious mana, but he had to use that many talismans to be a threat and he had to use that threat to take out the shugs, otherwise he¡¯d never get to the satori. The satori¡¯s third eye glowed and its grin deepened. Shin¡¯s focus jolted to the side as a dozen shugs charged at him, their voices and steps silent, breaking out into howls only after he¡¯d noticed them. Shin cleaved through two and rolled to the side, darting around and thrusting at a shug who jolted to the side, the sword merely slicing through a part of its shoulder instead of its throat. The other dozen shugs he was already facing joined the battle fully once more. Shin blitzed around the encircling monsters, his speed allowing him to find some purchase but every move he made, every decision he chose seemed to be laid bare to the shug pack as they predicted him perfectly. Shin lunged and thrust through the chest of a shug. Not even a split second of hesitation shown, it grabbed his hands at the same time and bite into his arm, the veil of buffer gleaning from the pressure. Shin chopped off its head with an axe and darted away from the leaping shugs from all sides, trading blows with one of them, his drawing blood and the shug¡¯s breaking his protection. Shin strained his body into a chaotic frenzy. Inefficient and dangerous, but he lacked another option. His mana too low to cast another protection and a straightforward fight impossible against the mind reading shug pack. Just as he contemplated investing his stored points, a white blur appeared carving through a shug before finding as limited success as Shin with a second, and burst to his side. ¡°Go back.¡± Shin¡¯s tone subtly forceful, catching Inari a little off guard. She paused for a bit with a hurt frown before charging forward. She knocked and slashed the shugs away, bounding towards the sneering satori and a great force struck her mind. She faltered, her limbs slackened and tensed, and suddenly spitting a surging hand of grayish blue flames. The satori¡¯s expression soured as he leapt back, the most injured of his brutes throwing itself on the flames, pulling and tearing it in until it burned alive. Inari paused then burst back off towards the party. The satori¡¯s gaze lurched to Shin, standing among the dead bodies of the shugs, massacring them with abandon in the brief time the satori was forced to cease it¡¯s mind reading aide. A bow took the place of his bloodied sword and axe and without hesitation loosed arrows in rapid succession, darting around the satori outside of its mind fraying range. Some it could dodge, most the brute was forced to take in its stead. A desperate urge in his mind took root but still he stayed the course, whittling down the brute one arrow at a time. The satori sneered as it darted around. ¡°Others, dying. My best, I sent. Kill them all, he will.¡± Shin burst towards them at full speed the cobalt sword and vermillian axe finding his hands again. The satori sneered. Humans were easy prey, emotional, irrational. All three of his eyes glowed and he found himself in the empty darkness of Shin¡¯s mind. All he needed to do was find the core, manipulate it, break it. Perhaps the human would even kill itself as he had forced many others to do before him. The satori sneered in anticipation and peered deeper. Countless eyes opened in the dark, pitch yellow with black rings encircling piercing red pupils. Sweat covered the satori¡¯s face as his expression fell to despair, his will to fight broken. The darkness abated as the satori retreated from his mind with all haste. His senses returned to him just in time to move the brute away from the accursed human¡¯s attacks. Shin¡¯s baleful gaze and the slowly whittling brute spurned desperate tactics from the arrogant satori for the first time. ¡°Friends, dying! Go now, may reach in time!¡± Shin¡¯s relentless assault didn¡¯t slow in the slightest. ¡°Betrayer! Abandon them! They suffer, without you! Mangled! Screaming!¡± The satori¡¯s taunts fell on deaf ears as an axe sunk into the brute¡¯s skull. The satori lunged away, slow to Shin, its terrified pleas silenced as a sword carved through the thin arms it raised in defense and its neck. [Satori (epic) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 222 Agility - 287 Constitution - 234 Vitality - 268 Dexterity - 281 Perception - 425 Force - 473 Spirit - 668 Control - 540 Willpower - 602 Skills: Scrying lvl. 8, Mindfray lvl. 9, Compel lvl. 7, Mind Scour lvl. 4, Traits: Mind Reader (epic), Psychic Mind (epic), Charming Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Shin inspected the satori only for a moment to confirm his death before his expression flinched and he burst in the direction of the party, as fast as he could run. Chapter 38 The magehunter paced around the party, raising their anxiety and guard with each slow step, only the blaze of Yen¡¯s fire form filling the area. The gray shug¡¯s arm blurred without warning, a rocked crashing into the shield Donny managed to raise on reflex, knocking him off course. Donny didn¡¯t even get a chance to set his stance right as he caught a wisp of the gray shug blitzing in front of him with a speed he had only ever seen from Shin. Aura swirled around the shug¡¯s hand and he struck, shattering the protection like glass, slamming into Donny¡¯s chest unobstructed. His armor caved in and a glean of buffer shone around him before he flung back in a blur, crashing across the ground, shattering the second in the process. The shug magehunter lurched away from a mana bolt sailing past his head and darted back. He glanced at the armored man completely still where he laid and turned his attention to the other two. Fire blazed around the orange hair and strange vines surrounded the other. The shug vanished, biting off a malakh¡¯s head and blinked away again out of the air as a fireball passed through. The magehunter stalked around them again patiently. Yen¡¯s flames sputtered and washed away, revealing her normal form and an exhausted face. The gray shug¡¯s eyes widened and he burst towards her, clawed hand reaching out to tear her apart. A grayish blue line raced between them and spread out into a wall of flames, halting the magehunter in its tracks and then darting back as the fire surged towards him. Inari charged, slashing both swords at the gray shug and finding only air as it dodged every strike cleanly. The shug assessed the enemy he had been most wary of, and made a clawed palm. And froze in place, paralyzed as the white fox slashed deep into its neck, nearly reaching bone before he blinked away with the swing, clutching its wound with one hand. Inari charged and the magehunter vanished, one hand gripping her shoulders and the other ripping off her head, his expression one of calm rage. The white fox fell, its body and severed head shattering into light. The shug wasted no time bursting towards the fire throwing human only to lurch back as a spinning axe cut through its path. His eyes turned to the armored man, hand outstretched from a kneel he could barely hold. The man spat out a mouthful of blood as a slight yellow glow surrounded him, originating from the plant human. Kamala stopped her healing and poured all her mana and focus into a surge of plant and roots in front of the magehunter, growing into a green frenzy from all sides, grasping at the creature. The shug darted around, dodging and slipping through the attacks easily, his attention focused on the plant wielder before turning back to Yen. His speed increased as he shifted through the surge of plants towards her once again, and the weight of death fell upon him. He jolted towards the woodlands, his expression panicked for the first time as the black haired human burst towards him at a speed he could only match. The gray shug abandoned the fight and fled. The human¡¯s presence there meant he had killed the satori that held its chains. It was an enemy above his greatest, one he had no intention of fighting. One he likely wouldn¡¯t have to. Humans had strong bonds as a pack. He would remain to protect them. A chill ran down his spine as he turned back, the black haired human chasing behind with baleful intensity behind eerie calm eyes. The shug¡¯s desperation worsened and he blinked away, again and again, until his mana ran dry, over and around obstacles, back in the opposite direction he had been running, racing off as fast as he could go. He would be gone before the human realized his direction. Another chill struck him and he turned back. Further away the human lagged behind but the gray shug¡¯s fear rose. Through the trees and rocks he ran, as straight as he could run, afraid of the distance closing if he tried to change direction. He glanced back and the human had drawn nearer. Like a inevitable hunter he pursued, the thought of only the kill apparent on his face. The shug flung back rocks and debris as he went without slowing his stride, launching everything he could that might stave off his hunter, but as the human was closer in his sights with every glance back. He ran, the thought of turning to stand his ground never even humored, only the sole focus of escape held his mind. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Shin weaved through trees and debris, his focus on nothing else but the monster in front of him. He pursued, inching closer and closer with every passing moment, until finally a direct path opened up. He burst in a straight line slashing down his sword as the shug turned and held up his arm in desperate defense. The sword cut straight through the shug¡¯s thick arm and into its shoulder of dense flesh, and an estoc pierced into its heart. With a desperate howl, light shattered off the shug as it reached for Shin¡¯s arms and a swift kick knocked the creature into a tree. Shin burst forward and the shug dove to the side, throwing a handful on sand. A buckler shielded his eyes as he burst again, estoc piercing across the shug¡¯s eye and the side of its face as it barely dodged in time. Another slash took his eye and the hack of an axe severed through its mouth. It flailed its remaining arm in an aircutting mighty blow, but Shin spun under it, sending the creature crashing over a cliff with a kick. The shug slammed and broke through rocks as it failed to slow its fall, one crash sending it drifted away from the side, crashing into the ground. The shug struggled to its feet against a tree, weak from its injuries, as Shin dropped down with delicate precision and walked towards it, his axe changing back to an estoc, his eyes unchanged. The gray shug kept still in the presence of the predator but its mind raced, his eyes subtly shifting, looking for something, anything that could save him. Shin paused, the purity of fear and intensity of the refusal to die in the eyes of the shug catching his focus. A few moments passed before Shin spoke. ¡°Do you want to bond?¡± The question seemed to catch the shug off guard. Doubt and suspicion clouded the thin screen of hope in his eyes, all suppressed by the fear born from the unwavering certainty in the human¡¯s eyes. ¡°Liar! Abandoning me!¡± A voice from his soul shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Shin spoke out loud, catching the shug¡¯s attention, the shrewd creature quickly realization he was not the target of conversation. The human¡¯s focus had turned partially inwards, yet he did not dare to strike. ¡°You promised! Liar!¡± Mara¡¯s tirade was not soothed with a few words. ¡°I can have more than one bond.¡± ¡°No! Deceiving me! Betraying! Don¡¯t abandon me!¡± Shin tilted his head and cast Befriend Spirit, giving the shug the option. Moments passed, far more than with Mara or Nor, but eventually a root formed within his soul. [Shug Magehunter (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 545 Agility - 521 Constitution - 373 Vitality - 406 Dexterity - 490 Perception - 397 Force - 194 Spirit - 350 Control - 247 Willpower - 262 Skills: Blink lvl. 4, Spellbreak lvl. 2, Heavy Slug lvl. 5, Greater Dart lvl. 8, Greater Dodge lvl. 7, Traits: Mana Eater (epic), Lesser Weakness Resistance (rare), Lowlight Vision (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), ¡°Name?¡± ¡°...none.¡± ¡°Kong. Heal inside my soul.¡± Shin told the shug as he unsummoned him. ¡°See, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t¡­ I will be strong! Beautiful¡­¡± Mara pleaded. It didn¡¯t seem like something he could fix now, and he had a more serious urgency. Shin sped off in the direction of the party, reaching them in short time. All three were alive as he left them. Only Donny had injuries, with Kamala healing him from within her dome of vines. Shin added his own healing on top of hers, with the little mana he had remaining. ¡°Hey!¡± Yen yelled. ¡°Your bodyguard fucking abandoned us!¡± ¡°Mm. Sorry.¡± Yen¡¯s intentions stuttered at the direct apology she wasn¡¯t expecting. She paused for a few moments, unsure of what to do, before settling into an annoyed calm. ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything like this again until we rank up¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin agreed. He knew he had underestimated the danger of this battle. Yen looked at him as sighed away most of her annoyance. ¡°Should we even go back to the town, now? If that asshole knew how dangerous this was, he was basically sending us to die.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t move.¡± Shin reminded. ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t?¡± Shin guessed that was more accurate. ¡°At least scout ahead to find the next town and assess it. If it is no better than our current one then we will return.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°Have to agree with her, mate.¡± Shin paused. With all three saying the same, he took it seriously. After an awkward pause, he leapt up a tree to scout around in all directions then dropped down and sped off. Two hours he ran, avoiding battle and taking the shortest path until finally he came to the edge of a cliff overlooking a burning wreck of a town overrun with dragonkind. Chapter 39 The party walked through the broken gate, the two guards doing or saying nothing to stop them. Players scampered around the town clearing rubble and carrying the corpses of monsters towards the center and ones of players outside the town. All of the monsters were dragonkind; kobolds, drakes, and a rare tier winged humanoid type Shin hadn¡¯t encountered called dragonewts. Charred marks painted the town, most often next to burnt sections of buildings, few remaining undamaged. The wall fared even worse. Much of the battlements were destroyed, the walls proper full of holes and craters, less so on the interior that what they saw entering, but the mountain side wall had a large destroyed section split right down the middle. Donny spotted a familiar face as they all inspected the state of things. ¡°Oi, Freckles.¡± A hay blond freckled young man startled as he looked up from his stone bench seat. ¡°Oh, you guys came back.¡± He said, seeming a little relieved. ¡°What happened?¡± The man¡¯s expression turned a bit solemn. ¡°Monsters came out of the dungeon once it turned night. They just¡­ swarmed. Attacking everything and everyone. All of them, even the boss. They just kept fighting¡­¡± ¡°Town¡¯s looking sparse.¡± ¡°...the town lord and his people started fighting first but they soon forced every player to fight too. Killed anyone who refused. A lot of us died¡­ Some parties ran away during it, more left after¡­ I survived because I was able to upgrade my skill, thanks to you.¡± His voice perked up at the last sentence. ¡°Best keep doing that, then.¡± Donny said as he walked on. ¡°Hang in there, Freckles.¡± Yen said somewhat indifferently as she followed. The young man turned his head to them but couldn¡¯t find the words he wanted to say. He turned to notice Shin smiling calmly beside him, his body language jolting more on edge and respectful. Shin silently handed him an uncommon tier bauble and moved on without a word. The four walked straight to the Inscription store where Grenda sat in her usual seat by the counter, her building better than others. Shin showed no surprise, having already scouted the town before the party returned. ¡°You left town at the right time, boy.¡± Blunt words but spoken without sarcasm. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose¡­¡± ¡°I raised Control. 195.¡± ¡°Better than nothing. Best I tell you about the different paths then.¡± ¡°Goblin.¡± A voice from the side interrupted her, a greater peasant man in decent gear. ¡°Chato wants to talk.¡± The party looked up to the part of the wall the man gestured at with his head. Chato stood surrounded by a dozen guards, looking towards the mountain. Shin headed off without a word and without heed of whatever the messenger had intended, and the party followed. Over to the wall and up the stone stairs built into sides, the four of approached the solemn town lord, who turned and a smile found his face. ¡°Just the guy I wanted to see. My job?¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Okay. Great. Then we can, negotiate man to man. You see all, this shit.¡± He gestured around the town. ¡°Happens every five days. Next time is the end of the tenth. But¡­ If someone clears the dungeon,¡± He clapped. ¡°No big fucking battle. For those five days at least.¡± ¡°You want us to clear it.¡± Donny spoke up. ¡°Yes. Yes. And since we are now friends, I give you the, friendly offer. 200 gold. Every five days, you get me.¡± Yen opened her mouth but Chato cut her off. ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ah, no haggling shit, I don¡¯t do bargaining.¡± ¡°Generally what a negotiation is, mate.¡± Chato smiled at Donny and started laughing, thoroughly amused as he started to set his posture right again. ¡°200 is what, five, ten days busting your asses out in the wild? From my board.¡± He quieted down as he looked at them, his expression subtly growing a bit more serious. ¡°I did say we were friends, didn¡¯t I say we were friends?¡± He asked behind him. ¡°You did, boss.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re right, I was being a bad friend. 250 gold. Final offer.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin agreed. Chato clapped his hands again, this time in a show of content. ¡°Okay. From now own, you don¡¯t pay the gate toll. My people don¡¯t give you problems, you don¡¯t give me problems, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chato laughed. ¡°I like working with you, Goblin, it¡¯s easy.¡± Chato starts to walk away in direction of the large mansion in the center, looking back with a point. ¡°The tenth. Remember.¡± Shin and Donny made no sign of moving so the other two didn¡¯t until the eccentric gang lord left fully. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just agree not to do dangerous shit right now?¡± ¡°I tried it the first day. You¡¯ll be fine after 5 days.¡± ¡°Like we were fine with the shugs?¡± Shin adjusted his promise. ¡°Probably.¡± Yen sighed. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be lesser lord by then, I guess. So I guess training now.¡± ¡°Inscription.¡± Shin informed her. ¡°...I¡¯m not standing out in the open without you as a deterrent.¡± Shin thought for a moment. ¡°Get a profession. 25 points for reaching novice.¡± ¡°More shit you neglected to tell us!¡± Yen chastised. ¡°What else, get everything out now.¡± ¡°Monster Slayer. Apostle Slayer. Dungeon Conqueror. Player Slayer. Boss Slayer. Dungeon Pioneer.¡± ¡°Apostle?¡± ¡°Players with blessings from gods.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Yen became the most animated she had so far. ¡°How do you get one, what do they give you?¡± ¡°They sent an invite. You meet with them and decide if you want to accept. 30% boost to all stats.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Yen started to yell then stopped herself. ¡°That¡¯s better actually. Explains why your stats don¡¯t make sense.¡± She thought for a moment then looked over at Kamala. ¡°You have one, too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get an invite?¡± Shin asked, his tone unchanged but somehow the complimentary surprise was easy to note. ¡°I refused.¡± Shin had a look about him like that made sense. ¡°You¡¯ll get sent more. Don¡¯t pick any with less than a greater blessing. Some of them give messages with the invites.¡± He added. ¡°No confidence for the commoners?¡± Yen pressed. ¡°No?¡± Shin answered, confused with her assertion. ¡°You¡¯ll get one.¡± Yen¡¯s face flustered, a little embarrassed over being petty, and changed the topic. ¡°Okay, so we go work on professions until you finished up. Train at the end of the day?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin jumped down the wall and blurred away to the inscription store. Donny started down the stairs. ¡°Any ideas what you¡¯re gonna take?¡± ¡°Need to look around first.¡± ¡°No.¡± --- Shin appeared by the side door and casually entered as though it was his own home. Grenda glanced over from her chair. ¡°All done?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright. Might as well start from the beginning.¡± The old gnome turned in her seat to face Shin directly. ¡°When the Tower was spoken into being, those Words of Creation became embedded in the very laws within these walls. And accompanying those spoken words came runes, written sigils that held a part of that power in silence. Runeforging carries the weight and power of this natural world. Inscription was created after. What we use are glyphs. Symbols that guide the flow of mana to alter its qualities. Similar to skills. You put mana in and something happens. Just with inscription you can see the rules that make it work. And unlike runes, it¡¯s not constrained to an unchanging set of words. Understand what this means?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Glyphs are limitless. That said, even the greatest sage gods can¡¯t do anything without figuring out the right pattern. Limitless potential means the journey never ends. You take this craft as far as you can go with limitless ways to fail.¡± Grenda paused for a moment, her stare a bit serious. ¡°You the type that wants to finish things, boy?¡± ¡°No.¡± He spoke exactly as he had before but a subtle weight lingered from Shin¡¯s words. ¡°Good. Then we can get started proper. Let¡¯s get the basics out of the way. There¡¯s three branches of this craft, talismans, scrolls, and crests. There¡¯s more to talismans than you¡¯ve worked with before but you should get the gist of it by now. Scrolls are stored skills, magic specifically, not martial arts. Anyone can use a spell scroll but it costs three times the normal mana and takes longer to cast, so anyone with half a brain won¡¯t rely on them unless your desperate. Fundamentally similar to talismans, but more difficult and you actually need someone with the spell in question to imbue it.¡± Grenda took a puff her her pipe. ¡°Crests are different. Unorthodox glyphs that you paint onto something, much like runic brands, ¡®cept crests only work on living creatures and disappear after use. There¡¯s a lot you can do with crests, grant resistances, enhance the body, change its qualities, even alter the skills you use but its the most complicated of the three and takes quite a bit of time. Not something you can do on the fly when you need it. Also, like talismans, crests can only be used by scribes, unless someone has skill for it or a¡­¡± Something made her silent and blank faced for a moment. ¡°Anyways, takes a hell of a lot of time to progress down just one branch of inscription. There¡¯s overlap, sure, but not as much as you¡¯d think. So which one do you want to focus on?¡± ¡°Talismans and Crests.¡± ¡°You know how to count, boy¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Let¡¯s start with talismans, a bit different than you¡¯ve done before.¡± Grenda drew a perfect square on a slip of paper with incredible deftness, drew symbols around it and ends with a flourished dot within the square. The talisman popped with a puff of smoke and a small featureless paper golem took its place, the dotted square on its face. ¡°Origami. Makes for decent laborers and not much else.¡± She jabbed it with the end of her pipe and the paper golem burst back into a damaged talisman. ¡°No souls, no personality, and only enough intelligence to carry out simple tasks. Although this gets better at higher tiers.¡± ¡°Shikigami?¡± Shin asked. ¡°That¡¯s two steps up from where you are now. No point even thinking about it.¡± Grenda tapped out the ash from her pipe. ¡°Need another display?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Material is all there in the back. Give me twenty exactly like that one and we¡¯ll move on.¡± --- Yen leaned off the counter of the Jewelcrafter¡¯s store and walked off, the other two following. ¡°No good?¡± ¡°Trinkets don¡¯t mean anything unless you enchant them, which is a different thing.¡± ¡°Gonna get that instead, then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­ Doesn¡¯t really matter as long as I get the points. Fucking daredevil going into a rare tier dungeon¡­¡± Donny glanced over. ¡°How long¡¯ve you been with him?¡± ¡°Day five.¡± ¡°He any stronger than back then?¡± ¡°No really.¡± Yen answered before thinking about it. ¡°I guess. Can¡¯t really tell.¡± ¡°Then we really need to get stronger if the dungeon gave him trouble. Least enough to take on normal lord rares.¡± Kamala wandered off without a word, talked a bit with a storekeeper, then entered the Apothecary. ¡°Guess she found hers.¡± Yen didn¡¯t respond but instead had already run over to a different store. Badly damaged but still standing, she stared at the clothes behind the glass window, some burned but captivated her attention all the same. She walked to the counter of a pompous looking blond haired elf. ¡°Tailoring right? Can it make magic clothes without enchanting?¡± The elf looked over lazily. ¡°Dexterity?¡± He asked with a bored flamboyant tone. ¡°14.¡± Yen asked, slightly confused. The elf sighed. ¡°Find something else, your clumsy ogre fingers won¡¯t make anything of value.¡± ¡°Wha?!¡± Yen was caught off guard by the insult. ¡°Look here, I¡¯m paying so fucking teach me!¡± The elf scowled. ¡°One silver a-¡± Yen slammed a bag of eight on the counter and walked through the door. The elf rose to his feet with a sigh. ¡°Fingers and grace.¡± He sarcastically remarked to an increasingly annoyed mage determined to shove those words back in his face. Seeing that Donny headed off on his own, no particular craft in mind. He simply wanted the easiest thing to practice in between training. He walked by the open smithy, forge blazing with a few players banging away at lumps of metal, glowing orange from the heat. ¡°What do you need for this?¡± He walked over to a half scaled man with horns and eyes like a dragon. ¡°Strength and Control, some dexterity.¡± A gruff response returned with little fanfare. Donny handed him a bag. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll do this then.¡± --- A mana veiled Shin sat at the desk with a content slight smile, surrounded by paper golems ambling around. Some stood still glancing around lost, others bumped into each other and picked themselves up to continue marching aimlessly. Grenda walked over and scanned over Shin¡¯s work. Her hand blurred and the end of her pipe claimed the lives of numerous defenseless paper golems, leaving only nine remaining. ¡°Precision is key.¡± Shin showed no concern for the failed origami, starting another attempt before a knock at the door brought the three others of the party inside. ¡°Stuck up bastard elf¡­¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°Bout time to train, yeah?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shin hadn¡¯t progressed as much as he would have liked but getting them stronger was more important right now. His gaze stopped on Kamala, as he handed her a bracelet. ¡°...Lesser Fire Resistance?¡± ¡°Kinda limited, don¡¯t you think?¡± Yen questioned. ¡°It¡¯s for the dungeon. Drakes gives off a lot of heat so everyone needs resistance for that.¡± ¡°Is holding back important information your hobby?¡± Yen asked him, half serious. ¡°No. I have an item for that for you. We can buy one for you¡± He looked at Donny then back at her. Yen flinched, her expression awkward and a bit guilty ¡°...I have one already.¡± Shin tilted his head for a few moments before remembering when they first met. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Shutup. We weren¡¯t in a party yet.¡± Most of the guiltiness replaced with justification. ¡°What¡¯s the dungeon like?¡± ¡°Traps and kobolds. Then drakes. Didn¡¯t go far.¡± ¡°Regulars won¡¯t matter that much when we go, how much superiors and elite mobs?¡± ¡°One variant. We only fought about 20.¡± Shin answered. ¡°That what you call the 25% or 50% mobs?¡± ¡°25.¡± ¡°We called ¡®em greats and lords.¡± ¡°Shutup." Yen curtly told the new member of their party, whose intentions in this debate was to mess around, she was fairly certain. "We should decide on one set to keep things simple.¡± ¡°It¡¯s variants and elites.¡± Grenda said from her chair in a bored tone. Yen looked over and then at Shin, whose natural casual face somehow seemed like gloating, annoyance finding hers. ¡°Fine. And we should use low, mid, and high for the subranks. It¡¯s faster.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s go before we lose all the light.¡± The party took their leave, heading over to their plot of land to find it occupied by a large squared wall about 10 feet tall. Through the entrance they could see a wide open area covered with coarse arena sand having replaced the dirt they were used to. Roped wooden poles and training dummies planted into the ground at the sides. Shin held out a hand to the entrance and a barrier prevented him from entering. He looked over at the sign above labeled ¡®Training Grounds¡¯ and then at the board at the side of the open gateway. 5 silver an hour for entry and with it came doubled mana and stamina recovery rate. Shin put a gold coin on the small counter and turned to the others as it disappeared. ¡°We¡¯re living here now.¡± Chapter 40 Wind and sound surged through the training grounds as Shin¡¯s mace struck a black goblin shield. Behind it stood Donny, donning the white striped red armor of Osee and a vermillion helm, solid as a rock. Shin¡¯s arm flurried, targeting every opening with no mercy, all falling on the shield. An axe took its place as the mace slid up the shield and hooked on the top. Shin jerked the shield down, and Donny yanked it up, ripping the axe from Shin¡¯s hands. No sooner had it left his fingers that Shin twirled around his armored foe, another axe taking the force of the spin straight at his neck. The weapon struck with a reverberating muffled gong, all the impact neutralized by the aura pulsing from his neck. Donny spun opposite, hacking his own axe at Shin, forcing him to dart back. A powerful burst from the warrior brought him right to Shin. Aura surged on his shield and bashed up, forcing Shin to step to the side, starting to circle again looking to attack. Donny¡¯s feet shifted slightly and lunged, more rapidly and suddenly than he had moved before. His arm flickered, jagged aura forming on the edge of the metal and Shin leapt back, blood splattering from the long gash across his torso. A sword and buckler found his hands as the wound continued to bleed, magic beyond the capabilities of his body supremacy to stop. Shin rushed forward without a skill, darting around, his sword slashing and thrusting from all manner of unorthodox angles. Shin held back his sword and thrust. Donny raised his shield again and a long needle grazed over it. He slipped his head to the side just in time for the estoc to scrap along the side of his helm. His axe flickered in response and rebounded furiously off the buckler. Donny burst back as Shin thrust the estoc at his throat, and his eyes found a towering greatsword slashing down on him, Shin having dashed forward with the burst. Donny raised his shield and the greatsword vanished, the thrust of an estoc from the crouching shaman below stopping just short of his neck. Donny paused for a moment as he lowered his weapons with a sigh. Shin stored his estoc and assumed a casual stance as well, both with more than enough energy to spare. ¡°27.¡± Shin reminded. The number of times he had stopped a killing blow short since Donny had reached the peak of lesser lord and maxed his fundamental skills. ¡°Yeah.¡± Donny smiled, aware of the reason Shin gave the number each time, drive and competitive frustration on his face. Kamala waited patiently in the shade of the wall, having no further need of immediate training while across the sandy grounds, mana swirled and broke around Yen as her body jolted slightly in random directions. ¡°Don¡¯t use too much mana.¡± Shin reminded. ¡°Shutup.¡± Yen spared only an ounce of attention for a response as she poured herself into frustrated concentration. ¡°Good enough?¡± Donny drew Shin¡¯s attention back. ¡°Yeah. You can take drakes on your own. The axe might make things more difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make do till we get paid.¡± Donny¡¯s armor had found significant upgrades but he still only had uncommon tier axes to wield. A problem they could not fix at the moment, as for the first time Shin was nearly broke. He had not said what he had four days ago lightly. The four of them had truly spent all their days and nights in the training grounds, with Shin sneaking off when he wasn¡¯t needed to practice inscription or take his spirits out into the wilderness for a break from the monotony of his soul. An expense that had paid off as Shin glanced around the three of them. [Human Knight (rare) - Lesser Lord] [Human Wizard (rare) - Lesser Lord] Kamala had been a rare lord from the start and by her word had maxed nearly all 15 of her skills since, save for one, and reaching the peak of what the 1,500 total limit Lesser Lord would allow, with points to spare as Shin had. She had made mention of wanting to advance to intermediate lord as soon as possible, only remaining at her current rank because of the dungeon. Shin checked his status again. [Human Shaman (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 150 (195) Agility - 355 (461) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 84 (109) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 150 (195) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 466 (605) Control - 156 (203) Willpower - 36 (47) Skills: Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Wall lvl. 10, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Greater Buffer lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 3, Greater Quickstrike lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 10, Greater Quickstep lvl. 10, Harvest Spirit lvl. 4, Spirit Possession lvl. 2, Ripple lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, All necessary skills had been maxed. Harvest would be irrelevant for the dungeon and based on the increase from leaving up, Spirit Possession at lvl. 10 would only grant him 25% of the stats of the spirit he chose, a largely inconsequential boost at this point, and an outright downgrade for most of his attributes. Grand Martial Combat had leveled slowly as he lacked the time to find good enough sparring partners out in the wild, and needing to hold back against Donny somewhat so the tank of the party could get training suitable for him. ¡°Yes!¡± Yen yelled from the side, jettisoning through the air in short straight bursts. She shot down and pulled up just slightly, letting herself fall a few feet to the ground before walking over to join the others. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you get flight somewhere down the line anyway?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Propulsion right now. And now I don¡¯t have to waste an high tier option on it.¡± Yen said brimming with renewed confidence, bordering on outright conceit. ¡°This game is meant for people who play it the right way. Try and keep up. I would hate to leave you all behind some day.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Maybe reach the peak of low lord before you leave the nest, Miss Phoenix.¡± Yen eyed Donny with a cocky smile and grasped at him. Raw magical force gripped the knight, holding him firmly in place, his muscles and veins bulging as he struggled against it. ¡°Whatever will I do against such a powerful peak low lord with a meager 500 Force?¡± Sarcasm dripped from her smug face as Donny mustered a strained smile. She waved her hand releasing him from the invisible suppression, content, and glanced at Shin. His body blurred to the side as a suppressing force closed down on nothing but air, to her annoyance. ¡°You should be ready to move up to mid after this, right?¡± ¡°Need to fuse.¡± ¡°Still?¡± Yen asked with some surprise. ¡°Harder than upgrading.¡± Shin had tried to fuse Greater Wall and Greater Buffer after maxing his other skills but to no avail. Even the Quick skills which ought to be easier bore no success. Epic tier proved to be exponentially harder than rare, the only one he had been successful in upgrading was Combat, and fusing proved even more difficult. It wasn¡¯t as though there was resistance in the skills themselves as with the clash of holy and spirit energy, just simply the raw fundamental difficulty. Shin glanced up, seeing the sun nearly center in the sky. ¡°We¡¯ll enter the dungeon when everyone¡¯s full.¡± ¡°Strategy meeting first, since it¡¯s definitely going to be full of bullshit.¡± Yen looked over to Kamala. ¡°Princess, a moment of your time, if you would grant us that pleasure.¡± Kamala held still for an elegant moment and walked over, ignoring the banter. Yen frowned at the lack of response but waited for her to reach them before starting. ¡°Okay, so traps and mobs, then the real stuff, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡°You¡¯ll be our canary then we take over until the boss so you can recover and we all take it out.¡± ¡°Simple enough.¡± Donny agreed. ¡°Would be even easier if we just hire some random scout¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Your mana.¡± Yen shrugged, heading over to the shade and taking out a guidebook on tailoring. ¡°I need about 4 hours.¡± ¡°Gonna take a nap then.¡± Donny headed over to wall as well, and Kamala followed stoically and silently. Shin sat down where he stood, taking out a desk and channelling meditation. --- The party left the training grounds late in the afternoon and headed off, soon running into Chato and his entourage waiting by the gate. Half a dozen of his goons read as lesser lords and the man himself registered as unreadable. ¡°Cutting it close, uh? I was starting to think you might be getting cold feet or something.¡± ¡°We¡¯re taking care of your problem now.¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°Our problem at this point, no? But hey, I never doubted you for a second.¡± Chato led his entourage away and the party moved on, heading over at a job towards the dungeon. Yen glanced back at Chato and his goons watching them from atop the wall. ¡°Dumbass rushed his advancement.¡± Yen muttered. ¡°Gotta keep up appearances.¡± Donny said casually. ¡°We can deal with that after this.¡± Wasting no time and standing on no ceremony, the partner passed through the portal into the reddish brown rocky tunnel of the dungeon. Shin led them through it at a careful walking pace, the carved eye of his brass ring put to use once again as he walked around and set the numerous traps off, the other three following behind exactly. The layout had changed and the exact order and nature of the traps were different but the difficulty was the same. Soon they came to the ambush section and Shin held out a hand to stop them. The open cave like section had no cliffs to hide behind up ahead, instead lined with a great number of rocks and hefty stalagmite protruding from the ground, and kobold shaped souls behind them. ¡°Traps on the ground. They use slings.¡± Shin said to the open air and a gray furred shug appeared in front of Shin. ¡°Kill them.¡± Kong bounded through the air off the ground and blinked into a cluster of shocked kobolds, ripping them apart before moving onto the next. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Yen yelled, more agitated than the kobolds. ¡°I thought you killed that thing!¡± ¡°Decided not to.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The words strained out of her mouth. ¡°Felt right.¡± ¡°Of course...¡± Still upset, but suppressing it for the task ahead, Yen went quiet. Soon all the souls of the kobolds fell flat and Shin recalled the shug. Kong as a rare elite cost a staggering 24 mana a minute in upkeep. Far too much to use in anything more than short bursts. Shin bombarded the open floor with rock talismans and once the dust and traps settled, the party moved on, Shin darted off to loot this instances trapmaster, before they reached the mouth of the cavern. ¡°Leave two for me.¡± Donny took vanguard and the party descended. Four fire drakes perked up and roared at the trespassers, and a bolt of mana caved in the skull of one. Another opened its mouth, fire swirling inside, and a mana bolt shattered its jaw. The drake crashed to the ground but started to rise until an estoc pierced deep into its eye. Donny burst forward at the same time as the first mana bolt, bashing a drake off balance then chopped into its neck. His axe sunk not even halfway and the drake roared in anger. Donny ripped his axe out and bashed the drake again, chopping once more right into the cut and through its neck fully this time. A second drake charged forward and Donny lunged, aura surging around his arm and the edge of his axe, cleaving straight through its neck in one go. The vicious beast crashed to the ground and Donny swiped his axe clean. ¡°Easy enough.¡± Shin hopped between each drake, sucking their blood into a pouch. Donny kicked the nearest over and hacked into its chest, about halfway and pulled its chest cavity open. Shin stopped by and drew a skinning knife, carving out a glowing hot sac. Kamala wrapped it deftly in special silk cloth, and the three repeated the process for the other drakes. --- Shin bashed around a scrambling drake, the constant blows to its head preventing it from doing much more than remaining on its feet. An angry lash of its tail slammed into the wall of the cavern and Shin flickered underneath in the instant it looked away, thrusting his estoc right through its eye. He glanced over to see Donny finish off his share of the four drakes. Neither of them had used skills, saving their stamina for the boss fight and any unexpected problems that may arise on the journey. Yen and Kamala stood back, saving their far more precious mana for the same reason. ¡°Feels like we overtrained.¡± Donny half griped as Shin finished up the material gathering. ¡°Keep that same energy when the system tries to fuck us.¡± Yen shot back. ¡°Just been shy flirting so far.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t fight the boss of your stage, did you?¡± ¡°How could you tell.¡± Donny ask rhetorically as he casually took the vanguard. ¡°Because you¡¯re too fucking comfortable. Stage bosses are serious. They always have some bullshit cheat.¡± ¡°Seems like you survived just fine.¡± ¡°Whatever, you¡¯re the one whose gonna stand in front of it. Be a good damage sponge and last more than a few hits.¡± ¡°Above.¡± Shin interrupted. The party turned their focus up to the ceiling as they entered the next cavern. Four winged humanoid dragon monsters lunged from the cover of stalactites, spears and tridents pointed at them. An arrow found the eyes of two and a mana bolt caved in the chest of another. The three pronged spear of the last clanged against Donny¡¯s shield as it hovered in the air, striking down from above, their speed about equal. The dragonewt darted and thrust from the side, and Donny dodged, his shield vanishing. He grabbed the spear and yanked the dragonewt in, removing its head with a single swing of his axe. [Dragonewt (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 243 Agility - 237 Constitution - 224 Vitality - 218 Dexterity - 198 Perception - 202 Force - 197 Spirit - 181 Control - 145 Willpower - 156 Shin glanced at Kamala inquisitively. ¡°Just the eyes.¡± He took out a spoon like tool and carefully scooped them out for her to store away and the party moved on. The dungeon was a simple one. No mazes or split paths, just ascending or descending slopes between caverns, some winding but never more complicated than that. The slope they walked down was the same as any other but Shin darted in front and the end and came to a stop. His brass ring gleaned but the carved eye didn¡¯t glow and his prismatic eyes scanned every corner of the cavern more massive than any other. ¡°Empty.¡± ¡°Which means it¡¯s a deathtrap.¡± Yen asserted. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Shin walked out, glancing around. The two casters trailed behind and Donny brought up the rear, each one of them alert and ready to burst into action at a moment¡¯s notice. To the center they walked, seeing neither hide nor hair of the danger lying in wait. Shin glanced to the sides and then ahead as a giant stream of flames surged upon them. Chapter 41 Shin flickered back to the party just in time for a blue wall to spread out in front, halting the blazing stream. A purple shield formed at their side stopping the second stream that had shot forth at the same time, perpendicular to the other with the party in the crosshair of both. Pillars of fire surged out all around at random, filling the dim dreary cavern with searing light and enormous heat. ¡°Move up.¡± Shin told Donny and the knight dashed ahead to the side of the flames ahead, out of the path of both. Shin darted by Yenny and looked back at Kamala. ¡°Go first, we¡¯ll follow.¡± White wings spread across Kamala¡¯s back and she soared towards Donny, holding the mystic shield for as long as possible until she left its range. The shield disappeared and Shin blurred, rejoining the others with Yenny in his arms as the two streams of flames surged past each other. Yenny held up her hands to shield her eyes from the heat, red burns singeing her skin through her fire resistance from the sheer heat. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± The party rushed forwarded to the tunnel visible at the end of the cavern, and the pillars vanished. Yenny erected a shield at their feet and Kamala at their side as the pillars of flames returned in new formations. ¡°Same time.¡± The party shot diagonal, following Shin in the path towards the exit, the shields vanishing and pillars surging freely once again. They rushed as fast as they could as a group, the two casters shielded them all from pillars of fire. Each surged two at a time and targeted directly at them, as the formations kept changing around them, altering and obstructing their path forward. Moments felt like minutes as the party raced to escape the chaotic furnace. Two pillars surged from the sides just as they reached the exit, blocked by another pair of shields. Shin glanced up and burst forward, kicking Donny ahead and taking Kamala by the waist into the tunnel as a third pillar surging into the ground behind them. ¡°Sorry.¡± Shin set her down as soon as they landed. ¡°...it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Bullshit deathtraps.¡± Yen muttered as Kamala started healing the both of them. Donny and Shin had the vitality and constitution to withstand the cavern of fire for that long but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the casters. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± The mage mumbled. Donny glanced at the exit they just passed, walled by flames, and then ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± Shin let Yen down as well and they continued on, briskly now with Donny at the helm. A long winding path, ascending and descending, finally brought them into a straight hallway. A carved doorway stood at the back of the crude cave hall, guarded by two armored dragonewts. [Dragonewt Sentinel (rare) - Lesser Lord] Shin rapidly fired a half dozen arrows from his bow at them each, but their spears twirled and flourished, deflecting all of them. ¡°Elites.¡± Shin warned. He and Donny charged forward and the sentinels did the same. His opponent thrust a spear, rebounding to the side off an emerging buckler and Shin thrust his estoc at the sentinel¡¯s neck. A dull pulsing force of aura dismissed the force of the thrust and the sentinel flourished its spear into a slash, forcing Shin a step back. ¡°Stall it.¡± Kamala called at the back and Shin did just that. Blocking, dodging, and deflecting until reddish stony roots burst up from the ground, entangling the dragonewt elite. Shin slashes a blue sword as its neck, halted by a coating of aura and his estoc passed through its eye at the same time. The sentinel spasmed for a moment then fell limp. Donny at the side fought his on the backfoot, seeming to barely hold on. Then a sudden burst of speed, forced the dragonewt on the defense. Donny raised his axe as the sentinel lowered his spear in response, and darted back suddenly. A mana bolt smashed the head of the sentinel and Donny cleaved through the dazed elite¡¯s neck. ¡°Good assist.¡± Donny complimented for seeing the opening without prior planning. ¡°You¡¯re my support.¡± Yen and Kamala headed over while their self appointed loot goblin shifted through the gear of the fallen sentinels. ¡°That¡¯s probably the boss room. We should wait it out and recover.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be able to.¡± Before Yenny could respond, wide streams of fire shot out at the back of the hallway cutting off that pathway. Another pair of crossing firestreams just a shade nearer surged beside it, and then another. Pairs of fire streams set off one by one, the wall of flames growing closer. ¡°Time for a real fight.¡± Donny amped himself up and walked through the entrance, the others following behind him before the hallway could fully set itself ablaze. Through the short doorway they entered a large spherical cave, decorated like an primitive shrine. A massive mural of a dragon was carved at the back of the cave and in front of it sat a muscular winged humanoid dragon in partial monk¡¯s attire and wrapped arms. [Dragonewt Brawnmartial (rare) - Lesser Lord] The dragonewt boss stood to his feet from patient rest, intelligent eyes scanning over the party. ¡°You should have brought more.¡± The Brawnmartial blurred and a thunderous scaled fist crashed down on Donny¡¯s shield. The nullifying coat of Bulwark shattered by sheer impact along with the solid stone ground beneath the knight¡¯s feet. Shin blurred at the boss¡¯ side, piercing aura swelling around the estoc, and thrust. The tip of the needle sword struck up, aiming to pierce the dragonewt¡¯s heart from below, and stopped short on the iron colored spot spread across its scales, not even a single scratch made. The boss lashed his tail at the two with a spin. Shin leapt back and the tail bashed into Donny¡¯s shield, sending him sliding back on his feet, bones rattling from the power. A dense mana bolt struck the Brawnmartial¡¯s head, knocking it back a bit, but the monster set itself right with a smile, half its head coated in iron. Yen balked. That bolt had been condensed as much as the skill would allow, already bordering on the limits of her Control. Even if she could enhance it further she¡¯d risk the spell self destructing. Shin and Donny flickered around it, Donny in small spurts hacking and chopping away, Shin with two red daggers looking for any weakness and purchase. The dragonewt flickered with them, his feet moving deftly in stance, his arms and hands blocking most of the blows baring down on him. Sweat ran down Donny¡¯s exhilarated face. He had fought enough monsters and trained with Shin enough to know the difference. The boss had a Combat skill, at least as good as his. ¡°Is this all you have?¡± Shin leapt back from a clawed swipe and gestured a hand seal. The lightning talismans he had placed around the boss¡¯ back and blindsides activated, shocking him in place with a surge of lightning. Each talisman was weak. Even a cluster of them could only buy a moment. But a moment was all they needed. A small flame appeared in front of the Brawnmartial¡¯s face, swelling and folding in on itself until it could condense no more and exploded into a burst of blazing flames. Shin and Donny stayed back as the fire roared over the boss, it¡¯s heat surpassing the pillars of fire. And the monster laughed. The fire flickered and snuffed out around him as he took slow imposing steps forward, not a single scale on his body charred. ¡°Fire for a fire dragonkind. I expected smarter foes.¡± Yen clicked her teeth. If a condensed Ignite had done nothing the boss must have epic tier fire resistance at least. Two thirds of her offensive skills had just become useless. She would have to take a risk to be valuable. ¡°Keep it busy! I can-¡± A rock struck her head and she fell to the ground, the veil of buffer trembling. Yenny¡¯s shock lasted only an instant before she snapped back into focus as a hail of stones slammed against an invisible force in front of her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Behind her, Kamala had risen to her feet, having suffered the same fate, and erected a dome of roots around herself. Two malakhs appeared and soared towards the balcony of ambushing kobolds slingers above that appeared out of nowhere. They raised their swords, and serrated blades flashed from the rocky surface, severing the celestials in pieces. ¡°Stall.¡± Shin told Donny as he blurred away to the kobolds. An aura coated scaled fist slammed into Donny¡¯s shield, breaking the defense of Bulwark and fracture the ground as he withstood the heavy blow once more. The Brawnmartial¡¯s fist opened, its claws reaching to grab hold of the shield and Donny darted back, his eyes just barely catching the second fist in time to coat his side with bulwark. The punch broke through again and slammed him away. Donny strained and dug his shield into the ground under him before he crashed into the casters behind and burst forward, bashing the boss back a few steps as it tried to reach them. A healing aura surrounding Donny as he fought but Kamala¡¯s focus aimed firmly on the boss. The dragonewt held its palm flat, claws pointed out like daggers as it dug in his stance, and froze. An invisible force bound it in place as Donny hacking at its chest with his axe. The axe ricocheted off the iron coating and the boss flexed its body, breaking out of Yen¡¯s Clutch with raw strength. Donny swapped out his chipped axe for a spare as the dragonewt brawnmartial aimed its eyes on him, and a mass of stony roots burst from underneath, wreathing and wrapping around it as it fought against them. The roots twisted and enveloped the monster and hardened like stone, keeping the boss in place. Blue and red energy started to seep from the boss¡¯ body into the plants, making them stronger. The brawnmartial¡¯s eyes glinted with fierce resolve and searing flames coated its body like a mane. The stony roots Kamala selected specifically for their resistance to fire started to sear and char. She channelled a fourth skill, sweat started to drip down her stoic expression now starting to show strain. The roots began to heal. Not regenerate, but it slowed the rate they burned, buying more time to sap the bulky dragonewt¡¯s mana and aura. The boss¡¯ eyes glowed a furious white as it struggled in vain against the roots, and it let out a roar. Its muscles bulged and tightened and the charred vines started to snap. Kamala poured more mana and effort into her plants and the dragonewt¡¯s efforts surged, grabbing handfuls of them and ripping the roots apart. It¡¯s body flickered and a thrash of its arm send Donny crashing into the wall of the cave shrine. A force bore down on the boss in the split second its movements slowed. Yen condensed her grasping Clutch as much as the skill allowed, blood trickling down her nose as the brawnmartial raged against it. The dragonewt tensed against the heavy suppression and flexed its arms opened as it raised its stance with a roar, tearing apart the hold. It burst forward, sharp claws surging with aura towards the mage, and a shield struck its side, sending it crashing into a wall, Donny having shot forward with everything he had. The dragonewt brawnmartial pushed itself off the wall as pieces of rock broke off and fell to the ground, showing no sign of injury. Shin dropped down next to donny, buckler replacing an axe to pair with his cobalt sword. The cliff balcony surrounding them completely silent. ¡°Nothing we do works.¡± Donny told him. ¡°Try again.¡± Shin burst forward as a human headed large bird appeared in the behind him. A piercing screech made the brawnmartial¡¯s eye twitch but did nothing to obstruct the iron coating skill against Shin¡¯s sword. He dodged back as Donny roared, his Battlecry doing as little as Mara¡¯s screech but he rushed forward all the same. He and Shin darted around the boss, straining their minds and bodies as attacks fell ineffective on the iron scaled monk. Mara in the air let out screech after screech, growing more frustrated and desperate with each failed one. She trembled in the air and let out a grating high pitched sound, shuddering the body of the dragonewt as well as the veils of buffer around the party. Mara disappeared and Shin recalled her. ¡°Not that one.¡± He said, immediately diving back into battle. ¡°I! I¡¯ll be better! Stronger! I can!¡± Mara¡¯s shouted desperate please inbetween screeches proving nothing more than a mere annoyance to the boss. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me!¡± Mara¡¯s body shone as a small surge of power surrounded her. [Siren Scornwreaker (uncommon) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 106 Agility - 172 Constitution - 95 Vitality - 123 Dexterity - 134 Perception - 170 Force - 352 Spirit - 290 Control - 229 Willpower - 214 A piercing screech made the boss flinch this time and the sonic scream that followed knocked it into back into wall of the cave. The boss burst towards the siren, iron coating blocking the blows of Shin and Donny. Its furious charge staggered on roots entangling its feet and a mana bolt to the head knocked off balance. It ripped the root vines out and another sonic scream sent it crashing back into the wall. Its arm flickered and a rock broken off from the wall splattered Mara apart, the light of her body returning to Shin¡¯s soul. ¡°What now?!¡± Donny yelled as he struggled to barely fend off the dragonewt¡¯s blows, deflecting now as his body wouldn¡¯t withstand a direct block. Shin appeared at the boss¡¯ side, dense rippling waves surging in his hand and he struck. A dull clang echoed through the cave as his palm struck iron coated, and the dragonewt crashed into the back of the cave more fiercely than any impact thus far. And still, it rose without injury. ¡°Wear it down.¡± The brawnmartial burst forward and the two vanguards met it. A flurry of blows slid off shields, struck air, and rebounded off iron as the shaman and knight flirted with death in each exchange. Vines grasped at its feet and mana bolts struck at any pause it gave. The boss struck at the two men with both arms and burst towards the casters. Shin flickered by its side, a rippling thrust halted its charge and a shield bash knocked it away again. Shin and Donny flurried again, forcing it to use its iron coating on every attack, as the dragonewt struck back, each one meant to kill. It lashed its tail to fend them off for a moment and stony roots wrapped around its feet and hardened. Shin and Donny burst, one piercing the other hacking down at the same time. Iron coating blocked their attacks and clawed hands struck down. Shin dove away and Donny raised his shield, letting a loose stance absorbed most of the impact as he flung back. And a mana bolt struck the boss¡¯ face, sending it reeling back. As it turned around, blood trickled down its mouth under cracked teeth. ¡°It didn¡¯t block!¡± Yenny alerted the others. ¡°Hold it still!¡± Shin burst in front of the dragonewt, dealing with root shackles once more and leapt, slamming a ripple into the top of its chest. The impact knocked the dragonewt flat, its feet locked in place by the roots and more wrapped around him instantly. It struggled and ripped the roots out of the ground as it start to rise. An axe from behind forced an iron coating and estoc in front did the same but a dense mana bolt shattered the bones around its right eye, forcing it shut. The dragonewt¡¯s eyes glanced for a moment at a blazing enemy raising a fiery hand more powerful than before. It roared in rage, swatting the two vanguard away as it ripped itself upright and charging towards the dangerous mage. As it barrelled close, a gray furred shug blinked on its back and slammed a fist into its remaining good eye. Kong vanished as a rippled thrust knocked the boss away again. The dragonewt spat up blood as scales fell from the small crater in its side. Through the injury and pain it charged again but its speed had slowed. Axes and red daggers rained down on it, carving and whittling it down piece by piece. Donny let out an invigorating grunt and pushed passed his burning fatigue. His blows chipped scales and opened small wounds into its flesh as Shin darted around slicing through with his vermillion daggers, forcing the bleeding worse. The boss fought fiercely but every passing moment its movements slowed and the great monster began to falter. Soon it staggered forward and feel to its knees, scales wet with red blood, the resolve in its eyes no longer reaching its weak limbs. ¡°Do it¡­¡± Shin appeared in front of the dragonewt, estoc in hand, and thrust through its eye. A silence took the cave as he drew it out and the dungeon boss¡¯ head fell limp where he knelt. [Dragonewt Brawnmartial (rare) - Lesser Lord] Strength - 609 Agility - 414 Constitution - 432 Vitality - 318 Dexterity - 347 Perception - 316 Force - 235 Spirit - 317 Control - 202 Willpower - 310 Skills: Fire Mane lvl. 10, Ironclad lvl. 10, Haymaker lvl. 10, Greater Flex lvl. 10, Greater Quicksteps lvl. 10, Superior Unarmed Combat lvl. 10, Traits: Ironscales (epic), Iron Body (epic), Fire Resistance (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), ¡°Fuuuck...¡± Yen vented in relief as fire mimicry subsided. ¡°I was bluffing at the end. Completely tapped out.¡± ¡°Yeah, running on fumes here too.¡± Donny stored his weapons with a smile. ¡°But I guess you get the boss slayer medal even if you don¡¯t land the final hit.¡± ¡°Good for you¡­¡± Yen said through heavy breath, the toll of mana exhaustion rearing its head. Four golden bound chests appeared in the center of the room and a portal door opened up to the side. Shin flickered over to one of the chests and tapped it open. A pair of obsidian leg plat armor floated up. ¡°Guess that¡¯s mine then.¡± Donny said as he knocked on another chest. A ring floated up which he inspected and toss over to Kamala. ¡°Those plants¡¯ll be unstoppable now.¡± ¡°One each, don¡¯t take mine.¡± Yen said as she forced herself over to the chest. A red mantle floated up and she equipped it immediately with a smile. She looked down and her smile grew further, then with a slight pause fell to a scowl. ¡°Invite?¡± Shin asked. ¡°Lesser rank trash¡­¡± Yen cursed the god that got her hopes up. Shin looked at Kamala, silently questioning if she wanted to open the last. ¡°It¡¯s yours anyway.¡± Shin hopped over and tapped the fourth chest open. [Harthide Boots - Rare] ¡®Active Skill: Quicken.¡¯ Shin equipped them immediately. The muffle skill of his current shoes had proved useful many times but its effectiveness had continuously diminished with the growing perception stat of the monsters they face. Finally he had his speed increasing skill again. Before either of them could say more, the large dragon mural shone. A light split straight down the middle and the two halves opened up like a door revealing a swirling portal. [Greed Mountain Dungeon (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°What now?¡± Donny broke the silence and all turned to Shin, starting intently at the portal. Chapter 42 The party emerged through the portal into the rocky base of the mountain, glancing around, then focusing on the town in the distance on the verge of dusk. ¡°No ambush.¡± Shin informed them. ¡°Not here anyway.¡± Donny relaxed his posture slightly all the same. ¡°Hey, the dungeon¡¯s mid rank now.¡± The other three turned back confirming what Yen had noticed. ¡°Then we get to do all that again but harder.¡± Donny started the short trek over to the town. As they arrived at the gate without issue, a guardsman banged on the door and it opened. They continued silently, some increasingly cautious as they made their way up the wall to Chato¡¯s post, his underlings and the whole town seemingly on standby. ¡°Give me good news.¡± Chato prompted with a smile. ¡°Cleared.¡± ¡°Excellent. Excellent, but I need some proof, you know. Still time to collect and bail.¡± Donny withdrew the severed head of the boss and Chato¡¯s smile widened slightly after a pause to inspect. ¡°I knew I could trust you.¡± Chato walked over to Shin, standing casually and full of openings. A subtle tension gripped the air as Chato withdrew a large bag and dropped it in his hand, a tension Shin was completely nonchalant to. Chato backed away into the entourage with an exaggerated swagger and left. ¡°The 15th, next time.¡± The party waited for them to leave before taking off themselves. Shin stored the coins and handed each of them a smaller bag, splitting their reward four ways. Kamala headed into the apothecary without a word again leaving the three of them behind. ¡°Plans?¡± Donny asked Shin. ¡°Inscription.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m heading off to the training grounds.¡± ¡°Same.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shin left with a flicker reaching the familiar store in moments. He reached out and paused. ¡°I didn¡¯t have enough mana for you. We¡¯ll go out later.¡± The ire of a certain white fox was not nearly pacified by such small compensation, having been directing constant feelings of outrage towards him since the end of the boss fight. He pushed the door open to temporarily bottled up complaints. --- Shin flourished an ink dot and activated the talisman, forming a short origami golem, its body long and rectangular. It hopped off the desk and joined the line of attention beside its kin in front of another origami shaped exactly like it. Grenda scanned over it for a few moments before turning to Shin. ¡°You can move on to the next grade now.¡± A talisman floated in the air in front of him and puffed into a human shaped paper origami, featureless save for the dotted square on its face. ¡°Greater Origami. Still not fit for fighting but a lot more useful. They can handle more complex commands, labor obviously, but also things like scouting and travel. Makes for good canaries or mounts if you¡¯re in no rush. Shape can be anything you want really. But they are a significant step up. Ready for a demonstration?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± An annoyed jab came from the pit of his soul. ¡°I¡¯ll come back later.¡± Shin took his leave from the store and blurred over the town wall, heading deep into the dark wild. Inari appeared by his side with a frown and pushed on ahead, making a show of not looking at him. Shin followed after her. She almost glanced back, instead darting in directions at random, only to become more frustrated as he kept up with ease. A monster came into view and lost its head before it could make a noise, the first victim of her venting rampage. --- Inari darted around a blue bear, make shallow slashes into its thick hide. Its body as hefty as it was tall and its snout shorter and wider than normal bears, the rare tier Frostmoon Nandi thrashed its large paws at the evasive fox warrior, receiving only more cuts for its trouble. It stood tall with a gruff roar, higher than an ogre, the white circle on its underfur glowing. A wisping white light glowed from its mouth like condensed moonlight and breathed down the beam of energy at its foe. Inari sped around as the moonlight attack followed, a trail of frosted destruction in its wake. She jumped over the breath and leapt off the air, spitting gray blue flames on the ursa¡¯s back. Its moonlight attack ceased and it flailed around for only a moment before freezing in trembling place. Inari relentlessly attacked her paralyzed opponent, levying fire and blade without mercy until the great bear collapsed and fell silent. Shin hopped down, having been waiting from the side due to a look Inari shot him before this fight started. He held his hand towards the rare elite spirit and its body turned into light forming a small condensed soul casually placing it within his own. He glanced at Inari who looked away in a pout. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Shin hopped over to her, tilting his head with a calm smile around her further looking away. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to upgrade you soon.¡± Inari stood as she was for a few moments before glancing at his face. Conflicting emotions spread across hers before softening a little. She nudged him a little in complaint not wishing to let him off so easily but Shin could feel no ire coming his way. Shin glanced at her skills. Skills: Greater Trick Fire lvl. 7, Keen Cut lvl. 8, Greater Paralyzing Stare lvl. 6, Greater Celestial Fire lvl. 2, Superior Sword Combat lvl. 9, Monsters didn¡¯t advance the same way as players as far as he knew, but he imagined progress in levels would have some sort of effect on that wall hovering over the summon skill. Celestial Fire stood out from the rest. Having limited encounters with demons and undead meant it went severely underused compared to the others. Shin speculated that leveling that a bit may be the key, and more than anything, using her more. Something he would have much more leeway to do as soon as he fused his skills and moved on to intermediate rank. Something caught his eye in the world of colors and he sped off ahead silently, Inari following behind. Concealed behind a tree he spied two men fighting, one bronze skinned with purple hair and amber eyes in mostly cloth and leather wielding a saber, the other red skinned like blood pooling under the surface and blackened eyes much like the demonic humans he had encountered on the first stage, muscular and lean, fighting unarmed. Both unreadable. Shin stopped Inari from charging the demonic human as he thought. ¡°I need you to do something.¡± Ramses dodged another strike and slashed deep with his saber, cursing the demonspawn as the wound healed rapidly again. The red brawler charged again stopping his blow short into a flurry of true strikes and feints. Ramses moved before each one, targeting his counters with precision but the wretched player never truly let himself take serious damage. The battle favored him as he would whittle the bastard down in time, yet the demon relished in that fact, knowing full well the direction of the fight. Ramses flourished his sword and slipped the demon¡¯s combination, only to hear the clang of metal as the demon¡¯s neck turned to iron. He pulled his saber back before the demon could grab hold, the failure doing nothing to dissuade the ecstatic smile of its face. Identify told him the man was a player but he would recognize this thing as nothing but a monster lusting for battle. The demon charged again, suddenly lurched back as an arrow sailed by, his senses detecting it a shade before Ramses did. Ramses glanced in the direction to see a black haired boy dropped down, loosing arrow after arrow as he circled the demon. The shots were too slow, the demon slipping them with ease, and held none of the power he knew to be possible, but it was not without use. Ramses lunged and slashed deep into the demon¡¯s torso through his guard once again. The newcomer switched his bow for a needle like sword and buckler and charged, his speed not unimpressive. Ramses paused for a moment but resumed his attack on the demon, the newcomer¡¯s thoughts filled with nothing but the incessant urge to kill the demonic human, as he called it. The boy was slower but moved well, his body and mind accustomed to fighting. An Igarashi, Ramses suspected. But that was of less pressing matter at the moment. The two blurred around the demon as it seemed to take things seriously at last. Punctures and slashes peppered his body, healing just as fast as he fought with ferocity and skill, every counter back designed to kill. The boy misstepped and the demon did not miss the chance. He swung his arm back into the boy, barely blocked by his buckler but shattering something around him as he flew back. Ramses did not miss his chance either. At the same time, he moved, his saber thrusting at the demon¡¯s eye. And his body froze. A split second at most, but he could do nothing but watch the demon¡¯s arm smash into his head. He crashed back, straight into the arms of the boy as they wrapped around his head. The image of a young hollow eyed boy he had last seen years ago surfaced in his memories but it came far too late. A sharp crack was all he heard and then the world went black. [Achievement: Apostle Slayer II. 50 Attribute Points reward.] ¡®Slay 5 apostles.¡¯ The demonic human looked at his fallen opponent slump to the ground, neck broken, in mild thought. Then over to the boy that interrupted them, unharmed, with eyes calm and threatening. A grin of the utmost amusement spread across his face. ¡°You¡¯re a real piece of shit, ain¡¯t cha?¡± Inari burst out of the trees towards the demonic human and Shin followed in turn, his speed higher. ¡°But it was a bad idea to kill him.¡± The demonic human vanished. Sight, sound, even the faint sense of his presence was gone. Shin burst around at random as fast as he could, eyes darting around searching for any trace of the demonic human. And then, all his vigilance dissolved as he easily slipped the invisible demonic human¡¯s punch. A condensed ripple Shin concealed as he moved, thrust into the man¡¯s side, sending him crashing away through several trees before the enemy found his footing again. The man looked at Shin, prismatic swirling colors painted his irises, his body language showing not a single trace of the urgency just seconds before. The man¡¯s expression once again broke into exhilaration, veins bulging across his red skin, his short spiky white hair and vicious black eyes growing even more distinct. And blood burst from his skin. His expression of slight shock relaxed into mild introspection once more. ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡± He smiled at Shin before bursting away. Inari jumped by Shin¡¯s side as he watched the man disappear into the distance before suppressing his spirit eyes. Inari¡¯s irritation flared up again, albeit this time directed at the demonic human whose type she so reviled. But shin hopped over to the corpse of the purple haired man to loot it. A fair chunk of change and some good items found their way into Shin¡¯s spatial bag. Most importantly, loose thick silk black pants replaced his leather ones. Epic tier with the active skill of stealth, removing all sound and presence in use, a significant upgrade to the ninja footwear he had still planned to use. As well as a long saber with the passive ability Greater Keen Edge. He glanced at the purple haired benefactor of his gear upgrade. He had last seen him nearly five years ago but recognized him immediately. Sereth¡¯s eldest brother and heir to the house of Narmer. Shin sped off back to town, his goal in this chance encounter completed and the added bonus of better gear making this a valuable outing. --- Kamala exited the apothecary well into the night, her profession training having progressed and her focus now aimed towards her skills. She glanced to the left as the enigmatic boy leader of the party appeared by her side in a blur, dropping into her walking pace. Shin looked at her. ¡°You ranked up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Skill options?¡± ¡°Thorns and fire resistance.¡± She answered his tacit criticism, pausing before adding more. ¡°Uncommon tier.¡± Shin hummed. He opened his mouth but closed in without a word, seeming somewhat confused. ¡°My patron said to not to go past 2,000 this stage.¡± She could see him think for a bit, seeming to recall something. ¡°You didn¡¯t remove the lotus trait?¡± A coldness emanated from Kamala, though nothing showed on her expression. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± The atmosphere tensed worse, though the pair walked in calm silence. Kamala spoke again after a long pause. ¡°Is that why you invited me?¡± ¡°No.¡± She glanced at his calm smile, an odd sincerity about him through the mystery and eeriness. ¡°...I see.¡± The air around them relaxed as they continued their calm stroll to the training grounds. Chapter 43 Shin stood at the edge of the training grounds, purple mana swirling and cracking in one hand, white wisping light flickering in the other. He fell deep into himself, pulling the image of a skill into existence. An immovable shield against magic, an unbreakable shroud against might. The two energies reached out to each other, meshing as the part repulsing twisted and reformed back into the center. Light swelled around him and shattered into slowly falling shards, a purple glean flashed over him into a transparent veil. [Greater Buffer and Greater Mystic Wall have fused into Mystic Protection.] ¡®Veil a target in protection against spells and martial arts.¡¯ Shin rose in a state of concentration, thoughts of protection giving way to something else. Speed, overwhelming speed, the fastest movement possible. Nothing but that urge raced through his mind as he relaxed his body and bent slightly, readily his muscles like a coil. And he erupted into a sudden burst as his kick tore the air. [Greater Quickstrike and Greater Quickstep have fused into Rapid.] [Achievement: Skill Fusion II. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] ¡®Fuse 5 skills.¡¯ With his second fused skill of the stage, he had finally freed up two skill slots and could achieve his much needed advancement. Shin put 50 stat points into Strength. [Rank has advanced to Intermediate Lord. 200 Attribute Points rewarded.] With the recent gains, he had points to spare. 64 went into Willpower immediately. He had had several encounters with skills that attacked his mind and his personal resolve could only take him so far. Should he faced another opponent stronger than that satori his mind wouldn¡¯t be able to hold. He put 15 into Vitality and thought for a moment before putting 15 more. Rapid seemed quite draining. 145 went into Agility, maxing his potential speed based on his current Strength. Before he continued allotting points, the swirl of Quicken enveloped him from his Fleethide Boots and he took a leaning stance. His muscles flexed and overstrained, and he burst forward as fast as he could, attacking erratically in all directions, sonic booms from breaking the sound barrier more than ten times over blasting behind as he went. He assessed himself, oblivious to the looks aimed drawn to his direction. He could handle twice his base speed. Rapid on top of that made the bones of his legs creak slightly and overstraining himself wasn¡¯t viable in a long fight but it was nothing he couldn¡¯t handle if he controlled his body precisely and carefully. The problem he actually found was that once again, his Perception was sorely lacking. For the instant he burst with all his speed, the world became an indistinguishable blur. Not impossible to fight in, but it was a severe liability. He put 25 points into it and darted into basic agility training movements. There were no problems at all at base, and although a bit unclear he could see sufficiently when using either Rapid or Quicken alone. But it was just barely enough for everything he had. That said, it was not a problem he could fix at the moment. There was a cap to his point total and he had to make compromises. Shin would have liked to increase it more but the remaining 37 points all went into Spirit, the far more important of the two. With that settled, he turned his attention to the skill option notifications, scrolling through the long list. Failing to find anything he was willing to fuse into his existing skills, he came to a quick decision over a pair. [Acquired the uncommon tier skill Spirit Orb.] [Acquired the uncommon tier skill Spiral.] Shin focused and mana rotated at a center point in front of him. Faster and faster he willed it, the pressure drawing air into a surrounding whirlwind, and pushed it towards a wooden training dummy. The wind byproduct broke against the disrupting emanations, leaving the raw center spiral scrapping against the target. Shin let it persist for a short time before dispelling it away. Shallow scrape marks across of the surface of the dummy and some of it had been shaved away, but Shin had expected little more, the skill tied to Force after all. He turned his attention to his other skill, a head sized orb of solid yellow light formed in the air near him, followed by two more. At his will the orbs shot forward bashing into training dummy several times each with considerable impact relative to the tier and level of the skill before the orbs shattered. Not as sturdy and thus not as reliable as he wanted but that would be fixed with upgrades and fusions. And most importantly, like Ripple the potency depended on the amount of mana used. Shin checked over his new and improved status. [Human Shaman (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 175 (227) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 503 (654) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 10, Mystic Protection lvl. 1, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 4, Rapid lvl. 1, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 10, Harvest Spirit lvl. 6, Spirit Possession lvl. 2, Ripple lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Spirit Orb lvl. 1, Spiral lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, ¡°Why even bother being a summoner when you can just go full speedster and blitz everything?¡± Yen stepped out of her form of flames and walked over, seeing him done with the matters of ranking up. Shin glanced over. [Human Wizard (rare) - Lesser Lord] Yen flinched a bit sensing the skill. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I have everything planned out.¡± Her tone a bit defensive but mostly of genuine confidence. ¡°I like spirits.¡± ¡°Well¡­ summons get better long term, I guess. How many do you have anyway? Just the kitsune, siren, and shug? Ah¡­ Do you still have the siren?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t die.¡± Shin¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change but he answered rather quickly, throwing Yen off a little. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± She fell silent for a moment feeling a bit awkward. ¡°The monkey¡¯s a rare elite, right? How much does it cost?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°24 mana a minute.¡± ¡°Fucking steep¡­ Explains why you don¡¯t use them much. What about the bodyguard of the year?¡± ¡°Inari was 225 for two hours before. Maybe 260 now?¡± ¡°Two¡­ How much are your malakhs now?¡± Yen called out to Kamala, standing within the center of a lush grove. ¡°...175.¡± ¡°Is it elite too?¡± ¡°Variant.¡± ¡°50% more expensive for a quarter bump is a rip off.¡± Yen seemed to be reconsidering something until a realization interrupted her. ¡°Hold on. It has a personality, how is it a summon?¡± ¡°I fused her with a radiant guardian.¡± Shin glanced down. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like you saying ¡®it¡¯.¡± ¡°Is¡­ she here?¡± Yen glanced around. ¡°They live in my soul. They see through me.¡± ¡°...like all the t-?¡± A thunderous crash interrupted Yenny. Over on the other side, Donny stood at the center of impact, the last wisps of aura draining from his shield held in front. Pieces of a training dummy slid down the wall of the grounds, struck straight off their stands. Donny relaxed his stance with a satisfied, eager smile, obsidian axe in hand. ¡°Fusion?¡± ¡°Yeah. Next one won¡¯t be that easy though.¡± Donny had no trouble hearing Shin¡¯s question with his perception. ¡°Quickstrike and Quickstep make Rapid. Attack and move at the same time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that into consideration.¡± ¡°Try not to get left behind.¡± Yen bantered as she returned to her own training. Shin glanced at the three. They all had more than enough gold to remain in the grounds permanently, even after a few upgrades to their gear, with no need to take on quests. Just as well as every moment not spent training would be felt in the dungeon. Shin too had more to train, even if it was only for the upgrade to his skills, but for now he flickered away, finding Grenda¡¯s store in no time. The old gnome didn¡¯t even bat an eye at Shin¡¯s routine trespassing. A book appeared in her outstretched hand and Shin took it. ¡°Types of rare tier origami are listed at the front. Pick which one you want to focus on first. One.¡± She emphasized. Shin¡¯s eyes ran down the list. ¡°Scout.¡± ¡°Got a form in mind?¡± ¡°Floating eye.¡± ¡°I¡¯d recommend something easier to start with but you¡¯re the difficult type¡­¡± Grenda put a talisman slip on the counter and drew a square much like the uncommon tier ones but this time added a circle just within the borders. Her hands flourished painting simple but aesthetic symbols around it, lastly two curved lines forming a horizontal oval within the circle, connected by dots on the end of each, and a single dot perfectly in the center of it all. ¡°No second demonstration. Since you have the talent, best hone memorizing and precision early on.¡± Shin hopped over to his desk pulling a slip from the higher tier stack and getting straight to work, the formula fresh in his mind. --- Yen slammed three silver coins on the counter in front of the arrogant elf. ¡°75. Make me a journeyman now.¡± The elf sighed and walked over to the crafting area. Yen followed and sat down in front a spinning wheel without needing instruction. She wetted her finger tips and took hold of a matted thread from the clump on the pole above, the end becoming smoother and finer as it went down and wound around the reel. She worked the pump with her foot, the reel starting to spin and wind more of the matted thread. She held her hands in place, smoothing it finely as it slid down her fingertips as she carefully poured mana into the tool and the tool imbued the threads. The delicate fibers in her fingers broke and she stopped her foot without fuss, pinched a few more fibers down from the clump and teased them into hers to form a thread, and started the wheel again. This continued until she had a thick bolt of yarn on the reel, free of flaws and imbued with mana. ¡°Two more.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yen pressed, somewhat annoyed. ¡°You may have shed the fingers of an ogre but those of an orc remain. It is an insult to the art for one such as yourself to even dream of creating something beautiful. Three bolts is the minimum needed to ensure you at least make something functional.¡± Yen scowled but suppressed the deluge of words she had at the ready, and resumed her work. Half an hour in total passed and she finally had her three bolts. The elf tailor walked over to the next tool, a loom this time, and Yen followed. ¡°Simple, no medley of colors, I shan''t have rumor spread I take coin for shoddy mentorship of no produce.¡± Yen had half a mind to jam one of her bolts up the insufferable elf¡¯s ass but sat without a word and loaded her yarn. The loom leaned more modern than medieval. There was no need for a tedious shuttle, instead a pair of rapiers served to needle the yarn through the weaved sections. She peddled the loom and the shafts containing the bulk of her yarn bobbed up and down, and the two sets of loosely spread out threads bobbed with it. The rapiers needled through the patterned weave and the finished product tightened into a fine sheet of fabric. Melding the mana of each thread into a whole was just as important as this junction as the cloth itself. Done poorly and the mana will unravel, leaving behind mundane inferior cloth. The thickness of the cloth was key. Too thin and the mana would break more easily, too thick and it would become congested and clump. Yen¡¯s focus intensified as she controlled the melding of mana and physically guided the threads into cloth. It was the hardest part of tailoring. The cloth suddenly thinned in one section and snapped into a hole, rendering the parts of the cloth around it inert and thus cutting off the length of the usable cloth to that point, limiting what could be done with it. She glanced at the elf¡¯s unmoved eyes that seemed to tell her failure was only to be expected. She cut the bad cloth away and reloaded her yarn, sitting back down with ignited determination. It took her two hours to turn the bolts of yarn into cloth readying for the final stage of tailoring, sewing. It was the easiest part, wielding a needle and mana enriched thread to fashion the cloth into a design of choice, but it didn¡¯t mean there was room for error. Sewing must be done carefully and in compatibility with the mana imbued or it would quickly ruin the cloth she had just spent so much effort to produce, sending her back to the starting line. Yen breathed in a collected herself, envisioning the result she wanted, and her hands went to work. She stitched and cut and stitch again, slowly but surely bringing it into form. She pulled the needle and cut the thread raising her work with a smile. [Velvet Dress - Uncommon] The system would assess and recognize the type of article of clothing it was. One couldn¡¯t make a mantle and call it a sash. She looked at her red velvet dress with a smile. An alluring top revealing the shoulders and cleavage, tight around the upper arms and loose around the lower, snug on her torso and waist into a skirt that hung just right. It wasn¡¯t fit for adventuring nor did it possess the furnishing and flair she would have liked, but she had made a dress of beauty and she was proud. ¡°I suppose it would serve well as a whore¡¯s heirloom.¡± Yen would have burned him alive had she not still needed his tutorage and her mood not been more resistant to such annoyances with the message from the system. [Achievement: Craftsman II. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] She put in the points immediately and advanced to Intermediate rank. The whopping 200 points Kamala had reluctantly informed her about went straight into the distribution she planned out in advance without hesitation, and she began scrolling through the uncommon tier skills available to wizards with something specific in mind. --- Shin painted another talisman and toss it in front. The puff of smoke brought with it a tearing burst and a ripped talisman fell to the ground joining the few dozen others. Grenda hadn¡¯t exaggerated the difficulty. Shin had only one success in the 23 attempts he made so far. His failure was such that Grenda had turned him in the direction of the books around to read the words of accomplished scribes and general guidebooks. It bored Shin honestly, despite the help it provided. He much preferred exploring the art on his own. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± A beautiful voice pleaded from within his soul, having just fully restored. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡­ I¡¯ll be strong¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± The soft consolidation seemed to have an effect as Mara fell silent. Those were no empty words. Shin had no doubt she would advance and upgrade, his feeling from their first encounter unchanged. Although he thought back to legendary reward list he hadn¡¯t bothered to look through before. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to lend her a hand. --- In a medley of blood and violence, Bjorn cut through the charging lizardmen, wielding his greatsword with his only arm. His terribly scarred face wracked with rage and grief unpacifiable. Claws and crude weapons injured his body even further but still he pushed through the pain and looming death with no regard for himself. He came across the boss before he knew it, a lightly armored lizardman barbarian, and charged just as any other. The monster swiped his sword away and spun with a lash of its tail sending Bjorn crashing into the wall. Bjorn rolled away as the lizardman¡¯s cleaver carved deep into the rock and lunged, his sword parried again, this time off the boss¡¯ one pauldron. The monster raised its weapon of slaughter, and Bjorn smashed his head into the creature¡¯s fanged jaw, blood spurting from the both of them. He swung his sword wrapped in aura and cleaved its arm in half. As the monster recoiled in pain he stepped in, draped in rage and swung again, claiming its head and the conquest of the dungeon with it. Bjorn stood there, bloodied with heavy breath, none of the guilt and hatred consuming within abated at all. There was no joy felt with his reward nor peace of mind found from venting his anger. Only a base violent desire. A message appeared before him which he accepted without much thought and found himself in a dark space. Before him stood a giant bearded warrior, his very presence brutal and merciless. ¡°Do you wish vengeance, boy?¡± A deep grim voice asked. Bjorn did not answer. Not because he did not know, but because he could not find the words to express his rage truly. ¡°I asked if you crave vengeance!¡± Emotion swelled up from his core until he could contain it no longer. A terrible agonized roar left his mouth, hatred and rage slowly overtaking the grief. And the blessing was granted. ¡°Then walk the bloodied path.¡± Chapter 44 Three sharp tipped bolts of mana soared through the air, swerving in unpredictable trajectories. Shin ducked under the first in a sprint, stopping short of the second and darted back as the third slammed deep into the ground he had just stood, having curved up and back from above. Roots speared up from the ground below. He weaved erratically as a garden of giant thorns shot out around him, just a shade too slow. Vines shot out from behind and Shin burst away in ground shattering speed. Roots snaked up his body rapidly and hardened like steel in an instant. His focus snapped to the left as a searing red bolt blurred through the air, exploding on the vine shackles in a great blaze of fire and force. Shin blinked into existence just outside the range, a translucent spectral form of a muscular shug enveloping him. The light blue specter vanished and he burst forward, dense green orbs formed around him and shot forth into the sky. Yen cast another volley of magic missiles as she propelled around. Three orbs were shattered by the volley but the remaining two slammed into her arms. Just before they struck, small dense shields appeared across the areas targeted. The orbs broke against her automatic defenses but knocked her spiralling out of control. Shin lept into the air as she set herself right, clutching hold of her collar, estoc pointed at her eye. ¡°Seventeen.¡± A purple light gleaned across her and kicked off her like a platform, sending her flipping away as a mass of sharp vines pierced through the air. Shin landed and burst towards Kamala as a grove of plants and trees bloomed around her. The plant life surged, far larger than what should be possible and twisted into nature weapons that pierced, grasped, and thrashed as Shin drew near. The plants near her swelled into a dense solid sphere around her as a malakh summoned and lunged towards Shin. A dense mass of ripples condensed in his hand as he sidestep the celestial¡¯s greatsword, thrusting his hand towards the sphere of vines. Suddenly he burst to the side as spears shot out of the sphere and thrust his palm, the emanating waves of vibration bursting a hole wide open. The other side opened up and Kamala¡¯s angel wings flew her out, only for Shin to take her back silently and undetected, a red dagger to her throat. ¡°Eleven.¡± He burst away as an elemental of fire propelled towards him in rapid bursts. Volleys of magic missiles pelted the sand and walls of the training ground as he dodged away. A small ember appeared at his blindside and erupted into a blast of fire. Shin slid across the ground on his feet as he burst away. Two rapid firebolts blurred at him directly on target, and he sliced through them with a blue sword, shattering and dispersing their mana. The flames around Yen subsided and she fell from the sky into Shin¡¯s appearing arms. ¡°Eighteen.¡± Yen clicked her tongue as Shin set her down. ¡°The sword is cheating.¡± ¡°Others will have that skill.¡± She didn¡¯t counter his reply, knowing full well it was true. She herself planned to get a skill to dispel other skills in short time and there would be no shortage of players with the same intention is they had any sliver of sense. ¡°You teleported again so that makes five.¡± ¡°Mm. 28 to 5.¡± Yen flinched at the jab in frustration. Bad enough it was two on one, but he was holding back on top of that, merely mimicking what a melee type would do with his base stats and the few personal skills he had. ¡°Five isn¡¯t bad. There won¡¯t be a lot as strong as me.¡± ¡°Or as humble.¡± The sarcasm had no effect on Shin as he checked over his status, having received another level into Combat. Skills: Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 10, Mystic Protection lvl. 4, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 6, Rapid lvl. 5, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 10, Harvest Spirit lvl. 6, Spirit Possession lvl. 10, Ripple lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Orb lvl. 10, Greater Spiral lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, He was able to max Spirit Possession as well as his two new skills to rare tier, though progress on his epic tier skills was slow. He hadn¡¯t been able to upgrade any more, having devoted his time largely to inscription and helping the others train. For his troubles, they had improved significantly in terms of combat IQ and Grenda now referred to him as a decent expert scribe. He had felt the ceiling start to crack on a few of his skills though not among them was his Summon. Shin glanced over to the summon in question at the other end of the training grounds. Inari unleashed a flurry of swords on Donny, all clanging against his shield without fail. A sword struck his shield again but this time rebounded fiercely. He flickered his axe at the opening, cleaving deep into her shoulder as she failed to dodge in time. Out of frustration she lunged with a thrust and Donny shifted around to her back in an instant, the soles of his feet never leaving the ground. The mystic kitsune guardian was far defter and more nimble but Donny outmatched her in speed and more so in strength, even without using the movement skills she lacked nor the defensive skills of Bulwark that stopped impact short and Greater Deflect that parried her swords away. The knight had acquired the skill from intermediate lord alongside the now upgraded and currently unused Greater Flex, which doubled his strength, progressing both to rare. Bulwark was the more reliable defense but also quite costly. Deflect allowed him to defend more frugally and thus fight longer. He had naturally learned Skid, upgrading it to Slide and fuses the rare tier upgrade with Greater Dart to create Shift, an extremely versatile and fast short range movement skill, the same one the ogre champion had possessed. Shin watched them closely. Donny was the most improved of the three but he already had fundamentals under his belt when they met, albeit lacking in deadly weapon experience. The spar was good for both of them, he felt. Donny gained more variety in style of opponents and an opportunity against someone more on his level, while Inari was getting more experience versus players, slowly learning to fight more tactically instead of bullying her stats. Although by her current rampage, she was still prone to resorting back to brute force when frustrated. Donny weathered the deadly tantrum with moderate ease and started pushing Inari on the backfoot. Inari¡¯s movements grew more desperate as she swatted and dodged the relentless knight until finally her frustrations snapped and Donny froze in place, her sword stopping just short of his neck. ¡°Supposed to be off limits.¡± Inari ignored her defeated foe and dashed away in a huff to Shin¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s training.¡± Shin¡¯s words also fell on ears that didn¡¯t want to hear them. But he didn¡¯t mind, checking over the status of the pouting fox. [Mystic Kitsune Guardian (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 312 Agility - 393 Constitution - 205 Vitality - 252 Dexterity - 346 Perception - 270 Force - 360 Spirit - 338 Control - 304 Willpower - 345 Skills: Greater Trickfire lvl. 8, Keen Cut lvl. 9, Greater Paralyzing Stare lvl. 7, Greater Celestial Fire lvl. 2, Superior Sword Combat lvl. 10, Traits: Hallowed (epic), Windwalker (epic), Lesser Soul Weapon (rare), Greater Will-o¡¯-the-Wisp (Rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Lesser Charming Resistance (rare), His rank up, and subsequently hers, had done wonders for her might. She had demanded a fight with Kong soon after and although outmatched, lacking in physical stats even more than Donny, she had Combat and a paralyzing skill, making it a much more even fight, maintained only by Kong¡¯s sharp mind and evasiveness. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Shin looked to Yen. ¡°Safeguard is still too unreliable.¡± The skill in question was the automatic shield defense she had displayed early, a product of fusing Alert and Buffer that reacted to all intent to harm she claimed, the common tier predecessors she had chosen way back for intermediate peasant. ¡°I know. Got it all planned out.¡± The mage glanced over to the approaching Donny. ¡°Still haven¡¯t fused them?¡± ¡°Cut me some slack. Can¡¯t figure out magic as easy as fighting.¡± ¡°One of them uses Vitality, it¡¯s a martial art.¡± ¡°So the system says.¡± ¡°My favorite party!¡± The four of them turned their attention to the entrance of the training grounds Chato just walked through. Nearly twenty people accompanied him now, all at least lesser lord with three intermediate lords like the town boss himself. ¡°You all just live here now, uh?¡± ¡°Need something, mate?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a long list. But right now a cleared dungeon.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be handled.¡± ¡°Is that true, goblin boy?¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Shin the Goblin Boy.¡± Chato chuckled with a sway before growing a bit serious. ¡°Are you gonna clear my dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good. I was just worried you had forgotten our deal I wouldn¡¯t, want you to lose out on my money, ah.¡± Chato casually glanced at each of them before taking his leave. ¡°I want good news tonight.¡± The party watched him and his entourage leave before talking. ¡°It¡¯s barely past noon, what¡¯s his problem?¡± ¡°Getting worried. People under him are starting to look like threats. Needs to make it look like he¡¯s still top boy.¡± ¡°Is that something we should worry about?¡± ¡°Not our problem.¡± --- The party walked towards the dungeon portal as Chato watched from atop the wall again, their minds readied, and entered without pause. Shin passed through into a massive empty cavern filled with ledges and rocky protrusions unlike the narrow tunnel they were expecting. Shin¡¯s eyes flashed iridescent and found no enemies lying in wait. ¡°Oi.¡± The party turned to Donny and then to the huge mural of a dragon he was looking at behind them. ¡°At least we don¡¯t have to redo the grunt work.¡± Shin hopped out into the cavern to no reaction. The room was barren save for seven dark tunnels leading off somewhere Shin couldn¡¯t see through. He dashed next to two at random, the eye of a braided brass ring, his rare tier trap detection, glowing to yet more inactivity. ¡°Nothing.¡± He hopped back to the rest of the party that had joined him in the center. ¡°Maze type. Might as well pick one randomly.¡± Yen said with some confidence. Shin silently agreed, taking the vanguard down the tunnel at the left he had searched. He led cautiously, ready to react to any possible trap but none happened. They came to the end and Shin peered through to another cavern, this one filled red scaled drakes. ¡°Dozen drakes. Mid rank. Two look like variants.¡± ¡°Light work.¡± Donny took the front at the ready. The two burst forth, Shin piercing one through the eye and Donny cleaving through the neck of another without the aid of a skill before the rest reacted. They tore through the regular drakes as the casters waited in the distance vigilantly. Shin sidestepped a fireball one and burst back as tail shattered the rocky ground. The variant rolled forward off its tail right side and turned to Shin. Larger than the regular drakes it stood with thicker limbs and a flat wide tail, but the same bestial look in its eyes. [Guard Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord] The guard drake burst forward into a flip, slamming its tailing on the ground again as Shin darted away. It charged forward this time snapping at air as Shin easily dodged. A taunting roar struck Shin¡¯s mind, urging him to attack, but was easily ignored with barely a strain at all. Shin lunged at the monster, gone stationary with its taunt, and his estoc struck still on the roof of its mouth like stone. He darted back as the guard drake snapped its jaw in response and chased after him again. Shin burst to its side and struck with a rippling palm, sending the drake crashing into the wall. The guard drake shook and rose to its feet, flames cloaking its body in spurts, as an estoc passed through its eyes. Its jaw snapped shut and Shin darted back but the drake spasmed and fell limp. [Guard Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 404 Agility - 298 Constitution - 453 Vitality - 376 Dexterity - 234 Perception - 307 Force - 342 Spirit - 306 Control - 234 Willpower - 226 Skills: Bash lvl. 7, Greater Fireball lvl. 5, Fire Cloak lvl. 4, Greater Taunt lvl. 6, Traits: Ironscales (epic), Heat Presence (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), A loud clang brought his attention over to the center, as Donny¡¯s axe left a mere scratch on remaining guard drake¡¯s neck. He sidestepped a bite in retaliation and bashed its face with his shield. Aura wrapped around his arm and he hacked into the beast¡¯s neck, sinking in only mere inches. He ripped his axe free and bashed the drake again before it could set itself steady and chopped again without a skill, digging into the open wound a little more. The guard drake flipped and slammed its heavy tail into the ground as Donny darted away. As the monster return to its feet Donny bashed its head wide and chopped once more, blood starting to pour heavily from the wound. The guard drake roared and Donny flinched, his body fighting against itself until he darted forward with a maddening warrior¡¯s yell, aura surging around him arm and cleaving through the rest of the guard drake¡¯s thick neck. The anger in Donny¡¯s expression vanished as his posture relaxed, though dissatisfaction remained. ¡°Not much fun being on the other side¡­¡± Something caught Donny¡¯s eye and he reached down, picking up a glowing red orb. [Fire Essence (1)] ¡°Any ideas?¡± Donny waved it at the others. ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever dropped loot out of nowhere like an MMO before. Must have something to do with this dungeon.¡± Yen commented. Donny stored it, then withdrew it and stored it again. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± They chose another path and head down into third cavern. ¡°Same number, one different variant. But they¡¯re yellow.¡± ¡°Different element?¡± Yen suggested. ¡°Lightning maybe.¡± ¡°Makes our fire resistance a bit useless.¡± Donny said. ¡°Lightning is fast.¡± Shin added. ¡°Same plan, then. Bail us out if things go south.¡± Donny looked at the casters. ¡°Always ready for that.¡± Shin and Donny burst out at the same time, adopting the same strategy to the same success. As they slaughtered the regulars, the large horn on the snout of the new variant glowed and a bolt of lightning surged at Donny. The lightning struck fast, leaving Donny barely enough time to activate a skill. The chain of lightning ricocheted off his shield burrowing into the wall of the cavern high. Donny strained under the constant stream of lightning, his mana dropping steadily and residual electricity seeping passed his Spellparry and through his body, spasmed it stiff. A red bolt crashed into the horned drake with a powerful explosion, echoing across the cavern. The drake¡¯s body rolled out of the blaze, bloodied, burnt, and broken. A second firebolt struck the guard drake, though this one rose to its feet, sparks of lightning surging around its bloodied and charred body. A gray furred shug appeared and charged forth, dodging a snap of the guard drake¡¯s jaw, and taking its back. A jolt of its two arms snapped the creature¡¯s neck and it fell limp. With the battle won, Shin unsummoned Kong and hopped around looking for more essences but finding none. He rejoined the others. Kamala healing the slight injuries the lightning had caused Donny as he stretched the spasms and twitches out. ¡°Lightning¡¯s pretty rough¡­ Should probably get resistance items for all elements.¡± ¡°Y. Full.¡± Shin¡¯s casual words as he looked at the ground in front of him sent them all alert and careful not to look suspicious. They held their positions as Shin drew something into the ground with an arrow and without warning he vanished, blurring next to an invisible woman with a bow. She darted back and drew an arrow, and a blue sword cut through her neck. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Yelena!¡± Nine more players ran out of one of the tunnels with hate and desperation in their eyes. Shin peppered them with arrows as the others got into position. Two people with shields guarded the caster types but a firebolt blasted them both apart and Shin¡¯s arrows claimed the others through their mana shields. ¡°Leave two.¡± Shin said as he switched to red daggers. ¡°Bastard!¡± A blond young man rushed Shin wielding daggers in each hand as well. Shin darted back, switching his daggers backhand as he deflected the fierce attacks of the mid rank Shadowstriker. His red daggers slipped around his enemies, taking small slices from his hands and arms, but those wounds bled well turning the man more reckless. The assassin¡¯s speed doubled and he lunged low, his dagger passing through air as Shin¡¯s own speed increased, predicting the man¡¯s attack easily. He sliced deep into the armpit of the man¡¯s outstretched hand and ducked under a swipe in retaliation, stabbing his estoc deep through his abdomen. A palm thrust to the chin rattled the man¡¯s senses and a kick breaking his leg at the knee snapped him back into focus. That focus once again overtaken by pain, as he pressed his foot down on his back and snapped both arms out of socket. Shin grabbed the screaming assassin by the back of his collar and threw him over to a thin middle aged man with a twisted mustache, bound by cuffs made of vines. ¡°Why did you attack us?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­ Bastard¡­¡± The shadowstriker cursed them incessantly through pain squirms. Shin glanced at the two and appeared behind the rogue, pulling his head up by his hair and slitting his throat. The man gurgled and wreathed as he choked on his own blood. The middle aged man watched in horror as his comrade¡¯s movements slowed from blood loss and shock and fall limp, dropped unceremoniously in a pool of his own blood. ¡®Why did you attack us?¡± ¡°We- we needed the essences! I¡¯m sorry, they made me! I couldn¡¯t go against them!¡± ¡°You know what the essences are for?¡± Yen questioned. ¡°They open the door! To the boss. We heard from others.¡± ¡°What others? You didn¡¯t come from Ladron, did you?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what that is. All the first layer dungeons are connected. Everyone enters here.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the door?¡± Shin asked calmly. ¡°Past this section. Out of the caverns. It¡¯s all random, you just have to keep going.¡± ¡°Which monsters drop essences. How many does the door need?¡± ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s random too. The stronger ones have a higher chance but it¡¯s still small.¡± ¡°So you gang up on weaker parties and take theirs.¡± Donny commented. The thin mustached man averted his eyes. ¡°The door.¡± Shin repeated. ¡°A hundred¡­ That¡¯s what it says on the sign.¡± ¡°What element?¡± ¡°Any.¡± ¡°What element was your dungeon?¡± Yen inquired. ¡°F-frost.¡± Shin snapped the man¡¯s neck before the others realized. Shock and disbelief in his eyes faded away blank and he collapsed. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all we need.¡± Shin stated as he started looting. Donny looked around. ¡°Alright, so get 100 orbs and look out for other teams. This much trouble means the boss is going to be mad.¡± ¡°Other players are the real problem.¡± Yen said. ¡°If all starting dungeons are connected, we¡¯ll run into high rank fucks like him.¡± The three turned their attention to the boy casually shifting through the belongings of the slain as if he were on a stroll. ¡°We have the highest ranked fuck so we¡¯re good.¡± Donny seemed more casual than the others, almost excited. ¡°Just need 99 more.¡± ¡°93.¡± Shin corrected, tossing them each some items. ¡°Frost resistance.¡± Chapter 45 A warrior cleaved through the drake¡¯s neck with his greatsword as another frostball crashed into the mana shield formed by their mage. Time was not on their side. He was too slow to dodge, the only saving grace being the simple nature of drakes to charge head first at their enemies. He struck another drake with his fist and removed its head, charging at the next with haste. He had to kill the regulars before he targeted the horned variants and he had to kill them before the casters ran out of mana. ¡°Hurry!¡± One of them called out behind. The tension in his mind increased but he was already moving as fast as he could, panic only serving to make his movements more brutal and desperate. He felled another, the last, and rushed forward. Arrows from their two archers did little but stutter the horned drakes movements and draw their ire towards them. But it made an opening. The warrior charged as the horned drake focused on him, ignoring an arrow sank shallow into its side. A blur from his side just barely caught his attention. He raised his sword and a force knocked him away, claw marks on his arm and side bled deeply. A third variant, this one long and thin like a panther. ¡°Dodge!¡± The warrior¡¯s focus turned to a frost ball forming in the horned drake¡¯s mouth and the world around him seemed to slow. A red blur shot through the air and a great explosion enveloped the two horned drakes, their bodies burned and blasted in. Something else blurred past him, a long needle flickered and the Ambush Drake slumped to the ground, blessing out of one eye. The boy who felled it draped in black, blurred away back to three others, an armored knight walked out to the front. ¡°No needs to die, yeah? We just need your essences and any elemental resistance items you have.¡± Silence followed Donny¡¯s casual extortion. ¡°You all are missing your chance to walk away.¡± With that the other party reluctantly took out the items mentioned and handed them to Shin who flickered in front of them, flinching at first, but yielding to the implied threat. Shin stored some of the items and all of the essences, handing the rest back to one at random. ¡°Which way is the center?¡± ¡°...center?¡± Shin dashed away before he got an answer, back to the party who had already started to move on, choosing a tunnel at random, leaving their robbery victims as quickly as they appeared. ¡°Three variants means we should be getting closer¡­¡± Yen spoke, though she didn¡¯t seem too expectant. They had been travelling through the caverns for several hours now without break. She and Kamala had taken turns staying back, walking with the ring of meditation to replenish their mana which never seemed enough. ¡°We could have just had that guy from the first party lead us to the center, you know.¡± She directed at Shin. Shin thought for a moment. ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s better this way.¡± Yen went with the flow with a light sigh. She didn¡¯t bother asking him his reason, knowing he either wouldn¡¯t say anything or it¡¯d just be nonsense. She was about to bring up something else before Shin stopped in place, looking ahead alert. The rest followed in suit. Even with her high perception, Yen couldn¡¯t hear them until they drew near. A quirk of the tunnel, she assumed, something they hadn¡¯t encountered thus far. A party of four soon came into clear vision and sound, at the helm a blond haired young man with serene pink eyes and a slight calm smile. Shin stood confused, the man¡¯s soul feeling of nothing yet something drew him in. A strange curiosity took Shin as the two stared at each other in silent nonchalance. ¡°You got a problem?!¡± Shin turned his eyes to the young tan red headed girl at the side, dressed in rogue¡¯s garb. He titled his head in thought for a moment before memory found him. ¡°Troll girl.¡± ¡°W- Fuck you! Come over here and say that to my face!¡± She shouted as she positioned herself behind the blond man. Shin turned his attention to inspect the party for the first time. The blond man wore a mix of metal and leather and cloth, leaning more to lightly armored with no weapon in hand. At his side was a black haired woman of similar age wearing tight fitting black silk garment under a loose beige long sleeve martial crop top. And behind them a robed woman slightly hiding her face with a hood. [Human Magic Warrior (rare) - Intermediate Rank] [Human Thief (rare) - Intermediate Rank] [Human Martial Artist (rare) - Intermediate Rank] [Human Conjurer (rare) - Intermediate Rank] Shin tilted his head at the hooded woman hiding her face. ¡°Grace.¡± The woman flinched. She did nothing for a few moments before finally pulling down her hood, revealing light blue hair, and an uncomfortable expression. Shin waited patiently with a carefree smile, simply happy that she was doing well as she struggled to find something to say, or rather an excuse not to say anything at all. ¡°Want to join my party?¡± The blond man asked Shin directly. ¡°No.¡± Shin answered casually and honestly. ¡°I see.¡± The man didn¡¯t seem too bothered about the rejection. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to mess up your harem. Still got six spots left to fill.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°The invitation wasn¡¯t meant for you.¡± The martial artist woman shot back at Yen, her expression cool and collected. Yen glanced over before her demeanor fell into that of a smug queen. ¡°Oh, did that strike a nerve? There¡¯s no need to worry. No matter how many he picks off the street, you¡¯ll always be slightly more important.¡± ¡°I¡¯m amazed a fool like you made it this far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called talent. Would you like me to show you?¡± ¡°You can try.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Leon.¡± The tense atmosphere of a looming battle dissipated as the two party leaders greeted each other, unconcerned with the situation. The magic warrior smiled more warmly and started walking past. ¡°Second path on the left.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Shin walked forward himself and the rest of the members of each party followed their leaders, the only ones devoid of tension or vigilance. The party walked into an open cavern lined with corpses of drakes, some of them seemingly undamaged save for the small pools of blood draining from their jaws, most severed in two by a single clean cut. ¡°That was the number two, eh?¡± Donny glanced around at their work. ¡°Kinda felt like facing off against Shin.¡± ¡°Our weird psycho is better.¡± Yen grumbled, her personality reverted back to normal. She glanced over to the boy in question, already leapt over to the tunnel Leon pointed out, waiting on the rest, Kamala already halfway. Yen and Donny joined up, little more to glean from the corpses past a long glance, and they continued through soon finding themselves stepping out into the famed center. Far too large to be called a cavern, the massive open enclave spread out in a wide sprawling berth. Before them in the distance, a long line of camps and stalls, some erected from the rocks of the opening, many simple creations of wooden planks and cloth. And beyond that, a massive mural of a two headed dragon flanked by two stone statues of fearsome drakes. Shin headed off and the party followed into the bustling makeshift marketplace filled with hundreds and hundreds of players, absent of any conflict beyond mere words and rough handling, at fair odds with what could reasonably be expected. The party looked around at the various players haggling and bartering all manner of goods available to them, weathering the prickling volley of Identify and keen stares. Donny stopped at a bored looking stallowner. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this place.¡± The man glanced over the party. ¡°1 gold and I¡¯ll tell you everything you need to know.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find someone else.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, 10 silver.¡± Donny turned back and put 10 silver on the counter. The man stored it quickly and leaned towards the four. ¡°People call this the Bazaar. Don¡¯t know who exactly but it formed up as players started pouring in. No one¡¯s in charge but there¡¯s two rules you need to follow. First, no killing. No one¡¯s going to jump in a save you if you piss off the wrong person, but anyone who kills in the Bazaar is fair game.¡± ¡°What if someone tries to kill us?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Fair game.¡± The man repeated. ¡°Kill ¡®em. Take their stuff. No one will bother you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the second rule?¡± Donny continued. ¡°No stealing. Don¡¯t need to tell you it¡¯s dangerous here. People are risking their lives so taking their essences or items is the same as trying to kill them. Also fair game.¡± The stall owner gestured over to the mural. ¡°That there is the door to the dungeon. Drops good loot obviously, most importantly epic tier resistance items. But it costs 100 essences each go. The element changes based on the essences you give it. More of a certain type, more likely for the boss to be the same.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s been cleared, that means there¡¯s another dungeon after this right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Epic tier Greater Lord.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yen couldn¡¯t hide her shock. She had expected greater rank but a tier higher made things incredibly dangerous. ¡°Ah¡­ The epic resistance. That¡¯s why people are camping out here running the boss over and over.¡± ¡°Exactly. Lawless shithole, really, but it¡¯s better for everyone if people can trade freely and prepare for the last boss safely. People won¡¯t take too kindly to someone messing that up.¡± ¡°Can you choose the element of the next one or are we just gambling?¡± Donny inquired. ¡°Dunno. Didn¡¯t hear anyone trying yet. Can¡¯t imagine they¡¯d give away that information easily though.¡± ¡°Is this everyone?¡± Shin asked. The man paused for a moment before realizing what Shin was asking. ¡°Seven bazaars in total, I heard. One for each door. It¡¯s all the same, apparently, but you have to go through that maze to get around.¡± ¡°Cheers.¡± Donny left the counter and walked over to an open space, the others following him. ¡°What¡¯s our plan?¡± ¡°Need to see what the deal with the last boss is first. We should choose the easiest element to beat this one. I say frost.¡± ¡°My plants have no cold resistance.¡± Kamala countered. ¡°I know, but fire takes away my best spells and lightning is too fast. More dangerous for the melees.¡± ¡°We have resistances for that.¡± ¡°Rare tier resistances.¡± Yen jabbed back at Donny. ¡°The boss is definitely going to have epic abilities.¡± ¡°We can manage. I¡¯d rather have Mother Nature as a trump card in case things go wrong.¡± ¡°Lightning.¡± Shin voiced up while looking around. ¡°3 to 1.¡± ¡°Fine¡­ The guy said more types mean higher chance, so we should makes all 100 lightning, just to be sure.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Rani.¡± The party turned to find a man with light brown skin, lush silky shoulder length black hair with a light beard, and a white tattoo of a simple lotus on his forehead. Over six feet tall with thick muscular arms, donning a white chestpiece with matching bracers and a confident easy smile. Kamala was the last to look, moving only her cold eyes. [Human Cleric (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°It¡¯s good that we found you early. Come, we¡¯re camped over here.¡± ¡°I will not be returning.¡± The man stared at her stoic intensity, his expression unchanging, then glanced at the rest of them. ¡°You can be selfish for a while longer. But you must return to the clan.¡± He casually stepped back and turned away with a warrior¡¯s disposition. ¡°We all have our duties.¡± ¡°Who was that?¡± Yen asked. ¡°...my brother.¡± Yen had other questions but by the atmosphere around Kamala felt it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask them. ¡°Look who it is!¡± A red haired young man crashed down in front of shin with all the grace his Brute class would imply, bearing a mocking smile. ¡°What did you do to get number one, kill everyone in your zone?¡± Shin looked back at his brother without answering. ¡°Still fucking creepy. The tower came just at the right time for you, huh? You must feel right at home with all this shit.¡± ¡°Who is this?¡± Yen asked, far more hostile than for their last guest. ¡°Yugo.¡± The second son of the Igarashi main family glanced at the rest of them. ¡°You actually found people who can stand being around you? Hey, do they know you¡¯re a demon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A taller, larger man with short black hair and a stern expression joined them. [Human Diplomat (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°Have you met anyone else from the clan?¡± Renzo asked straight to the point without greeting him. ¡°Ko and Kei.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°With mother.¡± A hint of relief showed on Renzo¡¯s face. Shin thought a bit more. ¡°Haru and¡­ the old branch guy with a thin mustache?¡± ¡°Thin, sharp face?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Matsuta.¡± ¡°Old bastard¡­¡± ¡°I killed him.¡± A silence came about the two. ¡°Why?¡± Renzo asked. ¡°Tried to sell Ko and Kei to the Atreus.¡± ¡°That piece of shit!¡± Yugo cursed the dead elder. ¡°...if you meet anyone else, direct them here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that Renzo took his leave. Yugo seemed displeased but followed him without another word, in the opposite direction that Kamala¡¯s brother went. ¡°The fuck is wrong with your families?¡± Neither Shin nor Kamala answered, though for different reasons. Yen changed the topic. ¡°What do we do now? Buying essence would be faster. ¡°There¡¯s a better way.¡± Donny started to walk off. ¡°Like what?¡± He sold a number of items to a wealthy looking stall owner and bought lightning essences, making no effort to keep a low profile. ¡°Fishing.¡± Chapter 46 ¡°Are you sure we should? They made it here with only four.¡± A rogue asked the duel wielding warrior leading them. ¡°Probably lost people on the way. You saw the essences they have, this is our only chance.¡± Their warrior shot back. ¡°Just keep your eyes sharp, we need to hit as soon as we see-¡± An arrow sunk through the eye of the warrior. The rogue had naught but an instant to comprehend what had just happened before a firebolt sent him and half the party to the same oblivion. ¡°Get behind me!¡± A huge warrior dug his tower shield into the ground as the surviving members rushed to shelter. The warrior only caught the blur of black and red as Donny rammed into him, sending him crashing off the walls and ground on the tunnel, his shield and chestpiece crumpled in. The terrified woman beside him raised her bow on reflex and an arrow struck her head from the side. Donny burst forward beheaded their priest and swatted a desperate mana bolt away with his shield, darting as it fractured the tunnel and buried his axe in the mage woman¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Shin informed them and Donny relaxed, joining Shin in looting the bodies. ¡°Idiots¡­¡± Yen muttered at the dead party. ¡°Greedy people make stupid choices.¡± Donny held up a dense orb of essence and stored it. ¡°Are you trying to jinx us? Shin, you¡¯re checking both sides, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°7 and some rares. Mostly junk.¡± Donny walked over to Shin, throwing over the essence. ¡°19.¡± ¡°Fucking minnows. A whale isn¡¯t going to take the bait if a bunch of scrubs swarm in and don¡¯t come back out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the opposite. The rich ones are gonna wait for us to wear out.¡± ¡°Two.¡± Shin drew his bow and loosed, razor sharp aura cutting through the wind increasing its speed, and one of the enemies slashed the arrow clean out of the air. ¡°Strong.¡± A buckler and estoc replaced his bow as he readied himself for battle. They enemies came upon them in an instant, one a stern faced heavily armored cleric and the other a dual wielding swordsman in rogue¡¯s leather with an excited grin, both tan skinned with striking blue eyes. The cleric let out a roar and the lure of provocation struck the party, pulling on their minds for violence. Kamala resisted it the best while Donny charged in a maddened state. Mara appeared above Shin in an instant and unleashed a concussive scream spanning the width of the wide tunnel, knocking back the swordsman a bit and stopping the cleric in his tracks. Shin burst forward and slammed a rippling palm into the paladin¡¯s shield, sending him crashing away and followed after. The duel wielding swordsman glanced back then charged ahead to the three. He blurred towards Donny faster than Shin and slashed down, his sword deflecting off a shield raise just in time, the swirl of Quicken naturally forming around the knight. The blue eyed swordsman rained down blows on Donny with a laugh, forcing the knight to focus on nothing but defense. He flourished his swords back in stance, and froze in place, struggling against an invisible force. Donny cleaved his sharp obsidian axe on his neck, and it stopped on the man¡¯s skin, not even drawing a drop of blood to Donny¡¯s controlled shock. The man broke out of Yen¡¯s clutches with brute force and Donny bashed him back. The swordsman looked up just in time to see an aura surged charge send him crashing back across the tunnel, cracking and fracturing the ground and walls. A firebolt shot forth and exploded dead center as he ricocheted away. The trio waited on guard and to their shock, the man walked out of the flames, his armor burnt and badly damaged but his body completely unscathed. ¡°You have a chance now.¡± The samurai sneered after glanced at his leather chestpiece, but neither his tone nor the malicious expression on his face lent credence to his words. He let out a high pitched warcry meant to signal slaughter and Donny roared in response, bringing his stats back down a bit. His shield met the man¡¯s sword and a flurry rained down on him once again, each blow snaking and probing, ready to take the slightest opening. Roots shot up from the ground and shackled him in place. Donny swung his axe down with all his might on the man¡¯s head and jumped back. A tiny flame appeared in front of his face as he looked up and burst into a great blaze. The trio waited once again, only for a blur within the raging flames to sliced through the roots and the man walk out unharmed once more, his mocking smile even more biting. ¡°Just like that. Keep fighting back.¡± The man raised his hand. ¡°I wanna see your faces when you realize you can¡¯t win.¡± His arm stretched out like a snake in an instant, breaking the invisible shield Yen put up just in time and piercing through her stomach, the veil of mystic protection shattering like glass. Pain and shock gripped her thoughts for only a moment before her instincts took over and her body turned to flames. She propelled away from the blade and shot a flamebolt at the swordsman in a rage, dissipating harmlessly on his sword as he sliced it in two. ¡°Calm down!¡± Donny yelled as he engaged the enemy again. Yen snapped out of and after some hesitation, dropped down next to Kamala, cancelling the fire mimicry rapidly draining her mana. The swordsman laughed as he all but toyed with Donny. ¡°You haven¡¯t figured it out yet, princess?! Let me give you a hint.¡± The man¡¯s blue eyes turned gold as the simple illusion subsided. Kamala¡¯s stoic face tensed at the sight and the man¡¯s laughter increased at her expense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t touch you. There¡¯s plenty of buyers out there who¡¯d pay anything for a pure lotus girl. Just give up and we won¡¯t kill your friends.¡± His sword snaked around Donny¡¯s shield, and blood splattered from the side of his neck. The red haired knight grit his teeth and planted his feet, bursting forward into a ramming shield charge. The golden eyed swordsman sidestepped it with a smile. His other arm blurred and a second slash broke through the protection of Bulwark, drawing a great splash off blood as he kicked the knight away. ¡°Well¡­¡± He lunged towards the two casters. ¡°We¡¯re gonna kill them anyway.¡± --- Shin flourished the cobalt shortsword in his hand as he slashed his saber with the other. He darted around the cleric without rest, striking from all angles but all fell on the holy warrior¡¯s shield. His saber carved through the air and stopped short, spinning into a thrust of his estoc without the slightest delay yet the long needle scrapped harmlessly off the shield. Shin forced his thoughts to become a chaotic jumbled mess and then focused on a single desire to stab his estoc through the paladin¡¯s neck but still he failed to find purchase, the white shield crested with gold blocked his every move. Shin thrust his estoc at the man¡¯s neck, spinning again into a slash with his saber, and stopped that short, motioning to return to the thrust of his estoc. And suddenly darted around leaning unnaturally low as he chopped an axe at at the back of his knee, striking a shield yet again as the cleric shifted in place. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Shin¡¯s eyes focused on the man¡¯s face, looking for even the slightest hint in his eyes. He darted away as the cleric¡¯s flanged mace shattered the ground where he stood, deep in thought. His opponent wasn¡¯t reading his mind, nor was he simply too perceptive or skilled to follow Shin¡¯s attacks. He was reacting as if he knew exactly what Shin intended. Shin darted back around him, this time not striking at all. The two danced across the tunnel in a battle to gain control of the superior position, the heavily armored paladin matching his Quicken boosted speed. Shin switch his estoc back to his shortsword and started cutting and slashing towards the paladin, stopping nearly every blow short, watching the paladin closely. He was sure of it now. The man couldn¡¯t predict movements where he didn¡¯t attack nor the ones he held no intention of following through. A limited precognition. Shin darted around the man again barehanded, slapping and thrusting at his armor and shield in a blur, threatening a rippling palm in spurts. Suddenly Shin formed a hand sign as the cleric¡¯s eyes widened, lightning enveloping his body from the dozen talismans stuck around him. Shin blurred behind the stunned man, estoc drawn back, and thrust at the gap between his helm and armor. And the estoc stopped on his skin, as though it were unbreakable stone. He darted back as the man swung his mace around and took charge in the offense for the first time, his expression one of subdued rage. Shin dodged and darted back as the cleric swung away with abandon. The man raised his mace and his feet anchored to the rocky ground by two talismans Shin left as traps. His expression panicked and a thundering force shattered the ground with his restraints and he burst away as grayish blue flames grasped at his head. Shin shifted around in front of Inari before she could enter a melee and rushed into another exchange. The cleric¡¯s eyes subtly glanced at the summon spitting another ball of trickfire aimed at his head and slammed his mace down on Shin, the transparent image of a golden hammer forming around it, shattered the ground with emanating mana, forcing Shin to dodge to the side. The paladin burst from his crouched towards the kitsune guardian and flinched as he met her eyes. A handful of talismans stuck onto his back and triggered, shocking him in place as trickfire wrapped around his head, burning away any air that could reach his lungs. Golden aura burst off the man with a roar and the trickfire him tore apart, along with the illusion masking his golden eyes. Shin drew two round maces, wrapped in talismans save for his wooden handle, the goal of the fight realized in his mind. Suddenly he glanced up. Mara and Kong appeared and rushed down the tunnel towards the others. Shin held his position, his intentions changed to stalling for time. The cleric showed no concern for the reinforcements sent towards his partner, focusing solely on Shin and Inari. ¡°They¡¯ll die before you do.¡± --- The swordsman laughed as he dodged the roots spearing from the ground and cut the vines reaching towards him. A clutch held him in place long enough for a lash of vines to knock him back a moment. Kamala¡¯s expression strained as more of the barren tunnel grew into a lush grove and those plants into weapons to fend off the relentless warrior as she bought time to heal the still unconscious Donny before he bled out from his wounds. Yen put pressure of his neck with simple cloth dyed red in his blood already, keeping focus on the swordsman but there was little she could do besides catch him in place when he lingered a bit too long. A sword stabbed towards them via stretched arm from the dark and Kamala¡¯s vines knocked it off course, but the man followed, giving them no time to rest. Their mana was draining fast and he needed only use his raw physical stats to force them to use it. Time was not on their side. The warrior flung his sword again and vines bloomed in response, only for him to snap his arm back with a twist, whipping the other at them. Magic missiles shot out from Yen, slamming thrice into the side of the blade to stifle its momentum. The swordsman darted around spikes sprouting one at a time, drawing ever near. He raised his arm again with a smile, and a rock smashed into his head. Kong prowled across the other side of the tunnel, staring down the enemy his chainholder¡¯s emotions told him fight. The enemy glanced quickly down the tunnel and slipped his head as a second rock shattered against the wall. ¡°Really¡­ You having trouble up there, Cheis?!¡± Taza called out with an amused smile, no part of his tone showing any trace of worry. He darted away from sprouting roots again, turning his attention back to his initial targets plus the interloper. A ear grating screech from behind struck his mind, changing his expression for the first time in the fight. He shifted back to the siren elite sailing towards him and another screech frayed his mind again to his deepening frustration. He raised his arm, and a gray furred first slammed into his face, sending him crashing into the wall. He burst off as vines reached over him and slashed down at air as Kong blinked away, shock and caution evident on his face. Another screech struck the swordsman again. This time he flung his arm with no care for the others. Kong blinked above siren, and teleported them both away just in time. ¡°No help!¡± Mara screamed at him, to his annoyance. He hadn¡¯t saved her out of kindness but because of the threat before him. The more they had, the better the chance at killing their enemies, before their weapons reach their master and their roots he held. Kong assessed the situation as the swordsman dodged vines and roots. ¡°Scream, when I hit him.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°...the master, he will like it.¡± Seeing the siren¡¯s attitude change, he turned his focus back towards the enemy human, waiting like a predator lying among the brush, and his chance came. Kong blinked and slammed a fist into the unbreakable human once again, crashing him into the wall. A sonic scream struck the moment he blinked away, nearly too close, pressing the human against the wall in concussive waves. Roots bloomed from the wall and ground, wrapping around the samurai. The swordsman''s limbs started to move but a grasping force held his body in place as a vine wrapped around his throat like a snake, constricting tighter and tighter. Taza struggled with rage as his body started to stretch beyond the invisible force constraining it. Mana and aura drained from him into the vines as they hardened and grew stronger. ¡°Screech.¡± Mara took to the sky and unleashed a hail of screeches. The swordsman¡¯s limbs shuddered and his body lost some of its vigor, allowing the vines choking his neck to squeeze greater. Blood rushed to his face and eyes as he tried to trash about desperately now. His focus started to wane and his eyes glossed over as his skills failed to hold under the rain of screeches and strength began to leave his body. Mara let out another screech and vanished into light, her mana used up. As his senses partially returned to him, the swordsman mustered everything he had left to break the grasp, throwing his sword down the tunnel with a whipping stretch. The sword landed just within range of the cleric¡¯s senses, and he turned back, bursting off at the sight of the sword. His face flinched and he turned to block an electric mace. Shin darted around the cleric in that brief moment, reaching just slightly past him. The cleric thrashed his mace to fend Shin back but the boy pivoted under and struck the cleric back with a ripple palm into the wall. The cleric burst once again in the direction of the others as Shin harassed and stalled him every step off the way. But Shin could not hold him off completely. Soon they came into view of the others and the cleric saw his the life draining from the swordsman¡¯s eyes shackled against the wall. ¡°Taza!¡± The cleric roared as he charged, stumbling, breaking and forcing his way through Shin and Inari¡¯s opposition. He let a ripple palm crash him to the side, and burst towards his brother, mace raised high. And a red armored blur slammed into him, sending him crashing away. Donny stood with heavy limbs as he breathed deeply, but a unwavering fierceness held his eyes. ¡°Noooo!¡± Talismans he couldn¡¯t avoid peppered his body shocking more precious moments away. The cleric charged back through Shin¡¯s relentless harassment, fighting every step off the way, only to see his brother¡¯s body slump to the ground as the roots and vines around him slackened. The expanded status exposing only the dead revealing the bitter truth. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± A vicious shockwave knocked the charging Shin and Donny away as he burst towards the casters. A firebolt shattered on his shield and stomping force tore away the roots that snaked around his legs. Shin blinked next to him, enveloped by the specter of Kong and thrust with a ripple palm. The cleric turned to counter and Shin blinked away, as a firebolt exploded into the paladin, the force knocking him off his feet. Roots and vines enveloped him as Kamala flew over on white feathered wings and trickfire grasped towards his face. Golden aura exploded off him once again, shredding away the magic opposing him as he sprang to his feet as another shield charge from the knight slammed into him, but the cleric didn¡¯t budge, a force locking him to the ground. A rippling palm swung towards his face as Shin flipped over Donny, timed too well for the cleric¡¯s body to keep up with his premonitions. It crashed him away, and the cleric rose to his feet as the party of four bore down on him. He looked at his brother one last time and fled, swatting away lightning wrapped arrows until he made it through the tunnel into the Bazaar. Shin waited on the edge and the party stopped with him. ¡°What now?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Cant kill him here.¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay.¡± Kamala spoke up. ¡°Probably a good idea, yeah. Come on. We need to loot and disappear before he smarts up and brings more than one.¡± The three headed back off into the tunnel, Shin taking a glance around the Bazaar before following after. Chapter 47 Shin spun and twirled, the two curved broadswords in his hands blurring, chipping away and cracking the scales of a horned drake¡¯s head as it knocked around helpless. Shin pivoted, clasping the two swords into one and the blade flickered three times in an instant before the drake could even react, the path of the strikes more complex and versatile now. Shin darted to its side and thrust a palm, narrow ripples sending it crashing into another horned drake, the surging frost in its mouth finding no purpose as the explosion of a firebolt claimed both their lives. With the den wiped out, he glanced at the sword he had obtained from the Atreus Swordsman. An epic tier scimitar with of a unique type he hadn¡¯t encountered so far. As one, it held the active skill Flourish, but it could be split into two halves at will, each with the Greater Quickstrike. A useful ability for now as Rapid was not yet maxed and even with the twofold cost, a greater quickstrike attack cost a bit less aura. Donny picked up a white orb that dropped next to the pair of horned drakes and stored it. ¡°117.¡± ¡°It¡¯s way too inefficient to grind this way. We need go back to stealing as soon as possible.¡± ¡°And run into a party of Shins?¡± Yen fell silent with a frown for a moment. ¡°Why did they even want you so bad anyway?¡± Kamala didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Who the fuck even were they anyway? Invulnerability this early in the game, that¡¯s fucking cheating.¡± ¡°Atreus.¡± Shin answered. ¡°One of the big 12?¡± Yen turned to Kamala, knowing better than to ask Shin. ¡°Is that their power? Invulnerability?¡± ¡°It varies.¡± ¡°Are you gonna say that about all of them?¡± Kamala turned to Yen, her cold eyes holding a trace of annoyance. ¡°They are the product of dozens of lineages spanning millennia of renowned heroes across the old world, so yes. It varies.¡± Yen balked and Donny stepped in. ¡°Any specialties?¡± ¡°...Strength and invulnerability are the most common among them. Most are resistant to poison, curses, and disease as well.¡± ¡°How do you even kill that, besides choking them out?¡± ¡°Mind attacks. Soul attacks, maybe.¡± Shin chimed in from the outskirts. ¡°Some have powers that can damage them.¡± Kamala added. ¡°Such as?¡± However, the priestess walked off to Shin without response, joining him towards the next tunnel. ¡°You suck at exposition, you know.¡± Yen complained as she followed after them. ¡°Hey, what are the other-¡± Shin burst forward at full speed without warning. ¡°Form up!¡± Boris roared. He glanced again at the body of their scout in the jaws of a slender drake before gritting his teeth and bashing away one of the charging monsters. The five of them remaining huddled between the drakes and a beautiful golden eyed woman, ready to give their lives to defend her. A ball of fire spat by the horned drake shattered their mage¡¯s mana shield, the remnants of flames washing over him. ¡°Kill the horned, I¡¯ll buy time!¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± The other fighters struck at the drakes surrounding them as the mage condensed a bolt of mana. The horned drake spat another large fireball and Boris charged out, shredding through the attack, flames scorching his skin even through his resistance. A dense mana bolt soared past and cracked in the face of the horned drake. A soothing light healed him, their goddess, the one he wanted to protect above all. A scream to his right pulled his attention to one of the fighters who lost his arm to the drake he fought. He glanced back at their priestess, whose eyes looked as though they turned white, just in time to see a red blur snatch away their mage, the ambush drake claiming another. The axe wielding barbarian slew two of the monsters before a fireball struck, burning him alive. Boris turned back as the horned drake on unsteady legs took a few steps then slumped to the ground, struggling to rise. The ambush drake struck the barrier their goddess formed around herself as the others began to fall and drakes barrelled towards her. Boris let out a cry of battle and charged hacking and slashing away at the drakes as their claws and fangs tore his flesh. He spun around, sword out as the ambush drake slammed into him, impaling itself through the roof of its mouth. Boris pushed the creature¡¯s body off him and grimaced at the wounds its claws pierced through his armor to give him. He slowly rose to his feet towards the person he should protect most of all, the person he wanted to protect most of all, who had been their beacon of light in this new world of madness. ¡°Are you alright¡­¡± He asked but the golden goddess stared ahead, paying no heed to him at all. A ball of fire enveloped Boris before he could utter another word, and everything went dark. A second fireball shattered the mana barrier and the woman fell back, afraid and helpless as a third soared towards her. A cobalt sword slashed the ball of fire into nothing. A bow took its place in the boy¡¯s hands and an arrow pierced through the eye of the horned drake, ending the last of the den. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Shin turned to the goldened eye woman. ¡°Have you been to the center? Which way is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin started to head towards the bodies on the ground. ¡°Wait¡­¡± The woman pleaded with a soft voice. Shin turned back. Beautiful curled golden hair draped down her shoulders as she leaned forward sat on the ground, the thin white dress covered loose on her body revealing perfect ample curves. Two straps over her shoulders flowed down into fabric covering just shy of not enough. A sad captivating expression lay on her mesmerizingly gorgeous face. ¡°Will you help me?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± She held out her hand and Shin took it, helping her to her feet. She stood a few inches taller than him, standing close where she rose, still holding onto his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice like a sweet song brushed easily against his ears as she looked with sorrowful, alluring eyes into his. ¡°What is this?¡± Yen interrupted from just outside the tunnel, before stopping in her tracks as she saw the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is she an Atreus?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± Yen¡¯s question related to a number of aspects, all of which Shin ignored. ¡°Gonna take her to the center with us.¡± ¡°Is that a good idea?¡± The mage asked sharply. Shin tilted his head. ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°Why are you unsure?!¡± ¡°No point arguing once he decides something, you know that.¡± Donny walked past. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s your only reason¡­¡± Shin looked back at the woman who noticed his attention. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Helena.¡± ¡°Which tunnel did you come through?¡± ¡°The center¡­¡± Shin¡¯s hand slipped out of hers as he darted around scavenging through the valuables and hopped over to one of the other tunnels at random, looking back at the others to follow. Helena was the first the move, just behind Donny. ¡°So stupid¡­¡± Yen walked on, and Kamala followed without a word. --- A condensed mana bolt cracked in the head of a horned drake and a second shattered it open. Shin and Donny darted around the den slaughtering the regulars that remained. Four charged at Donny from all angles. He beheaded one clean and bashed his shield against the head of another. A snapping jaw caught only air as he darted to the side and cleaved through its neck. The remaining two lunged from opposite sides. Donny pivoted, pummeling one with his shield and taking the head of his third. A claw grazed his arm deeply but he ignored it, bursting forward and burying his axe in the skull the last, wrenching it out as the beast fell still. Seeing Shin having mopped up the other drakes, he relaxed, noticing Helena appear by his side. She held out her hands and a warm light enveloped his wound healing it fully in moments. ¡°That healed up nice.¡± Helena brushed a strand of her hair back letting her eyes linger on Donny¡¯s ever so slightly before walking over to Shin. ¡°That slut is taking your job¡­¡± Yen muttered to Kamala. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you do something?¡± Kamala said nothing as they followed Shin down another tunnel at random. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even looked at us this whole time, you know what she¡¯s trying to do, right?¡± ¡°Bazaar.¡± Shin informed them. The others joined him as they scanned over the second makeshift marketplace bearing little difference from the first. ¡°Is it safe?¡± ¡°Two big factions looks like and no one¡¯s fighting. Safe as it¡¯s going to get.¡± Donny and Shin walked out first at the same time, relatively carefree. Helena followed right behind them and the other two after, Kamala with her ever present stoic expression and Yen doing a fair job at mimicking the other¡¯s lack of caution. The party of five walked into the bazaar and around it freely without any more than prying eyes and a volley of identifies. ¡°Hey¡­ shouldn¡¯t we disguise you and her?¡± Yen directed at Kamala. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shin added. ¡°Only another fight to the death, yeah, don¡¯t get too bent out of shape.¡± Donny heads towards the stall of a dark skinned young man, putting 10 silver on the counter. ¡°So who¡¯s running things around her?¡± ¡°The Saba.¡± The man said assertively. ¡°And the Pendragons.¡± Gesturing over to the other side of the Bazaar, though his focus largely laid on Helena, specifically her golden eyes. ¡°...as in Arthur?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Princess Helena. Lady Rani.¡± A dark skinned man greeted before the stallowner could respond. He stood tall with long white dreads bound in an elegant manner bearing an imposing physique in his aged years and a calm dignity unattainable by most. He wore cloth garbs like that of a monk with leather bracers though it did not take away from his regal bearing. [Human Diplomat (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Kamala returned the greeting without movement, in contrast to Helena who nodded in slight bow without words. The stallowner bowed deeply in silence. ¡°Princess, we could safeguard you until you are able to be returned to your father, if you would like.¡± ¡°I would. Thank you¡­¡± She looked back with the delicate eyes of a maiden. The man gave a cordial smile for a moment and turned to Kamala. ¡°I, of course, offer the same to you, my lady.¡± ¡°I have no intention of returning.¡± Kamala replied with apathetic authority. ¡°The Saba would gladly open their doors for you-¡± ¡°Getting ahead of yourself, aren¡¯t you, Eskender?¡± A middle aged man of stern expression approached from the side, followed by a small entourage. Shoulder length blond hair parted to the sides and a thick well kempt beard, he donned a circlet crown and higher tier armor with a red cloak that flutter slightly as he walked. [Human Knight (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°Simply greeting those that ought be greeted, Richard, my friend.¡± Eskender returned without missing a beat. Richard gave a grunt in acceptance, nearly a scoff, and turned to the Kamala. ¡°Princess, I offer you the hand of my eldest and all the luxury and status the House of Pendragon can grant.¡± ¡°I will join no family.¡± Richard held his tongue for a moment as Eskender silently assessed the situation. ¡°These are dangerous times. Stubbornness will see the downfall of many.¡± ¡°She will make it.¡± Shin spoke up, calmly and certain. ¡°...and you are?¡± Richard looked down with some derision. ¡°Shin.¡± The Pendragon King took a pause, Eskender as well, paying attention to the boy for the first time. ¡°I see¡­¡± He looks to the other two with regal expectation. ¡°Yenny Phoenix.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know me.¡± Richard glanced over the party of four and gave Eskender a look, the two seeming to come to a silent understanding. ¡°I will take my leave, then.¡± He walked off, unhurried but with purpose. ¡°As will I.¡± Eskender bid them farewell and Helena followed without a word to the party. ¡°Bye.¡± She stopped and looked back at Shin for a moment, a trace of confusion in her expression, before nodding and continuing on. ¡°Yeah, seems like we can set up here, no problems.¡± ¡°Except for the fact that everyone wants Miss Holy Grail here. Why¡­¡± Yen stopped herself, remembering Kamala wouldn¡¯t answer, and changed the topic instead. ¡°What are their powers?¡± Kamala stayed silent for a moment before responding. ¡°The Pendragons can tap into power beyond their abilities. I am not sure how that translates to the system. The Saba can innately master all forms of combat. Saba children can toy with elite professionals before they are past their teens.¡± ¡°Leaders and lancers.¡± ¡°You do know no one¡¯s got a clue what you say half the time.¡± ¡°Shutup.¡± Yen¡¯s focus turned to Shin. ¡°And you. Since when do you think with your dick?¡± She cut herself off as she realized something for the first time. ¡°How old are you anyway?¡± ¡°19.¡± Yen paused. ¡°...what month?¡± ¡°March.¡± Yen¡¯s face fell in silent devastation as she learned the weird boy with a maiden¡¯s face was older than her. ¡°Rest up then take on the dungeon?¡± Donny asked Shin, ignoring Yen¡¯s minor breakdown. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin looked at the giant door, unconcerned with the squabbles and intrigue growing within the tutorial. He need only walk towards his goal, and remove everything in his way. Chapter 48 Shin waited in meditation before the mural of the two headed dragon. The others stood at the ready, more cautious towards the bazaar than anything else, Inari among them growing increasingly frustrated in the boredom. Shin rose without warning. Between mystic protection cast on the four party members and summoning Inari, he had only just shy of a third of his capacity, even after an hour and twenty minutes of meditation, but he was out of time. The armors would last 10 more minutes and the boss fight could last longer. Donny walked over to the dragon statue in front the mural with the number one hundred carved into its head and placed a yellow orb in its open mouth. The eyes of the mural glowed and light the same color as the orb drained down the outline of the mural. The party steeled themselves as the light reached the floor, and they vanished. The four appeared in a closed shrine room, larger than the first and more intricately carved. Heavy footsteps and sharp screeches approached rapidly from the wide dark tunnel in front and a two headed drake burst into the shrine. A firebolt shot through the air the moment it appeared and the drake opened its mouth, firing a yellow bolt, crashing into the first. Fire and lightning exploded in the center of the shrine, a wash of yellow sparks consuming the flames and snaking around to the ground before them. A piercing roar followed from both heads of the beast, the embodiment of ferocity. [Twin-Headed Horned Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Donny and Shin darted around its flanks and the two heads followed, the eye of one snapping back front quickly and destroying a second firebolt. Yen clicked her teeth and waited for another opening. The horn of one head shone yellow and lightning surged in the mouth of the other. Donny darted to the side as lightning surged just past him and Shin jumped away as a lightningbolt cratered the ground in an explosion of sparks. Giant roots shot up from the ground beneath the boss trapping it in place. The enhancement of quicken surrounded Shin and he blitzed forward at his greatest speed, dense ripples bursting at the seams in his palm. Lightning washed over the twin headed drake in an instant and exploded out, erratic sparks tearing out the surface of the rocks and walls by its sheer impact. Shin appeared just outside its range, the specter of Kong dissipating into the air. His palm empty of the ripple he condensed but the mana used still gone. A bow found Shin¡¯s hands and he rapid fired a stream of arrows at the drake¡¯s eyes. The head focused on him followed the arrows with ease, slipping and dodging most and the ones that landed, ricocheted off its bare scales. A lone arrow flew past towards the eye of the second head, and it ducked beneath without taking its focus away from Donny. Roots ensnared the horned drake again, this time vines grasping around its heads pulling them to the side as another firebolt scorched through the air. An explosion of lightning shredding the plants and pushed away the explosion of flames. One of its horns shone and lightning streamed towards Kamala, melting through blooming trees and shattering her mystic wall as it struck her back, the mystic protection surrounding her trembling with both impacts but holding. The other head snapped over to Kamala lying still on the ground, lightning surging in its mouth shot out into a bolt towards. A firebolt slammed into it by the side, exploding both at a safe distance as Yen propelled in front of Kamala. ¡°She¡¯s out cold!¡± Both heads gathered lightning in their mouths before the eyes of one snapped to the side as a red mass smashed into its side with tremendous force, sending it crashing across the ground. Donny stood still, his body twitching and spasming as sparks of lightning jumped off him. Sparks just like those flickered all over the two headed drake¡¯s body. One of its head¡¯s spit out the bolt amassing in its mouth at the helpless Donny and a cobalt sword cut it in apart, the two halves dissolving in the wind. The twin headed drake rose to its feet, each fearsome face aimed at the two halves of the party. Above it, rooted into the ceiling by her swords, Inari spat down a mass of Trickfire. The drake shot a bolt of lightning and Inari kicked off the air as the trickfire weaved around the bolt. The two headed beast darted away and the gray blue flames followed. A stream of lightning passed through as harmlessly as the bolt and the drake roared in frustration, a third explosion of lightning finally shredded away the troublesome flames, only for a second mass to surge forth. Kamala¡¯s eyelids flinched, opening as she rose without thinking, one hand holding her head. ¡°Hey, you okay?! We kind of need you!¡± Kamala glanced at the battlefield before rising to her feet, angel wings sprouting from her back as clarity and fierceness returned to her cold eyes. A grove bloomed around her, growing greater and larger, until she twisted the grass and bark into giant arms and lashed at the drake. Lightning bolts and streams blasted and cut through the plants but still they grew, snaking and lunging from all angles. The drake darted away from the incessant shackles but two arrows from Shin running across the mass of plants distracted it just long enough for the mass of grayish blue flames to graze its side, and like adhesive, it pulled the rest of it to envelop the creature¡¯s back. The drake thrashed, more annoyed than pained, reacting a split second two slow as Kong blinked in front, slamming a heavy fist to knock it off its feet. The volley of sparks running across his arm snuffed out in moments. The masses of plant struck into the drake, ramming it against the wall. Lightning burst of its body, tearing away the plants but a firebolt stole its attention long enough for the plants to regrow and thrust against the wall once more. Another lightning nova freed it just in time for a concussive wave of sound to hold it back in place and the fury of nature returned. The two headed drake roared and thrashed but no more explosions came. A barrage of flames, explosions and screeches assaulted the trapped drake without mercy. Its scales blasted and shattered away, and sharp wooden vines dug into the eyes burning away from the flames, wreathing and surging within until the drake¡¯s wretched shrieking roars fell silent and its body slumped over. [Twin-Headed Horned Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord] Strength - 486 Agility - 444 Constitution - 428 Vitality - 333 Dexterity - 395 Perception - 592 Force - 854 Spirit - 658 Control - 413 Willpower - 430 Skills: Lightningbolt lvl. 10, Lightning Nova lvl. 10, Lightning Cloak lvl. 10, Lightning Stream lvl. 10, Greater Dart lvl. 10, A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Traits: Lightning Amplification (epic), Lightning Affinity (epic), Greater Tough Scales (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), ¡°Bullshit stats¡­¡± Yen cursed, her attention lingering on two of the boss¡¯ traits before turning to Kamala. ¡°You okay? No concussion or anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± Kamala stood steady on her feet, no trace of fog or disorientation though a subtle frustration was persisted. Four chests appeared in the center of the stage along with the dark tunnel the drake came from swirling into a portal and a second exit opening to the side. [Greed Mountain (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s what? Two and a half times this? How are we supposed to beat that without hitting the peak of high lord?¡± ¡°He said not to go past it much.¡± ¡°I know, I remember¡­¡± Yen thought for a moment then glanced at the chests. ¡°What did we get, at least?¡± Shin tapped the decorated wooden boxes and the items within floated up, nothing more than unneeded items to sell, save for an epic tier belt of lightning resistance at the end. ¡°That¡¯s yours.¡± Yen told Donny. ¡°You¡¯re useless if lightning keeps stunlocking you.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks for that. Shouldn¡¯t one of you have it instead?¡± ¡°She has a point.¡± Kamala sided with Yen¡¯s opinion. Donny turned to Shin for the last opinion who just returned a nonchalant smile, and sighed before taking the belt. ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡± ¡°Grinding in the dens is a waste of time. We should hit the Questboard so we can just buy the essence and run the boss as much as we need.¡± Yen glanced at the dead twin drake. ¡°We should train until the next cycle too. But no one go past mid rank yet, or we might lose the ability to run this one.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin agreed. Aside from being more efficient, Shin wanted to train. He needed to upgrade a few skills that were steadily growing obsolete, especially against the more gifted players. ¡°Alright, back to goon central then.¡± ¡°Ah, forgot about him. Shin, can we just kill him already and take over the town?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so difficult¡­¡± Yen groaned as the four passed through the exit. --- The party walked calmly towards the town. Two gatekeepers at the entrance as usual but the entrance itself was missing the doors which enabled it to be called a gate, a situation which explained the carpenters and blacksmiths working on a set of giant doors just to their left as they entered and perhaps just as equally the increased number of players patrolling the walls. More noteworthy than anything was the body of a man strung up on display from the wall, fair skinned with golden eyes. ¡°Goblin.¡± A man from atop the watchtower dropped down effortlessly. [???] ¡°Chato wants to talk.¡± He led them towards the center of town without another word and the party followed all the way to a large manor, easily making for the best building in town. He knocked twice and the door opened half way. Another man glanced at him and the party before openly it fully and letting them pass. Through the door under the double staircase and into a lounge occupied by Chato and a dozen others. The man himself sat on a couch, arms around the two woman always accompanying him as he listened to his henchmen debate. Three others, including him, were unreadable. ¡°My four favorite people in the world. I was start to, you know, get worried you died in the dungeons. Taking so long.¡± He glanced around at his people. ¡°Give us the room, ah, come on.¡± The others quietly walked past the party and out of the room, aside from the two intermediate rank woman sitting on the couch, who didn¡¯t budge an inch. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Chato pointed his hand at the couch opposite the table inbetween. Shin sat in the middle without a care in the world, Yen and Kamala took the remaining space beside him, Kamala¡¯s posture effortlessly elegant and patient while Yenny crossed her legs, resting her head on his hand like a bored tyrant. Donny leant up against the stone wall behind them. Chato offered a bottle of wine towards them which bore no reaction from Shin. The dark blond man shrugged and poured two glasses for his subordinates and drunk straight from the bottle himself. He held out his hand an a large cloth pouch jangled as it hit the table. Shin picked it up and stored it away after a cursory glance. ¡°We come all this way just to pick up our payment?¡± Yen spoke first. Chato finished his swig with a grin. ¡°Never met anyone who wouldn¡¯t walk a couple minutes for a, fucking bag of gold coins. But there is something I would like to talk about.¡± ¡°Anything to do with the renovations outside?¡± ¡°Ah, people handle their problems, get comfortable. Start wanting more, you know? Some comfortable people thought they could take my town. Not a big deal, but it¡¯s a pain in the fucking ass, ah.¡± Chato lent forward and glanced them over. ¡°I was thinking¡­ we hit them back. With you four.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sort of busy.¡± Donny said from the back. ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard my offer.¡± Chato brushed him off before looking Shin in the eye. ¡°500 gold, plus a third of whatever we take from them.¡± He took notice of Shin¡¯s silent lack of interest and chuckled. ¡°Alright, for you, nino. Half.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin turned him down with a casual upbeat nonchalance. ¡°We need to focus on the boss.¡± Chato paused for a few moments, his body language exuding confidence but weariness and worry seeped through his eyes just slightly. ¡°If you want to pass up free money, it¡¯s your choice. Let me know if you change your mind. But¡­ I can count on you to take care of the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll talk again, eh?¡± Shin got up and walked without ceremony and the two women on the couch followed him, Donny waiting to pull up the rear as they left. None of them said a word as they exited the manor under the looks and glances of the underlings, heading over towards the training grounds. ¡°Dunno about the other town but things might start happening around here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yen asked. ¡°He¡¯s getting desperate, innit.¡± ¡°Not really our problem, though?¡± ¡°Probably not. But we should be on our guard, just in case.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Yen glanced up at the sky. ¡°Already noon. How ¡®bout we do some quests later. After I get some sleep.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Need to put more in Vitality.¡± ¡°Need to put more in shutting up and shutting up.¡± ¡°Good one.¡± ¡°Shutup.¡± Yen lazily shot back, too tired to bother coming up with something. ¡°Three hours work for you, Shin?¡± ¡°He¡¯s run off.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± The remaining trio entered the training grounds, fairly used to playing things by hand now. --- An ogre slammed its crude club into Donny¡¯s shield, trembling the ground beneath him, but his arm and legs held firm. He pushed off the weapon and cleaved deep into the creature¡¯s stomach, drawing out blood and guts. The towering ogre staggered back with a roar of pain and Donny kicked the side of its knee, forcing it to break under the weight of the massive monster, barely able to yell in pain before the axe took its head. Donny glanced over at the evening view of the highlands as Shin and two malakhs slaughtered the lesser lord ogres like cattle. Yen followed after with a flask, having already tested her spells on the fat targets and finding no reason to waste her mana. Donny took out a flask and absorbed the blood of his ogre as well before joining up with their mage and priest. Shin hopped back at the same time, the latest tribe of ogres laid out. ¡°Bout time to head back, yeah?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean no?¡± Yen pressed. ¡°You should get experience fighting at night.¡± Shin seemed a bit adamant about it, as far as his nonchalance would allow at least. ¡°There¡¯s herbs that we can only harvest at night, too.¡± ¡°How long are we staying out here?¡± Shin thought for a moment. ¡°All night?¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°We have to go past the highlands. Kamala needs some plants.¡± ¡°First time I heard about this.¡± Yen shot a look at the priestess. ¡°We talked while you slept.¡± The priestess explained. ¡°Fine... But you¡¯re on mob duty then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The party finished up harvesting the area and headed off. They had less than four days before they needed to enter the dungeon again, and not a moment to spare. --- A calm breeze brushed a few strands of hair over Chato¡¯s face in the dead of night. His eyelids twitched just slightly and eased open. He leaned up slightly inbetween two women, his eyes finding the open window and in another moment the hooded man standing in the corner. He darted to his feet in a blur, cutlass in hand. ¡°Get up!¡± Nothing responding to his command. ¡°Get your fucking asses up!¡± He roared. ¡°Enemy!¡± ¡°Closed off, I¡¯m afraid.¡± A raspy old voice came from beneath the hood. The urge to look back at the women strikingly apparent from Chato¡¯s movements but he kept his eyes on the stranger. ¡°They¡¯re only sleeping.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Venom laced Chato¡¯s words, his entire body ready to pounce, held back only by caution. ¡°Enemies knocking at the gates. Your own men conspiring against you.¡± The old man laughed out the words slightly. ¡°How many more days can you last?¡± ¡°Fucking tell me, why I shouldn¡¯t kill you now.¡± ¡°Because I can give you power.¡± Chato started and stopped, the words lingering in his ears, waging war on his distrust. ¡°Power beyond one¡¯s station¡­ can only be born from sacrifice. Are you willing to sacrifice? Are you able?¡± ¡°Leave.¡± The old man lifted his head, his face wrinkled and pale, his left eye glassy, and placed a crystal ball on the table next to him. ¡°How much longer can you last?¡± The hooded old man dissolved into the air and vanished without a trace. Chato glanced around the room, still on edge, and his eyes found the crystal ball. And they lingered. Chapter 49 Smooth pulses of force rippled from Shin¡¯s hand. He could hasten the frequency or slow it for a concentrated strike or wide spanning burst along the surface but the pulses were always uniform and smooth, a sensation he had become accustomed to. Shin imagined destruction. The ripple collapsed into a swirling mass of mana, erratic bursts of raw force spurting as it threatened to fall apart. He pushed further. More erratic, more chaos, more destruction. The mana swelled and condensed in a burst of fading lights, leaving behind jagged ripples, more intense and sporadic than before. [Ripple has upgraded into the epic skill Tremor.] Shin closed his fist and his body flickered. A rare tier training dummy shattered into splinters at his punch. Shin didn¡¯t relent, willing a destructive tremor around his foot as he kicked another dummy apart and another via jagged ripples from an elbow. Shin came to a stop, inspecting his body. All of the impact had transferred outwards on his targets with no recoil towards himself. Suddenly, he dashed to the side at a speed that escaped the eyes as an invisible force closed around the space he had just stood. He blitzed several more times, easily evading the subsequent attacks. Maxing Rapid allowed him to triple his speed now, the impact of his bare strikes far too much for his Constitution and his vision barely able to keep up to a functional degree with the buff of Quicken, but it was a necessary tradeoff. ¡°C¡¯mon, let me test it.¡± A certain mage whined from the side. Shin stood still and a force locked him in place in an instant. At nearly 200 strength he couldn¡¯t even so much as twitch his finger, the product of her efforts in upgrading Clutch to epic tier Grasp after she had maxed Firebolt. By the effectiveness of it even in the low levels, it seemed to have been a good choice to focus on. Shin vanished, appearing to the side as the specter of Kong faded away. Yen clicked her teeth. ¡°Fucking teleporters¡­¡± Donny let out an provoking roar, aura surging through his body as his mere presence inciting all around to direct their hostility towards him. Yen raised her hand on reflex but caught herself halfway, snapping out of the taunt. The atmosphere lingered for only a moment before Donny cancelled it, standing in place mostly satisfied. ¡°I almost blasted you!¡± Yen called out. ¡°Yeah, my fault. Growing pains, you know.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Swagger. Taunt and debuff all in one, and it only uses aura.¡± ¡°You can aim it, right? A taunt with friendly fire is a problem.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sort of.¡± ¡°What the fuck do you mean ¡®sort of¡¯?!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll work itself out.¡± Donny turned to Shin, obsidian shield found his arm as he held it ready. ¡°Test out that new skill?¡± Shin appeared in front of him, tremors pulsing from his palm as he slammed it into Donny¡¯s shield. A reverberating cover of aura absorbed force of the strike completely, all trace of impact and recoil vanishing from existence. Bastion, the higher tier of Bulwark. A costly skill according to Donny but by all tests they had done, it was more than worth it. ¡°Three or so hours then we hit the dungeon, yeah?¡± Donny glanced up at the position of the afternoon sun. ¡°And then we come straight back here.¡± Yen decreed. ¡°The second boss won¡¯t be much now, even the other elements, but we need to get our epic tier classes and get our skills up as much as possible or we¡¯re all dead against the final one.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°So you keep saying¡­¡± Yen walked off to the shade of the wall, ring of meditation finding her finger. ¡°Go a couple rounds?¡± Donny asked Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± The two burst into sparring immediately, dashing and darting all around as the slowly expanding forest surpassed a third of the training grounds. Kamala sat on a chair of vines in the middle of her grove pushing the forest past its limits, inch by gradual inch. --- Yen glanced back at the town wall. ¡°Pablo Escobar isn¡¯t watching us this time.¡± ¡°Must really be worried about staying on top. Might have a new leader when we get back.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you were worried about?¡± ¡°Not really. I was just doing the bare minimum.¡± The party stepped through the portal as casually as passing through the door of a house, finding themselves in an empty cavern. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Yen looked out at the first step of the maze they needed to pass through just to get back to the bazaar. ¡°I know the way.¡± Shin assured them, heading off to the left. ¡°If you two clear out the mobs quick, we can hit the boss as soon as we get there.¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± Donny rushed forward, beheading a drake clean without use of a skill. He and Shin darted around felling the drake pack with each, switching sides for Shin¡¯s estoc to pierce a guard drake through the eye and Donny to take the head of the horned one. The others joined up with Shin as he walked towards the next tunnel. ¡°Keen Edge, right?¡± Yen asked Donny. ¡°Yeah.¡± He flourished the blood off his obsidian axe. ¡°Constant uncommon sharpness, basically, except it costs nothing. Don¡¯t have to waste stamina on the weak monsters now.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you chose the most durable rare tier metal¡­¡± ¡°Smart, huh?¡± ¡°You just stopped playing like a cavem-¡± Shin glanced sharply at the mage whose words cut off, finding all three of them standing perfectly still in silence with blank faces. Prismatic eyes darted around, locking onto a group of souls emerging from a tunnel. A soul stepped right in front of him in an instant and the world of colors melted away. A beautiful woman with bronze skin and rich purple hair reached out gracefully and pulled him into a deep kiss. Long and passionate as if to make up for the time they had been apart, she held for as long as her breath allowed. A few strands of her hair brushed down Shin¡¯s face, shoulder length with thin elegant braids on the sides decorated by simply ornate clips and cut into a neat bang. She pulled away, just barely, gazing into him with the domineering amber eyes of a lioness overflowing with jubilation and a smile that knew no defiance nor such joy before. ¡°I waited for you.¡± Her words of sweet tyranny held no criticism nor spite, only expectation. ¡°We can be together now. Just the two of us.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes never left hers, with a genuine slight smile. ¡°Why not?¡± Her hands slid around him as she pulled him closer, her love and confidence unchanged. Shin thought about how best to answer. ¡°I need more.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She glanced up towards the others, a sharpness finding her eyes. ¡°Them?¡± ¡°Yeah. Others too.¡± Shin seemed oblivious to the hostility lying beneath the surface. ¡°Will you join my party?¡± The woman hesitated for a moment, drifting within the question. She looked back at him, her smile returning to before, having made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll wait a bit more. Until I don¡¯t have to share.¡± She vanished away, her back visible for a moment as she returned to the dark of the tunnel. The eight players with her followed with glossy firm eyes. Shin lingered on the tunnel until groans and movement began behind him, and turned to the others waking up from their daze. ¡°What¡­¡± Yen murmured, still half confused. ¡°...Sereth?¡± Kamala asked Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Number 3?¡± Yen sharpened up. ¡°How did you know it was her?¡± ¡°She is the only I know of that is capable of this and would leave us unharmed. Although she could just as easily have done otherwise.¡± Kamala looked at Shin. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t.¡± Kamala kept quiet under Shin¡¯s sure words, not wishing to expend the effort in arguing the matter. ¡°Another clan kiddie, right? Are all they all telepaths like that? They¡¯re worse than the gold fuckers, we were helpless!¡± ¡°Sereth is an outlier, fortunately¡­¡± ¡°Shit¡­¡± Yen¡¯s frustration boiled up the more she thought about what just happened. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of these dens.¡± ---- The party exited the tunnel to their chosen bazaar after half a day of travel to the customary stares and identifies. Nothing more of significance had occurred for the remainder of their journey and tensions had simmered down although a scowl couldn¡¯t fully be removed from Yen¡¯s face. They moved quickly through the marketplace with Donny approaching the first vendor along their way. ¡°How much lightning essence you got?¡± ¡°How much do you need?¡± ¡°More than you have?¡± ¡°57. One and a half gold each.¡± ¡°It was one last time we were here.¡± ¡°Time is running out. People are buying more, price has gone up.¡± Donny eyed him for a few moments before putting a bag of coins on the table. The vendor assessed the money then handed him an light yellow orb with the number 57 in its name. The party moved on looking for the next without fanfare. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to do a lot more quests than planned.¡± Donny said. ¡°Or rob people.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± A familiar hay blond young man waved at them as he walked their way. Behind him trailed a few familiar faces, namely the buff woman bruiser, the old woman mage, and the fat shield monk. [Human Wizard (rare) - Intermediate Lord] ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Freckles.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d end up at the same bazaar.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it this far. Good job not getting ganked in the dens, Freckles.¡± The young man mustered an awkward, slightly embarrassed laugh. ¡°We got lucky¡­ But I found a good party, most of us are from Ladron-¡± ¡°Shin.¡± The party glanced over to a young man sporting a bandana just above his sharp eyes, contrasting his laidback expression and demeanor. Behind him stood a full party of what seemed to be solely Igarashi members of all ages, ranging from a man who by appearance seemed near the end of his days and a child of no more than three, carried by a burly man. Shin tilted his head at the one that called him. ¡°Kanda.¡± He remembered out loud. The man seemed somewhat surprised Shin remembered him but moved on without fuss. ¡°Have you been to any other bazaars? We¡¯re trying to find where the clan is setting up.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin noticed the toddler staring at him and waved and the boy waved back. He took out a piece of long scroll paper and etched a simple map in rapid strokes, highlighting the path to the first bazaar they found. ¡°Renzo and Yugo were there.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kanda glanced over the map in an instant and handed it behind. ¡°Not gonna join up with us?¡± ¡°No.¡± A disapproving grunt sounded behind Kanda. ¡°The clan has become more unfilial by the generation. Where is your sense of duty as a member of the main family, boy?¡± Shin tilted his head at the decrepit old man. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°An ancient relic. You younger ones wouldn¡¯t know about him.¡± The burly man well into his middle age shot the old man a look. ¡°We should get going.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kanda nodded at Shin and the party took their leave down the tunnel Shin just came from. ¡°Are you, like, ah, nobility?¡± Freckles¡¯ awkwardness increased as he tried to start back up the conversation. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°You are, essentially.¡± Kamala corrected him. ¡°Nevermind that.¡± Yen looked at Freckles, her scowl mostly gone now. ¡°You tried the boss yet?¡± ¡°No¡­ We just got here.¡± ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s a two headed spellcaster type drake. 850 Force plus a trait that boosts that, spits out a fuckton of lightning, or whatever element you chose, constantly. Has a 360 degree explosion attack if you get close, is pretty fast and has high Perception. Kind of squishy but not much, so make sure you have a lot of firepower before you go in or your melees got lucky and have epic tier resistances. Probably easiest to just make it run out of mana.¡± ¡°850¡­?¡± ¡°Try not to die, Freckles.¡± Yen said as she walked on. The party followed with Donny giving him a pat on the back. ¡°Charitable today, Yen.¡± ¡°I mean, he¡¯s like a stray we picked off the street, right. Would kind of suck if he died.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Donny looked back as he haggled and bought essences from every vendor they crossed. ¡°Anyone need a break before we go in.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kamala answered. ¡°It¡¯s just a daily now, hurry up.¡± Donny had no need to check Shin. He put a stack of a hundred in the dragon¡¯s mouth and the party vanished. --- The party dropped into the shrine room and burst into action instantly, Shin taking the vanguard with his cobalt sword drawn and Donny circling the edge of the walls in a sprint. The twin headed horned drake burst out of the dark entrance with a piercing roar, spitting a rapid lightningbolt and the center trio. Shin slashed the bolt into fragments as roots erupted around the drake. A lightning explosion tore them away and an armored blurred sent the drake crashing away into the wall with immense impact. It had not a moment to collect itself as a dense firebolt exploded into it. Wails and anguished thrashed were silenced with a second and the beast fell flat. Sparks zapped across Donny¡¯s armor and body to limited effect as he tapped the chests open, purple aura surrounding the ring of one of them. ¡°That¡¯s four then.¡± ¡°Still got two more elements.¡± Yen reminded as she turned to Kamala. ¡°Frost next would be easier¡­¡± ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°Okay. We head back and make enough money to run this eight times. That gives us four days to deal with whatever the last layer is going to throw at us.¡± ¡°Price will probably go up again. We¡¯ll need 1,600 gold.¡± ¡°Our payment barely covers any of that¡­¡± Yen scowled. ¡°Hey, Shin, we really need to take him out and rob the place.¡± ¡°Then no one can defend the town.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°The gnome?¡± Kamala inquired. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Yen thought for a bit. ¡°How about this. We just kill Chato, and put someone else in charge. Not much changes and we get the money we need.¡± Shin thought for a bit. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Finally, thank you.¡± ¡°Hundred people between him and us.¡± Donny reminded them. ¡°He¡¯s the next rank up too, at least. We should train up before taking him up.¡± ¡°Fine by me.¡± Yen caught notice of Shin staring of the twin headed drake. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Your firebolt should be stronger.¡± Yen flinched into a shade of embarrassment. ¡°...I can¡¯t condense it all the way. Just the max firebolt alone puts me almost to the limit. Gets too much to hold together.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your Control?¡± ¡°250. Force is 800. I can push the potency to about 3,000 it feels like, then it starts trying to blow up in my face.¡± ¡°Just hold it together?¡± Shin advised. ¡°You know, not all of us can just ignore the rules of the game, actually.¡± She snapped back. ¡°Oi, we¡¯re heading on.¡± Donny and Kamala walked through the exit portal and Shin hopped through, Yen following just behind with a sigh. --- The party walked through the gates of the town, oddly quiet with far fewer guards patrolling the walls than usual. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me he ran away¡­¡± ¡°Oi.¡± Donny called a guard. ¡°Where is everyone.¡± ¡°Cesar went to take out the other town.¡± A gruff firm answer. ¡°You mean Chato?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cesar now. Don¡¯t call him anything else.¡± A loud whistle sounded from the front watchtower and the gates opened, Chato soon entered with a grim look in his eyes, followed by a few dozen others and a long line of players bound with rope and shackles. Hundreds of players of all types, classes, and ages, derived of gear and tied against each other under the watchful guard of the town lord¡¯s underlings at the side. Shin vanished, appearing in front of Chato at lightning speed, an eerie quiet intensity in his eyes. ¡°Let the children go.¡± Chato stared deep into him with cold eyes, barely a trace of the eccentricity of before. ¡°They¡¯re mine. I¡¯ll do what I want with them.¡± A sword and estoc found Shin¡¯s hands, a tension emanating from his body like a coil ready to spring forward. Chato¡¯s people drew their weapons and prepared for a fight while the man didn¡¯t budge a muscle, keeping his eyes on Shin. ¡°If you want them so bad, then I keep your payment.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Chato motioned behind them and a chain of murmurs and orders resulting in the children below their teens cut free and pushed to the side. ¡°Good?¡± Shin stored his weapons and Chato gave him a look before walking past, leading the procession of captives towards the center of the town, leaving behind a dozen children, confused, scared, and some despondent. ¡°Hey.¡± Yen approached him. ¡°What was that? I mean, I get it, but it¡¯s screwing up what we-¡± ¡°Stay in the training grounds.¡± Three talismans burst into large paper bird like forms with wide backs as Shin started ushering the children on. The birds sailed off through the gate, levitating more than conventional flying and Shin followed without another word, keeping careful watch on the environment around him ready to act on any threat to the kids in his charge. Chapter 50 Dave scanned the landscape drearily from his post in front of the gate, closed and locked in the early hours of the day since word reached them about the neighboring town being sacked from the few refugees who escaped. He had been on edge at the start, made to stand guard outside the safety of the walls, flinching at everything he thought he saw in the dark but hours of nothing had calmed his fraying nerves. Now he only felt rather bored. He shifted about in his uniform, chainmail and gambeson with a metal helm and leather boots, same as they had given to all the other working class with no talent to do much else. Still, it beat facing off against horrifying monsters and psychotic players and if he was being honest, it beat sitting at a desk 10 hours a day too, as long as nothing happened. ¡°Hey, look sharp!¡± The captain of the gate shouted above. ¡°All of you, get ready!¡± It took a moment for Dave to snap out of his lull, drawing a bow from his spatial bag and nocking an arrow. He could see the source of the heightened guard coming over the horizon now, a person, followed by several white bird monsters. He and the other guard stationed outside, aimed their bows, tension spread across their faces. A black haired girl appeared in a blur, without the white birds, unidentifiable. ¡°Move on if you don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± The gate captain barked. ¡°Open the gate.¡± Shin had no patience for this opposition. ¡°Did you hear what I said!¡± Shin blitzed dropping the other gatekeeper with a sharp palm to the chin. Dave barely shifted his eyes in the direction before everything went dark. Arrows from above peppered the ground as Shin appeared on the battlement next to the captain. Shin ducked and spun on his hands snapping back the chin of the one who seemed strongest as his sword sailed over him. Panicked and steeled shouts erupted around him and were quickly silenced as the soldiers convening on him were dropped in a blur. Shin¡¯s eyes snapped to the side and his cobalt sword sliced a giant dense mana bolt in two. The source an irked old man with a disdainful expression surrounded by half a dozen guards. [Human Noble (epic) - Intermediate Lord] Shin slipped a palm thrust surging with yellow mana and slammed a Tremor wrapped fist into his torso, sending the monk crashing through a stone battlement and over a wall. A heavy armored knight swung down his greatsword and a second crackling kick smashed him through the roof of a building. An immovable force locked Shin in place and the wall where he stood exploded in a vicious bombardment of mana as he appeared on to its side with the fading specter of a shug. He burst off, running only the wall through arrows and spells, focused on the young woman with striking red hair and emerald eyes soaring towards him through the air. [Human Arcanist (epic) - Intermediate Lord] A volley of mana orbs shot forth destroying the wall behind him as he sped around. A bow found his hand and he loosed three arrows, all bouncing off an invisible sphere around the arcanist, the position of its surface flashing for an instant with each hit. Shin lunged from the wall at the mage a quick slash of his sword shattering the sphere as he reached for her neck. His hand passed through air as she vanished, appearing above as a mass of mana swelled in her hand. The giant mana bolt cratered the ground below to the mage¡¯s shock as Shin appeared at her back, enveloped in a spectral shug. A quick jab broke the veil of protection around her and with his hand around her throat, he blinked back to the wall alone, watching her carefully. The woman watched him with confusion and shock waning as contemplation replaced her ferocity. ¡°...What do you want?¡± ¡°Take in the children.¡± The woman paused and glanced to the distance at the white birds. ¡°Is that really all?¡± ¡°How dare you make demands now, you cur!¡± The old noble bellowed at him. ¡°All enemies that harm the dignity and security of the House of Rhun must be shown no mercy!¡± Shin glanced at the man, his eyes focused on him but his words seemed otherwise. But Shin had no interest in his intentions nor his words, save for one. He looked back at the arcanist¡¯s emerald eyes. ¡°Daphne?¡± The red haired mage¡¯s expression shifted instantly, almost to desperation. ¡°Have you seen her?! Where is she?!¡± ¡°Do not engage with-!¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± An intense biting order shut the old man¡¯s mouth with great reluctance by the look in his eyes, albeit he remained so. ¡°I found her in the first stage.¡± ¡°Where is she now?¡± The mage urged. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Is she safe? What happened?¡± ¡°Yeah. I brought her to the garrison. She¡¯s with Chavez.¡± Shin didn¡¯t truly know for sure, but Grace was fine and she had been in the same place. A deluge of questions seemed to crack at the dam of the red haired mage but she held them back, taking a moment to compose herself. ¡°I am Raina, daughter of Royth and Gwenllian, King and Queen of Rheged.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± The name brought a slight reaction from her and a bigger one from the others who heard but it seemed quickly accepted. ¡°They¡¯ll need to be inspected first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Geraint!¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± His voice old and gruff, the black armored knight from before headed off to the gate, pointing out several to follow him, including the gate captain who had just barely started to rouse from his unconsciousness. It took only a minute until he returned. ¡°They seem normal children. None of the guards are dead either.¡± Raina turned to Shin. ¡°You may bring them in.¡± Shin gave a thought to his origami and the white birds flew through the gates in moments, letting the children down with the people around helping them at the black knight¡¯s direction. The white birds took to the air and burst into a puff of white smoke as three talismans returned to Shin¡¯s hand. ¡°Is this really all?¡± Raina asked again. ¡°Yeah.¡± Before she could anything else, Shin took off without ceremony, racing back towards Ladron. Through the wild and past the sacked town, Shin sprinted without break or interruption, slowed down by nothing. He cleared the east side of Ladron¡¯s walls and darted through the training grounds, finding the other three standing around just fine. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Shin¡¯s sword clanged off the shield Donny just barely managed to raise in time, his mace slipping underneath and knocking him back to the wall with a brief tremor. ¡°Training.¡± Shin gave only a single word as he and Donny burst into an intense spar. Others were getting strong and they needed to be stronger. --- Shin rested a palm on a training dummy¡¯s chest, intense jagged ripples pulsing out. He envisioned the concussive force seeping in, exploding the dummy from within, and pushed. A catastrophic force blasted the front half of the dummy to splinters as the rest crashed into wall. [Tremor has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points reward.] His experiment had failed, but he had achieved the main priority. However, there was a problem. ¡°I didn¡¯t upgrade with four.¡± Shin informed the rest of the party, drawing their attention. ¡°Well¡­ makes sense each tier would get more difficult. It¡¯s weirder that rare was so easy to begin with.¡± Yen spoke from her meditation. ¡°So what¡¯d we think, five?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Not a lot of time left. Gonna need to pick the easiest thing to level.¡± ¡°Take shortcuts to a shit class if you want.¡± Shin focused on himself as the two bickered. His four epic skills, Tremor, Mystic Protection, Rapid, and Grand Martial Combat, neither of them had anything to do with spirits. He had rushed to get his upgrade so he could focus on new skills but this additional layer of difficulty also gave him an opportunity. His next one needed to be spirit based and he felt he needed to choose carefully. Befriend Spirit wouldn¡¯t provide any help in combat and the ceiling on Inari¡¯s tier still held strong, which left two options, Spirit Possession or the fusion between Greater Spirit Orb and Greater Spiral he had envisioned. Standing at 25%, he couldn¡¯t imagine the next tier giving him much more than half of the stats of the spirit possessing him, which at this stage didn¡¯t mean much. The fusion could be another excellent offensive skill, as Ripple and Tremor proved to be, likely much more useful. He would have time to train the rest later. Still, Shin felt drawn Spirit Possession. Something bothered him. There was a risk with being possessed, or so the skill said, though Shin had never once experienced that himself. But beyond that, there was still distance. He wanted more. He wanted to be more than one. White mystic energy surged around him as he felt for the great radiant branch amongst the sea of others, drawing it in. The light swelled and burst into glimmering shards. His hair drained white into artistic red markings and a mask to match covered the top half of his face. Partial vestiges of Inari¡¯s attire covered his own completing the transformation. [Spirit Possession has upgraded to the epic tier skill Invoke.] Shin raised his foot and took a step off the air, the traits of a Mystic Kitsune Guardian available to him now along with the skills. But he only took one. The feeling of holy energy surging through his body bestowed a comforting lull that bothered him. He felt a sort of emptiness not dissimilar what he felt from demons, masked by splendor. Still, it was only a bother. Something to be tolerated at most. More importantly, he could feel his and Inari¡¯s minds thinking together, sharing emotions and thoughts more closely than ever before. And chief among those thoughts was an incessant demand. Shin took a step back in his mind and his head edged up, taking long glances around before inspecting his body. The inspecting soon turned to movement and movement turned to reckless play as Inari wielded his stats and abilities however she pleased. She flashed haphazardly around slashing her sword through training dummies and blasting them to pieces, until suddenly the transformation faded away with the last of his mana to her great annoyance. ¡°Hey, Sailor Moon.¡± Yen called from the side. ¡°I need your help training later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin leaned back fully as an axe sailed over. ¡°I¡¯ll get my sparring in now then.¡± The pair erupted into another flurry, Shin pressing harder and riskier than before. --- Shin darted around Yen, throwing all manner of projectiles, all of which stopped uselessly on small clusters of hexagonal shields that arose around her body just as needed. Yen stood still, a smug expression on her face in gloating of the achievement her planning and foresight had produced. A dense spirit orb slammed into a large cluster and again and again until it broke away, as useless as the knives and stones. Armament, Yen called the skill, and it lived up to its name. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? The system rewards ingenuity. It was basically made for a genius like me.¡± A stone shattered through the cluster of armament and slammed into her shoulder with a mystic ripple, knocking her flat on her butt. Yen scowled. ¡°...what¡¯s the point of magic protection if it doesn¡¯t push back the fucking impact.¡± ¡°A genius could make it better.¡± ¡°Shutup.¡± Yen took out a ring, not bothering to head to the wall with the cover of night above them. ¡°Give me four hours.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin glanced around. Donny was currently training his Hack skill against the dummies and Kamala remained deep in the grove having said she had no need for a training partner. With that, Shin dashed off. He was cutting it close but there was something else he needed to accomplish along with his class. It took scarcely a moment to reach the store, raising a hand to knock. ¡°Goblin.¡± A voice came from the direction he planned to ignore, as shadows unwrapped around the watchtower leader. ¡°You have time to talk?¡± ¡°Not much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Cesar.¡± Shin paid more attention. ¡°You have serious problems with him, right? I can help with that.¡± Shin remained silent, waiting for the man to continue, so he did. ¡°Cesar¡¯s getting worse. More ambitious. He¡¯s going to come after your party any day now. We should attack first, tonight. Catch him off guard.¡± ¡°No. We¡¯ll kill him soon.¡± The man chose his words carefully. ¡°Cesar¡¯s strong now. Might be more than you. And the people closest to him are stronger too. I can help. People in the gang will follow me. We can deal with some of the people around him while you take him out. Give you a better chance.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The guy seemed a little caught off guard himself by Shin¡¯s instant acceptance. ¡°I need some promises though. To get people on board. Items, doesn¡¯t have to be the best stuff, and some money.¡± ¡°We need a lot of gold.¡± ¡°Cesar¡¯s got a lot of gold. Enough for everyone to get their piece. What¡¯d you say?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin didn¡¯t have to think about much. Less people to fight meant less mana to spend and less time wasted recovering it. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll handle my end. Just give me a sign when it¡¯s going down.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The man sank into the shadows and disappeared. Shin glanced in another direction then turned back to the door and knocked. The door opened soon and Shin walked in as the old gnome descended the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s late.¡± ¡°I had to train.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose you do.¡± Despite her grumblings, she didn¡¯t hint at trying to throw him out. ¡°Figured out which crest you want to learn?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin took out a book and showed Grenda a page with markings around a figure¡¯s face. ¡°Very mundane¡­ There¡¯s a lot more useful ones in rare tier, you know.¡± ¡°I need this one.¡± Grenda took a puff of her pipe but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Let¡¯s get started then. Not a lot of time left now.¡± Chapter 51 Shin darted through pointed magic missiles. His arms long and muscular with gray fur peeking out of the ends of his sleeves at the back of his purple hands tipped with sharp black nails. His hair gray and coarse with fur running down his neck and a purple tinge on the skin around his eyes. He had more Strength, more Vitality, more Constitution, and a lot more Dexterity in this form. Unlike Spirit Possession, his personal stats did not decrease if the invoked stats were lower, so it could only be a benefit. But it came at a steep cost of 60 mana per minute. At his current amount he could only sustain an Invoke for less than 11 minutes, and that was without the cost of using other skills. It was not something meant for a long battle. More magic missiles spun and curved towards him, forcing him to make use of the Dodge skill with his self imposed prohibition of Rapid. A small fire at his blindspot forced him to dart away as it burst into a blaze and he swatted his hand, shattering a firebolt into the air. Using Kong¡¯s skill, it was as if it were his own, and thus cost merely half of the aura his cobalt sword took. But the split second it took to destroy the attack gave his opponent enough time to follow up. Shin turned to the stream of flames barreling down on him and held out his hand. The firestream surged into his hand and split into several threads sailing around him. The flames charred his hands and singed his fur, but not enough to outspeed his cure wounds and not enough to overcome the Mana Eater trait sapping the energy from the fire and restoring his own. The flames stopped and he darted to the side again, away from the invisible Grasp, bounding towards the mage. Mana flashed around Yen¡¯s body for a brief moment and she took to the sky with speed and grace, moving freely as she shot another firebolt down at him. The spell exploded on the ground fiercely as Shin appeared in the air beside her. He swung his ape like fist shattering the armament skill and a burst of destructive flames exploded around her. Shin swung his fist again and a portion of the sphere of Flame Nova broke before him. A force held him in place mid air and a second nova surged out. Shin blinked back to the ground and the transformation dissipated into the wind, leaving behind his normal form. [Invoke has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points reward.] [Requirements for class upgrade achieved.] ¡®Spirit Caller. Onmyoji. Battlemage. Mystic.¡¯ [Achievement: Skill Upgrade II. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] ¡®Upgrade 20 skills.¡¯ [Class has upgraded to epic tier Onmyoji. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Acquired epic tier skill Ward.] Shin glanced over the skill briefly, one that allowed him to create a large barrier around an area, the shape of which he could choose at will, before moving onto his option. He knew exactly what he wanted. [Acquired epic tier skill Soul Fusion.] A skill that allowed him to fuse two monster souls together to enhance the winner of the struggle or create an entirely new monster. Something he desired for the sake of his bonds but not a skill he could use now. There had to be some risk and at level one that risk was too great. He needed to test and leveling it on others before his own. ¡°Done?¡± Yen floated down next to him, hovering in the air. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good. Cutting it close you know.¡± ¡°How long do you need?¡± Shin asked. ¡°Three hours. Hey, you two be ready in three hours!¡± Yen called out to the others. ¡°Been ready.¡± Kamala didn¡¯t respond but she didn¡¯t have to. No one thought for a second she was the type to enter danger underprepared when the choice was there. ¡°Right, so, kill Cesar, run the drake 8 more times, kill the last boss, that¡¯s the plan yeah?¡± ¡°If someone hasn¡¯t beaten it first¡­¡± Yen continued at Donny¡¯s inquiring look. ¡°This stage is all connected. The final boss might not be spawnable like the others, it could be just one. If we can do it now, a full party had to have done it already.¡± ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out when we go through.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. If I ranked higher than Kamala even through she was a higher class and rank, then the system puts a ton of value in achievements, especially Boss Slayer. We need to make sure we get in the top 100.¡± She sighed before turning to Shin. ¡°What¡¯s your weird feeling saying about this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Great. Probably did all this for nothing¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with all the negativity? If someone¡¯s got to it first, we just need to kill them and we¡¯re on top.¡± ¡°Are you smart or stupid, I can¡¯t tell sometimes.¡± ¡°If it has already been defeated, we will need to form an alliance with others to fight them.¡± Kamala walked out of her grove. ¡°There are some with powers we cannot match at the moment and that number has likely increased.¡± ¡°Even with Shin?¡± Yen seemed doubtful. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My patron said there¡¯s someone I¡¯m not supposed to fight.¡± Shin added. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Yen¡¯s stress seemed to grow a bit worse, and she glanced at Kamala. ¡°You going to tell us what skills you got now?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°...a golem creature made of plants and a trait that improves affinity and potency of plant based abilities.¡± ¡°A trait?¡± Yen pressed. ¡°Why would you do that, it¡¯s a waste of potential at this tier?¡± ¡°It is the most useful to me now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fucking shortsighted.¡± Yen snapped. ¡°...what did you pick for your rank reward?¡± ¡°Summon Malakh¡­¡± ¡°Are you serious?! That¡¯s something you could have gotten from your class from low tier shit. These rewards are a goldmine to pick something you can¡¯t normally get!¡± ¡°It was the strongest nonthinking close combat summon of that tier.¡± Kamala declared calmly as she walked straight up to Yen with an intensity from her cold stoicism. ¡°Making naive decisions is how fools make things more difficult for themselves.¡± Yen balked a little under the pressure Kamala exuded, averting her eyes. ¡°...optimal choices builds the foundation to be stronger than anyone¡­ There¡¯s nothing wrong with my way.¡± Yen looked ahead with renewed assertiveness. ¡°You were being chased through the woods at the start.¡± Yen¡¯s head snapped back towards the boy who had betrayed her so egregiously, then tentatively back to the priestess¡¯ whose expression emotionlessly looking down from above emanated such silent judgement she couldn¡¯t find the words to respond. ¡°Well, all that aside, we should coming up with a plan to deal with our first problem.¡± ¡°The watchtower man said he¡¯ll get others to fight Cesar too.¡± ¡°When did you set that up?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°Trust him?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Even if he does come through, it¡¯s going to be on us. Kamala wall off the goons, your spirits make some noise to keep them busy, and we rush the man. If Cesar¡¯s dead the rest will fall apart. Sound good?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good enough¡­¡± ¡°Alright. Just need to wait now then.¡± ---- The party stood at the entrance, ready for a fight. [Human Onmyoji (epic) - Intermediate Lord] [Human Pyromancer (epic) - Intermediate Lord] [Human Grand Knight (epic) - Intermediate Lord] [Human Forester (epic) - Intermediate Lord] Shin passed through with the others right behind and glanced in the direction of the gate. ¡°They¡¯re waiting.¡± ¡°Right into it, then.¡± The four walked calmly through the quiet town towards a crowd of nearly a hundred with a dark blond man at the helm bearing his usual cocky smile with an air of calmness and a subtle cold glint in his eyes. ¡°Need something, mate?¡± Cesar looked at each of them in silence. ¡°I do. You four, are going to take me to the center.¡± ¡°Bit late in the stage to get started now.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a suggestion. You have room for six so you will take six.¡± Cesar walked off and all but the five who followed behind stepped aside, making a path for the gate. The party shared a few looks and began to move, Donny and Shin placing themselves at the flanks, keeping an eye on the eerily quiet crowd. They passed through the gate without incident and continued trailing Cesar¡¯s party, two men shooting steady glances back at them. The six came to a stop just before the dungeon amidst the tension and Cesar turned back. ¡°Need to be in the same group, no?¡± Shin sent the invitations and three others besides the women Cesar kept at his side nodded towards town lord. ¡°Let¡¯s go in together.¡± Shin walked nonchalantly by Cesar¡¯s side, not a trace of worry on his face. Cesar smiled and they entered the portal at the same time. Shin looked back from the entrance as the rest trailed in after a few moments, first the two women, then the remaining three on each side, sticking to the edge their leaders had crossed through, joining up. ¡°Lead the way.¡± The party glanced at Shin before taking his glance in return as an answer, heading on ahead of him, Donny at the head and Shin bring up the rear. The full party of ten passed through the empty cavern and through to the end of the next tunnel with the same dozen intermediate drakes as usual. An estoc and axe found Shin¡¯s hands and Donny took notice. ¡°It¡¯s a long trip.¡± Donny told Cesar. ¡°Be a lot faster if everyone pitches in.¡± Cesar paused for a moment then nodded to two of the men and they stepped forward. ¡°Alright, regular drill. Clear out the horned first.¡± Donny told the casters. Angel Wings spread from Kamala¡¯s back and Yen floated off the ground, both soaring out of the tunnel. A firebolt blasted a horned drake dead, leaving only the guard and regulars. Shin and Donny darted away, felling drakes as the two Cesar signalled joined in. The guard drake slammed its tail into the ground as Shin dodged and his body flickered, saber in hand beheaded one of the goons. The other turned just before the immense force of Donny¡¯s charge turned him into a mangled corpse. Yen shot a firebolt at Cesar and one of the women raised a hand shooting back a similar darker bolt, the two colliding in a meld of orange and blackened flames. The bodies of the four remaining morphed in an instant, changing into ghastly beings from the pits of hell. The man in front into a hulking winged gargoyle creature similar to the demon Shin had faced before and the two women into hauntingly beautiful demon eyed beings with black feathered wings, one armored and bearing a flaming whip the other in cloth firing another bolt at Yen who dodged it by a hair. Cesar himself turning into a horned red skinned humanoid, lean and muscular like an orc with monstrous protruding fangs. ¡°Kill them!¡± Cesar roared, his brutal face hiding none of the frustration of falling victim to ambush. The leathan burst towards Donny swinging a greataxe down on his shield to the reverberating gong of Fortress. A concussive force erupted from Donny¡¯s feet, knocking the demon off guard and a massive impact sent him crashing into the wall. The leathan rose, its stonelike chest cracked heavily but the strength from its grip on the axe didn¡¯t lessen. Donny rushed in, thrill starting to find his face. Vines and roots surged from the ground at the armored demoness and were pruned by her flaming whip like a knife through butter. More spread forth to take their place but the rapid lashes carved them all away. Roots shot up around the demon and hardened in an instant. The demon started to struggle as long thorns skewered it from all sides. The demon spasmed for a moment then laughed as her whip flurried around her, carving away the roots and she took to the air. Yen soared through the air dodging dark firebolts and mana blasts. The demoness glared in utter hatred then with a thought bore a malicious smile and pointed her hand at Kamala. Yen aimed her focus and the dark firebolt shot out shattered away in midair. A blur caught her eye as she glanced back to the demoness flying towards her. Yen started to focus her mana and fear found her face. Her senses returned just in time to cast a mana wall in front. The hellfire bolt broke through and exploded on her, Yen hurling out of the flames. The mystic armor around her holding up but her mind dazed from the impact. ¡°You should have known your place!¡± The demoness charged and Yen¡¯s expression grew fierce. Shin flickered in front of Cesar, a tremor raging in his palm and blinked away as Cesar¡¯s cutlass sliced the air at lightning speed. His shug form faded in an instant and Shin blitzed forward again twice as fast with the speed of quicken, just barely rolling away from the blade slashing down. ¡°You should have just led us there. You would have lived.¡± A rugged monstrous voice led Cesar¡¯s charge, the speed of his attacks forcing Shin on the defensive. Shin leaned back from a slash at a bad angle and Cesar swung his sword in an instant. A buckler found Shin¡¯s arm as he started to move and Cesar sneered, a burst of hellfire enveloping Shin in an instant and the blade followed. His sneer fell at the clang of his sword deflecting away as Shin in a white fox mask emerged from the flames unscathed and struck the horned demon with a vicious condensed tremor, sending him cratering into the cavern wall, his torso gravely injured. He darted away as golden holy fire crashed in the wall behind and Shin¡¯s invoke faded away again as he charged. ¡°Return!¡± Cesar roared but his commands fell on ears that could not obey. Donny tore his axe from the leathan¡¯s head. Kamala hovered in the air above the armored demoness¡¯ impaled body. And Yenny soared towards them, her opponent¡¯s body a burnt and broken corpse. Cesar took one look and fled back out through the portal, with Shin following right behind. And the three remaining charging after. Chapter 52 Shin exited the dungeon and vanished, cutting off Cesar¡¯s retreat. Cesar launched a fierce assault but Shin held his pace slow with counters and the threat of another tremor. Cesar¡¯s cutlass slashed him away as he swung his hand back, shattering a firebolt. As he saw the other three gaining, he let out a tremendous roar. The muscles and veins in his body swelled with a violent surge of aura and like a madman he charged. Shin strained his body to its fullest extent as the form of a shug took him and still he could not weather the assault, his body started to line with cuts and gashes. Only the wild absence of skill prevented him from succumbing fully. He remained as long as he could but finally blinked away as the blade nearly carved him in two. Cesar glanced back, his eyes filled with rage, then burst away towards the town with a roar. A hundred players with blackened eyes and blackened veins poured out of the gates and over the walls, swarming towards the party as Cesar barrelled his way through them back into the town. ¡°I¡¯ll kill Cesar.¡± Shin said as he dashed off to the side, avoiding the eyes of the horde. ¡°Pull aggro.¡± Yen urged Donny, as a malakh found Kamala¡¯s side. Donny leapt forward and unleashed a taunting roar. The mad eyes of the demonic humans grew madder still, most locking their eyes and hostility on the grand knight. He leaned low with a look of exhilaration and shot forth, the impact of his charge breaking and mangling a dozen enemies. The eyes of the horde slid to the stationery knight like ravenous zombies and lunged straight into the concussive shockwave of a Thunderstomp, crashing the first of the horde surrounding him into the others. Among them a brown haired warrior with a scar across his face more eager than any, but none of the party took notice. The demonic humans rose quickly and were roasted alive as Yen circled Donny, casting a stream of fire. She soared away burning as many of the clustered players as she could like a dragon in the sky. Arrows and thrown weapons bounced off of her armament skill as shot a firebolt to a group of archers. She spewed fire again, glancing around for her next target as an arrow swirling with mana broke her spell of armament and a stone maul slammed into her, knocking her out of the air and crashing along the ground, mystic armor shattering on impact. A glean flashed over her body just before a dome of vines surrounded her in layers and more lashed out from the ground at the ferocious horde. Kamala flew towards Yen under a volley of arrows straying her course and forcing her low. As she neared the ground a demonic human sprung from the shadows and thrust a dagger in her back through the mystic armor around her. The player¡¯s grin spread wide at the sight of blood and pain and twist the dagger just before its head was removed by the malakh. ¡°Donny!¡± Kamala shouted. The knight battling fiercely within the fray took one glance and let out another roar, drawing the horde back to him, three dozen strong. Kamala winced as she summoned two more angels to join the knight against the swarm and cast greater buffer around herself. The vine dome opened up and brought Yen towards Kamala, resting her on an incline against her lap as she tried to wake the unconscious mage without shaking her head too much. --- Cesar rampaged through the town he had called his for most of the stage, slowly stumbling to a stop. A sporadic lash of his arm destroyed part of a building with the last of his rage before he finally got it under control. With his mind set straight he cursed the wretched goblin. How he still could not match him after taking up the stranger¡¯s offer and becoming this monster eluded him. His head jolted to the side and slashed away an arrow as another struck his shoulder, lightning surging through his body from the talismans attached, stunning him for a moment. Shin blinked behind and kicked the demon¡¯s head, the destructive power of tremor sending him crashing straight through a building. He rose to his feet, the ironclad skin around his skull he just barely managed to use cracked. ¡°You¡­ I could have had everything!¡± He severed a wooden pillar through the afterimage of Shin. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. A surge of aura and rage filled Cesar once again as a heavy greatsword found his hand and he burst forth, shattering the cobblestone as Shin blitzed away. Cesar cratered the ground, tore through stone, and ran through buildings as Shin led him through the obstacles of the town in the deadly game of tag. Shin blinked away again as the monstrous demon lunged, demolishing another building. Shin dropped down in the open street, his eyes deep and unfathomable. Cesar lunged with a mad swing and Shin twisted under it in place, his foot slamming into the demon¡¯s jaw with a wide tremor. Cesar¡¯s head snapped back, his jaw shattered, body leaning back in the air. Shin¡¯s foot found a stance perfectly, a second tremor condensing fiercely in his fist, and slammed it down into the demon¡¯s torso. The monster crashed through two stone buildings and cratered the town walls. Blood spurt from Cesar¡¯s mouth, as the demon slumped down. ¡°No¡­ No, no no. NOOOO!¡± With black clawed hands he impaled his own heart and an ominous magic circle appeared beneath him. ¡°Make me stronger! I¡¯ll give you everything!¡± Cesar¡¯s horns grew as his body swelled. Spikes sprouted on his shoulders, elbows and knees as aura exploded around him. The blur of a greatsword grazed Shin¡¯s visage as he blinked away. A sword infused with celestial flame pierced the strengthened demon¡¯s back, searing its flesh and soul. Shin leapt high off the air, just before it swung a mighty arm back that ripped through the air, casting more holy fire over it as he went. The ground shattered under Cesar¡¯s feet as he burst up right in front of Shin, wrenching down his monstrous blade surging with aura and blackened mana. And Shin blocked it clean on his cobalt sword, deftly angling it so the greatsword slid harmlessly down before the impact could reach him. He stepped back from another slash as the demon started to fall, and condensed a Tremor, pouring the bulk of his remaining mana until the pulsing waves grew like a violent sun in the palm of his hand. Cesar thrust his sword as Shin burst off the air, letting the demonic blade cut into his side as he slammed his fist down like thunder. Shockwaves burst in the air as Cesar cratered the ground, ripping up the stone street and destroying the buildings surrounding him. ¡°I could¡­ have¡­¡± A bloodied and broken Cesar murmured. Shin took the spatial bags from around his belt. ¡°None of this is yours.¡± A white mask found his face and golden fire set the demon ablaze, his final screams of pain dissipated in the wind as the oni berserker¡¯s body turned to ash. Shin stayed only long enough to confirm his death, then flickered back to the others. --- Donny stood amidst a field of corpses. Cuts and bruises atop broken bones lined his body drenched in blood, his left eye slashed apart and blood draining from his severed right forearm. His lungs heaved in breath as he barely held onto consciousness. His broken body moved on its own, taking a step towards the others before his leg gave out and he slumped over. Kamala caught him just before he hit the ground and laid him upright. Golden light enveloped Donny for a moment before she stopped, panic in her eyes betraying her stoic face. She paused for only a moment before mana surged and crackled in her hands. With a fierce expression, light burst around her. Golden light enveloped Donny once more as she channelled her upgraded skill. Mana poured through her as she focused on the wounds within, his internal organs a mess and bones broken all over. His labored breathing started to ease but the light started to flicker and vanished. Kamala desperately tried to cast again to no avail, consciousness starting to slip away from her at the mana fatigue. She pulled out a vial of red liquid and held it to his lips but Shin appeared beside them in an instant. Without a word he raised his hand, light bursting off his body, and Donny¡¯s wounds began to heal once more. Donny found himself within a pitch black void, his mind slipping in and out. ¡°Here me, warrior.¡± Donny¡¯s eyes followed the sound of the voice, his hazy vision barely making out an armored man before him with the glowing eyes of a lion. ¡°Here me if thou art fearless. If thou crave battle. If brutality runs through thy veins! Prove yourself most worthy before the Lord of Slaughter.¡± Donny¡¯s eyes jolted open to the glare of sunlight. His right hand leaned off the ground as he sat up, taking notice of it immediately along with his eye. ¡°Thanks.¡± He smiled at Kamala. ¡°...Shin did most of the work.¡± ¡°You would have died before I got here though.¡± Shin admitted casually. ¡°Thought you said we can¡¯t die?¡± Yen pressed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. Kamala¡¯s here.¡± Kamala¡¯s stoic gaze lingered with just a hint of emotion. She glanced down a little, then raised her head, vigor returning to her poise. ¡°Blessing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°True or Greater?¡± ¡°True¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re all talking to gods then.¡± Donny rose to his feet. ¡°You too?¡± Shin tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Nah, just a message. A quest, I guess.¡± Yen glanced down to the side in silence at the talk, her expression complicated. ¡°Killed the boss, though right?¡± ¡°Yeah. A lot of gold.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s the first thing done. Should probably recover in the training grounds before we head back in.¡± Donny rose to his feet, stretching his still aching body. ¡°Mm.¡± The party of four headed back towards their base over a trail of bodies, their hollow eyed leader darting back and forth taking anything of value. --- A young man watched through a swirling crystal ball with snide amusement. Long brown hair combed back and sharp elven features. He balanced the crystal in his hands gazing at the boy amidst ruin and ash. ¡°I wish¡­ I wish¡­¡± Chapter 53 Shin stood in a trance within the walls of the training grounds. The soothing presence of the energies of the world enveloped him, seeping deep into the core of his being, and he chose. Light burst around Shin and the dense feeling of mana remained. [Meditation has upgraded to Mana Meditation.] A more limited version of the general skill before, no longer increasing the speed of aura recovery nor being a substitute for rest but Shin had nearly outgrown the need for sleep in the short term and mana was of far more importance than aura. He channeled the skill and as before, it compounded with the recovery increase of his black silk shirt. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re ready.¡± Shin stopped his training as Yen and Kamala approached him. Donny¡¯s eyes opened from a quick nap leaning against a wall and walked over. The four left the training grounds for the final time without ceremony and walked calmly through the silent streets. ¡°It¡¯s like a ghost town now¡­¡± Yen muttered. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t recognize any storekeepers in the horde. Must have got sacrificed with the others.¡± Donny mentioned and Yen glanced at the tailor store with a quiet, difficult expression. Shin led the party to the inscription store covered in talismans and knocked twice on the side door. Nothing happened for moments but the door soon opened to an old short gnome who glanced around. ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Shame.¡± Her tone blunt and distant but a faint sincerity held her expression. ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡± ¡°Yeah, seems about time.¡± Grenda tossed a spatial bag into his hands. ¡°That should tide you over for a while. No one left to sell them to anyway.¡± Shin looked back. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Grenda kept silent for a few somber moments. ¡°The Tower is vast. We won¡¯t meet again.¡± Shin tilted his head to the side just slightly then looked back at the old mentor. ¡°Bye.¡± With a casual genuine word he walked off. ¡°Good luck, boy.¡± Grenda watched them walk away for a moment and closed her door. ¡°It¡¯s always weird when you have actual feelings.¡± Shin didn¡¯t respond to her jab, turning her expression a bit awkward and guilty. ¡°...it¡¯s good she made it though.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate by killing some drakes, yeah?¡± Donny encouraged from the side. Shin looked ahead. ¡°Yeah.¡± --- A firebolt from the roaring drake dissolved in the wind. Shin appeared above the monster and shattered the section of flame nova around him as his tremoring fist crashed its head into the ground, skull caved in. The horn of the twin drake¡¯s other head shone and an axe cleaved through half its neck. It wreathed for only an instant before a second swing beheaded it fully. Shin tapped the four chests appearing before the twin headed horned drake¡¯s corpse and pocketed the fire resistance item himself, the last they needed. Two portals opened up to the side but the party only took interest in the large one ahead swirling into existence. ¡°Final boss¡­¡± Yen declared. ¡°Gonna put in 300. My stats are spread out.¡± Shin opened his status as well and allotted 200 points without a second thought, 75 into Spirit and 125 into Perception. He had initially planned to put it all into Spirit but his fight with Cesar proved his vision was still lacking at this level. He could still manage his preparations, if just barely. [Rank has advanced to Greater Lord. 300 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Acquired uncommon tier skill Soul Strike.] [Acquired uncommon tier skill See Through Spirits.] Shin picked his two options without a second thought. Soul Strike opened a new avenue of attack he greatly needed. Something that could get around the invulnerability and high tier defensive skills growing more common by the day. Soul traits were far rarer in comparison, at least by his experience up until now. See Through Spirits was rather unremarkable but a necessary bare utility, he felt, as his eyes did have limitations, especially within dungeons. [Human Onmyoji (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 578 (751) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Heal lvl. 1, Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 10, Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Mana Meditation lvl. 1, Galvanize lvl. 10, Harvest Spirit lvl. 6, Invoke lvl. 10, Tremor lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Orb lvl. 10, Greater Spiral lvl. 10, Ward lvl. 1, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Soul Strike lvl. 1, See Through Spirits lvl. 1, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Donny and Kamala allotted their points and chose their skills calmly but Yen hesitated before her screen with a troubled expression. Arguments and second guesses swam through her head as her unsure expression fell low, standing still for a few moments after making her choice before joining up with the party last. ¡°Good?¡± ¡°Just stand in front of it long enough for me to carry this team.¡± Yen snapped back. Donny smiled and looked ahead. Shin stepped first and they followed him through the portal into a wide towering corridor across and another straight ahead. The walls and floor meticulously constructed from dark brown stone, lined with intricate pillars and carvings. A far cry from the savage nature of the tunnels they had spent so much time in, the only similarities being the torches along the walls dimly lightning the way. Donny relaxed his stance a little but not his focus. ¡°Guess we¡¯re not getting into it right away.¡± ¡°Another maze¡­ Boss room is hidden somewhere through all this. Hey Shin, which way?¡± A puff of smoke gave way to a floating paper ball with a dotted vertical square in the center, and a second summoned a fat humanoid being. Shin closed an eye, the other turning prismatic, and led them right for no particular reason. The lumbering Oaf origami¡¯s footsteps silent but seemingly having a fair amount of weight. The party followed after equally without word, Donny taking position at the rearguard. Through the corridors veering right or left as Shin chose their path random, the crossroads all the same they walked, the design of the walls flanking them indistinguishable by any metric. No sign of monsters nor traps for a long stretch which only heightened their wariness. ¡°People. Seven.¡± Shin dashed ahead silently, his presence fading. He snuck closer to properly inspect the party before them and with a shift in his eye, darted forward beheading two in an instant. Knives sank into three who started to open their mouths and he slew a sixth while taking only the sword arm and punching the throat of the last. The man fell gasping for air in pain, donning white robes and a scaled mask covering the top half of his face just as the others did, the only difference between them the weapons they wielded. ¡°Where is the boss?¡± The others appeared as Shin began his questioning. The masked man¡¯s face stretched into a mad strained smile. ¡°All will serve Him. All will see His greatness and kneel.¡± Shin stabbed a sword through the man¡¯s leg. ¡°Where is he?¡± The man winced in pain but quickly grew into mad cackling. ¡°All will serve. Surrender to Him.¡± He inhaled sharply and Shin beheaded him. He didn¡¯t know what the man had tried to do but It didn¡¯t seem like he could get reliable information from him anyway, whether interrogation or torture. Owing to that sentiment was their status. [Dragon Cultist (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 Agility - 300 Constitution - 300 Vitality - 300 Dexterity - 300 Perception - 300 Force - 300 Spirit - 300 Control - 300 Willpower - 300 ¡°What¡¯s wrong with their stats...?¡± Yen looked around at each. ¡°Are they players or monsters?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Shin rose to his feet at Donny¡¯s question. The floating eye and oaf moved to the front again and continued on. ¡°Guess not.¡± It took only three turns to find the next batch of cultists. Shin signalled the party and sped ahead. The broadsword turned to two in his hands as he blurred, taking the heads of six before they could even move. A seventh variant stood at the back, muscular and donning simple scaled armor with a helm for a mask covering all but his mouth. Shin flickered towards him, a thrust faded into a feint and he slashed down on the warrior¡¯s neck. A dull clang sounded as his blade struck scales that spread across the man¡¯s skin, and a draconic wail left his lips, loud and piercing. Shin flickered an estoc through the man¡¯s eye and kicked his body away, sliding back to the three way intersection. He could feel no damage to his body nor was there any strain on his mind. The others raced next to him, Donny and Yen each taking point at one of the other directions and Kamala in the center ready to assist whoever needed it, all having come to the same conclusion. Silence held the air, and then a torrent of noise. Hordes of cultists charged from all directions, along with their variants. A firebolt blasted away the enemies at Yen¡¯s side and then another but still more burst forward, charred and zealous. A sharp vine broke through the cracks in the ground and speared a cultist, shooting forth to skewer several more before a ball of frost froze it solid at the center and a scale armored woman sprang forth. Fire streamed over her but still she charged to Yen¡¯s panic. The stream of fire condensed burning the relentless warrior until she fell over, her face shattering on the ground like charcoal. The vine broke off at the frostbitten section and snaked around a mana wall to skewer a hooded cultist. Donny carved through his share of cultists with a keen edged obsidian axe, his eyes scanning the wide corridor. He darted to the side, and sent one tumbling into the crowd with a bash of his shield. He darted back to the other side and slew a cultist with his swing. An armored man burst in front of the fray, scales covering sharp clawed hands, and a great impact shot his body into the crowd like a cannon, breaking and mangling all he struck. Aura dissolved from Donny¡¯s shield and he charged, slaughtering all with abandon. A fireball parried off his shield into a cultist rushing from his side and he darted forward, sidestepping the mage¡¯s mana wall and cleaving through his head. A quick shockwave from his feet threw the disorganized mess of cultists to the floor and walls once more and he reaped them one by one. He spun around sharp, parrying a clawed fist from a second warrior. The warrior¡¯s glance snapped to the side and reached out to an axe swung at his waist, catching nothing but the false image of a feint as Donny cleaved through his neck. Fake, the skill was called, upgraded from a skill he learned naturally, and it was already showing its worth. Donny gave the bodies on the floor and the path they came from a quick glance and rushed back to the group before his steps slowed to an easy walk. Shin had already rejoined the casters, both having taken care of their sides, and now glanced around at the variants, finding all identical in status. [Dragon Cultist Mage (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 Agility - 300 Constitution - 300 Vitality - 300 Dexterity - 300 Perception - 300 Force - 700 Spirit - 500 Control - 350 Willpower - 400 [Dragon Cultist Warrior (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 600 Agility - 400 Constitution - 300 Vitality - 500 Dexterity - 350 Perception - 300 Force - 300 Spirit - 300 Control - 300 Willpower - 300 ¡°This is worse than the dens¡­ One shout and we have to deal with a horde?¡± Yen glanced at a body before inspecting it with a kick. ¡°They don¡¯t seem like golems or anything so why do they fight like zombies and why are their stats so fucking clean?¡± ¡°If we have to deal with this every time, we¡¯re not going to have much left for the boss.¡± ¡°Shin¡¯s just gonna have to assassinate them cleanly.¡± ¡°Could be a long trip. Making our trump card run out of energy isn¡¯t much better.¡± Yen fell silent in thought before turning to Shin. ¡°How did they even get a chance to use that roar?¡± ¡°Scales.¡± Shin answered, one eye closed. ¡°Can you take down a squad without using mana?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Maybe? Seven of these assholes should be easy for you.¡± Shin looked back to her, one eye still closed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s over there.¡± Chapter 54 ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have gone in¡­ I told them¡­ I told them we shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± A man with disheveled hair and a frayed expression muttered to himself over and over, so lost in his own mind he didn¡¯t even register the four standing right in front of him. ¡°Hey.¡± The man gave no reaction, not even a flicker of the eyes. Yen frowned and kicked the man as she called out again. ¡°Hey!¡± The man startled and looked up for the first time, his face falling into despair and terror. ¡°Don¡¯t take me! I won¡¯t go! Go! Go away, please! Stay away, you bastards! Please¡­¡± Shin knelt in front of him, eyes deep and consuming. ¡°We¡¯re not cultists.¡± The man stunned still for a moment then slumped into a calm, his expression one of daunted gloom. ¡°They¡¯ll turn us all¡­ Take us away¡­ can¡¯t get out, no way out¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean turn?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Take us all¡­ The masks¡­ Can¡¯t run, nowhere to run¡­¡± ¡°Are there traps in this dungeon?¡± Shin ignored the man¡¯s rambling. ¡°Traps¡­ trap us all¡­ take us¡­¡± ¡°Traps on the ground?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them scream¡­ They come if they scream¡­¡± Shin looked at him for a moment and then never again, walking off without a word, leading the way with his origami. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get more out of him?¡± Yen asked as they all followed. ¡°No point.¡± ¡°By turning, did he mean players can be turned into cultists?¡± Kamala questioned. ¡°Maybe. Still doesn¡¯t explain their stats though.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you fixated on that?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you?¡± Yen asked Donny. ¡°I never seen anyone or any person with stats like that. Something¡¯s off.¡± ¡°More important things to worry about. This layer being connected means we¡¯re gonna run into all the elites.¡± ¡°I know¡­ We need more members. Anyone good from your side from the world who¡¯ll join us and not stab us in the back?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Great¡­¡± Shin signalled them and rushed ahead, his footsteps very quiet by not completely silent. A flurry of blade and blood felled the patrol of cultists, seven in total just as before. Shin removed the mask of one revealing a scaled abomination. He looked back as the party was catching up. ¡°I can do it without mana.¡± --- Shin assassinated another patrol as the party travelled through the massive maze of corridors without issue. For valuable hours now they maintained the status quo, recovering mana and aura in their search for the final boss. Shin paused and the party stopped with him. The silent pair of paper golem scouts returned and headed back down a new path. There was no need to question why as this was hardly the first time it had happened. Shin had detected a party ahead and deemed it a problem. The chance of a fight was far too great of a risk for the possibility of information they could gain by approaching them. All four were in agreement to confront a party weak enough to maintain the upper hand but such ones appeared to be scarce at this stage. They continued on in silence at a brisk pace, the two casters sparring the mana needed for their long duration flight skills, but even then they came across little but scattered patrols, numerous if not strong. Shin flickered ahead reaping another seven, this time stopping short as he peered carefully over the wall at the turn. ¡°A room.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± ¡°50 cultists. Two monsters that look like dragonewts without wings. Can¡¯t identify them.¡± ¡°Best to assume the worst then. Me and Shin will keep the two dragons busy while you two take out the masks.¡± ¡°Just make sure you clear a path.¡± Yen approved of his plan. Shin glanced around the corner again and burst off with Donny right beside. The eyes of the dragon headed humanoids snapped to them the moment they passed through the doorway and charged. Shin struck his with a condensed tremor and Donny with the shield rush of critical impact, both sent theirs crashing to the wall behind, merely cracking the wall as the two rose back up immediately. [Dragonborn (epic) - Greater Lord] Donny darted to the side, carving the cultists nearest the door before sending a row of them crashing back with a thunderous stomp. Mara appeared at the back of the room on Shin¡¯s side and unleashed a piercing concussive scream, blowing back the crowd. A buckler found Shin¡¯s arm just in time for a jagged sword to ricochet into the ground. Shin thrust his estoc at the dragonborn¡¯s eye and it slipped its head past, a sharp scaled hand clawing the air as he backed away. A greataxe of the other crashed into Donny¡¯s shield, neutralized by Bastion but a cleave in return found only the iron coated scales of its neck. A flurry of vicious swings were barely parried away before the grand knight was forced to use his buff of quicken to outspeed the stronger monster. Yen soared through the doorway first and shot a firebolt at two cultist warriors on the right before unleashing a stream of fire on the survivors. Kamala flew opposite, a small grove blooming in front, rapidly growing into long sharp tendrils to skewer her share. Fire and vines decimated the cultists as a fierce battle raged in the center. Shin strained his body passed its natural limits and eclipsed the dragonborn¡¯s speed even without the draining use of Quicken. His body blurred as he parried and dodged, striking with every weapon in his arsenal but none could penetrate the armor like scales that covered his foes entire body. He feinted a slash and pierced his estoc at the creature¡¯s eyes but again it dodged, perception allowing it to use skills at a speed that surpassed his own. Shin ducked under a slash of its sword and struck its torso with his bare fist, deep blue light enveloping his fist for a moment. The dragonborn grimaced but resumed its attack just as fierce. Two more strikes bore only a scowl on its face and a new attack. Fire spewed from its mouth, fierce and terrible enough to melt the stone beneath them as Shin darted around to avoid the same fate. Fire exploded behind them and a moment later the dragonborn froze in place and Shin flickered forward immediately, piercing his estoc through corner of its eye where an ironcoat failed to reach in time. The scaled warrior spasmed and slashed one more time before slumping to the ground. [Dragonborn (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 600 Agility - 600 This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Constitution - 600 Vitality - 600 Dexterity - 600 Perception - 600 Force - 600 Spirit - 600 Control - 600 Willpower - 600 Skills: Slash lvl. 10, Fire Breath lvl. 10, Ironclad lvl. 10, Burst lvl. 10, Quicken lvl. 10 Traits: Iron Scales (epic), Mana Eyes (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), ¡°Fuck, you two couldn¡¯t handle it by yourselves? These are just regulars.¡± ¡°They¡¯re harder to kill than it looks.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t good¡­¡± Yen stressed. ¡°If the boss can tank hits like that and is resistant to fire, we¡¯re fucked.¡± A simple stone bouncing off the ground at the other doorway across the room drew everyone¡¯s eyes, even Shin¡¯s, just for an instant. A palm pierced through Yen¡¯s chest, soaked in blood with the shattered fragments of mystic armor around her. A shirtless young man, with red skin and short spiky white hair stood behind, malicious glee staining his pitch black eyes with yellow pupils. [Human Barbarian (epic) - Greater Lord] Shin moved first, then Kamala¡¯s vines and Donny right after, time slowing to a crawl, and finally Yen. Her body wreathed in flames and the man pulled back a singed arm on reflex and burst away as fire exploded from the mage with a scream of pure fury. A stream of fire chased the man as he darted away, his smile turned to one of amusement. And then he vanished. A tremoring kick stopped firm against the gong of bastion behind Kamala before she realized. The man darted away from the ensnaring roots and a force held him in place, soaring firebolt following. The force around him shattered as he slipped back, letting the attack exploded on the wall to his side. A tremoring punch from above struck the veil of bastion once again, Shin¡¯s eyes filled with calm intensity. The man¡¯s smile widened at the look in his eyes and reached out as an obsidian axe cleaving down on his head forced him to spin away. Kamala flew to the back in the opening, the grove in the corner growing further. Yenny uncast her fire mimicry, her expression still fierce but the need to stay her assault with her teammates too close to the enemy gave her enough time to regain some composure. The barbarian took one glance at the party bearing down on him and aura surged over him, more powerfully than with Cesar. The floor cracked beneath the man¡¯s feet and a fist hurled towards Shin¡¯s head in an instant, snapping through an afterimage as Shin¡¯s speed doubled. His saber clanged off the berserker¡¯s ironclad neck as a critical impact caught him clean from the side. The red skinned man crashed along the ground once before flipping to his feet and burst forward, meeting a second impact head on with his shoulder of equal force, the floor cracking beneath them. The barbarian hammered down a fist surging with aura against Donny¡¯s shield, covered in Bastion, and a palm beneath dented the knight¡¯s armor, sending him crashing through the room into the wall. Golden light enveloped Donny as he pushed off back into battle. A second palm swatted a firebolt apart, and a volley of arrows threaded with talismans shot past as he dodged each one. Shin knocked another, ready to shear down the berserker¡¯s stamina before killing him, but something caught his eye. An armored cultist having just entered the room, about to inhale deeply. Shin loosed his arrow straight for the man¡¯s throat and pierced the berserker¡¯s palm, sneering as he snapped the arrow in his fist and a wail filled the world. The dragon cultist warrior lunged at the berserker and a hammer fist broke its neck clean. The demonic man darted through arrows and vines with a smile, waiting for his work to bear fruit. The room soon thundered with roars and steps as a horde of cultists stampeded through the second doorway. ¡°Donny.¡± Shin spoke as he flickered next to the barbarian, resuming a relentless exchange. The knight charged forward without hesitation with a taunting roar, hacking and chopping the cultists away. The sheer numbers and range they spread out forced him further and further back to hold the line. Two crossed past as he slew another and were impaled on sharpened vines. A flame appeared in the center of the horde and bloomed into a great blaze burning most of the regulars away but more flowed in ceaselessly. Three warriors rushed him, driving him back as he struggled to fend off their attacks. Kamala¡¯s vines snaked through the fray, skewering as many as she could, but she started to find resistance from the mages and Yen was forced to stay her hand, keeping the mana she had remaining for the biggest threat in the room. Shin slashed, sliced, and pierced at the barbarian, the weapons in his hands changing erratically and effectively. A tremoring mass enveloped Shin¡¯s left hand, holding it steady in place, ready to use the moment the berserker made a move for the others too big. The madman seemed to relish in the game even through the minor cuts he allowed to slip through for the sake of avoiding more serious injuries, taunting and feinting intentions to reach the casters, while slowing pressing the fight towards them. In the thick of battle, the barbarian¡¯s eyes squinted slightly in mockery, and a red palm shot out from his thrust, knocking Donny to the side of the wall. Like water through a broken dam, the cultists surged. Exhilaration filled the berserker¡¯s face, welcoming the chaos. And just as suddenly as it erupted, it came to a halt. The cultist¡¯s shouts and chants turned to frustration as they struggled in place, barely able to budge as if bound by wire. Through the horde of masked cultists a man walked into the room as though it was his own domain. ¡°Prostrate before me.¡± Dark blue hair hung over white cloth wrapped around his eyes. Fine silk and attire of a base rogue donned his body and his face held a smile of unparalleled confidence and certainty. ¡°Xerxes be mine name. King of Kings.¡± The horde of cultists severed into chunks of flesh all at once, glinting blood revealing the web of wires lining the room. ¡°I shall conquer all.¡± [Human Assassin (epic) - Greater Lord] The barbarian stood still with a nonplussed expression as he took in the situation. Then amusement and interest found his face. ¡°Bando Koga. Hardworking farmer. Just having some fun.¡± Xerxes looked at him for a moment, then broke into a bigger smile. ¡°I see.¡± Shin blurred as lightning flash lash of wire tore through his afterimage, and a severed arm hit the floor. ¡°I will suffer no snakes in my court.¡± Surprise struck Bando¡¯s face one again at the sheer speed of the attack but excitement at the perceived hilarity regained its ground and he charged towards the party. Shin whipped into action, kitsune mask and attire finding his body as Mara and Shug appeared. Vines surged at the charging barbarian as he vanished with a foreboding smile only for his absolute stealth to vanish as Kong struck him from behind. Shin dodged through the medley of wires slicing the floor as though it were paper, prismatic eyes darted back and forth between the two opponents. Mara flew away to the back at his command and let out a sonic scream. The man calling himself Xerxes flickered to the side with ease and resumed his attack, lashing and piercing wires drawing closer to their mark. Shin felt Kong be destroyed behind him as the barbarian darted back from the enveloping vines and vanished again. As Shin rushed towards Bando, drawing closer to the party unable to perceive him at all, light burst from Mara let out a screech at the blind assassin. ¡°I will be useful!¡± [Siren Scornwreaker (uncommon) - Greater Lord] Strength - 127 Agility - 206 Constitution - 114 Vitality - 147 Dexterity - 161 Perception - 204 Force - 422 Spirit - 348 Control - 275 Willpower - 257 Skills: Sonic Scream lvl. 9, High Pitch lvl. 6, Luring Song lvl. 9, Screech lvl. 10, Charm lvl. 7, Traits: Sound Magnification (rare), Nightvision (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Minor Curse Resistance (uncommon), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Charming Resistance (uncommon), Xerxes¡¯ expression strained slightly and then shifted altogether. Bando¡¯s left arm severed from his body, undoing his invisibility, and the barbarian flashed away across the room, coming to a sliding stop. ¡°You would betray me twice, Brutus?¡± A serious expression and presence held Xerxes. Bando stared at him, more wary of the blind stranger than any other, his arm regrowing in moments. Tension held the air before a smile found his face and his posture relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll try again later.¡± With a blur, he vanished down the path the party had entered from. Their attention thus turned solely to the wire master, remaining still with a emotionless expression. ¡°He who overcomes desire is greater than he who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.¡± The wires shed their invisibility and wrapped neatly around the arms of the self proclaimed king, and he turned away with a smile. ¡°Farewell, my subjects.¡± The party held silent for a while, before Shin sent a floating eye after Xerxes and darted off in the other direction, returning shortly. ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°What the fuck!¡± Yen snapped. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Yen shouted, somewhere between distress and rage. ¡°Clan kids?¡± Donny looked to Shin and Kamala. ¡°The Koga were once unrivaled in assassination and espionage, although I thought they had been massacred¡­¡± Kamala turned to Shin. ¡°Yuna said some got away.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I think Xerxes is a Kamo.¡± Shin suggested. ¡°It¡¯s likely.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s their deal? Wires?¡± Donny interjected. ¡°Magic and curses.¡± ¡°No one knows truly. They are a clan mired in secrecy and the occult.¡± ¡°Fucking psychos¡­¡± Yen nearly spat as she glanced between the two paths. ¡°Which way are going?¡± ¡°Ahead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the worst one.¡± She objected. ¡°We should hunt down that red piece of shit while he¡¯s low.¡± Shin tilted his head in thought. ¡°But we haven¡¯t gone this way yet.¡± ¡°Hey, look at the bigger picture.¡± ¡°Bigger picture is we find more teammates before taking on more powerhouses.¡± Donny suggested. ¡°...fine.¡± Yen relented, the idea of continuously going through what they just had not the most appealing in her mind. ¡°He went down a crossroad. We can go now.¡± Shin waited on the party. Donny got the message and took the vanguard as Shin changed to the rear, taking care to stay vigilant on the path behind. Chapter 55 ¡°Flash!¡± Micah jolted in the direction of their leader and cast a blinding flash down the full length of the path. The cultists¡¯ movements slowed and became sloppy enough for the leather cloaked leader to cut a few rows of them apart with his greatsword. Fire, frost, even acid did little to slow down the fanatical enemies, leaving Greater Flash as the most effective support skill in his arsenal. Seeing Ivan regain dominance on his side, the freckled faced wizard glanced around the other four tunnels from the center of the intersection they found themselves in. Each of the other three had two front line fighters as none but their leader could handle a swarm on their own, and beside him stood his fellow casters and support, Dolores an old conjurer and Ekow their healer. A frost undine floated behind one side, their weakest, casting frostball after frostball at the center of the horde, giving their scout and shieldbearer slight breaks inbetween the endless fighting. The two had been paired as Cheng was their best vanguard and Jordan possessed little combat ability in comparison, evident by desperate flailing. A fireball destroyed the Frost Undine and Dolores frowned, calling another immediately, this one a gray wind element. ¡°Help!¡± The side to their left started to fall back as the cultists overwhelmed them. Micah shot another flash and Dolores sent her undine, but a scream brought their attention to the weakest side, Jordan recoiling with half an arm. Ekow started healing in an instant but it would take time to regenerate an injury and the wave was pushing Cheng back. A third flash blared down the corridor to assist him but Cheng¡¯s pummeling could only do so much damage. Micah started to conjurer wisping purple mist and stopped himself. The last time he had done so, it had been shouted back at them, causing just as much harm as it had help. A man crashed into the ground next to him, the swordsman of the final corridor, clutching a broken arm. Their archer shot arrows in rapid succession as she backed away, the cultists gaining ground with every second. Micah froze in fear, the lines breaking down from all sides, mad eyed cultists roaring with jubilation. Shin and Donny broke through their weakest side, a trail of corpses behind them. A quick glance sent Shin rushing to the archer¡¯s side, a siren appearing above him, knocking over the horde with a piercing scream. Donny burst left, hacking down the enemies alongside their tired leader, and Yen flew out to the left, blasting away her share with a single firebolt. Mere seconds was all it took for the three of them to massacre the wave they had struggled so desperately against. Kamala followed behind on angel wings, adding her heal to the scout, tripling the speed his arm regrew. Shin hopped back to the side of the forester and Yen joined him back on the ground. Donny flourished the blood off his axe as he walked over, keeping a casual vigilance on Ivan until he too had regrouped. Yen placed a hand on her hip as she stood at the helm of the party with domineering confidence. ¡°Stand guard for us while we train, and we¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°We can protect ourselves.¡± A deep gruff voice came from the grim faced leader. [Human Executioner (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Clearly you can¡¯t.¡± Yen brushed an equally intense stare over him, her demeanor certain and unfazed. ¡°You should watch your mouth.¡± Ivan stepped to her, his hostility growing. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Cheng put a hand on the executioner¡¯s chest to stop him. ¡°We can all be friends here.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s a good idea. We need some time to recover.¡± Micah sputtered out support for Cheng¡¯s sentiment. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight.¡± Ekow offered his persuasion to Ivan, who glanced around at his party and silently backed down. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Micah awkwardly greeted the party. ¡°Good to see you, Freckles.¡± ¡°Pushing your luck trying to fight the last boss.¡± Yen added. ¡°I thought you were smarter than this.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well¡­¡± Micah¡¯s response smothered out before hastily changing the subject. ¡°We saw you at the bazaar but didn¡¯t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves. This is Wolfsbane, because thieves are like wolves, you know.¡± Yen perked up just slightly. ¡°We are Nova.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a name.¡± The orange haired mage shot an annoyed glance at the hollow eyed boy ruining her image. ¡°Everyone in Ladron called you guys Vagabond. Because you just kind of went wherever you wanted and didn¡¯t have to follow Chato¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead except Grenda.¡± The casual tone of Shin¡¯s sudden reveal caught them off guard, realization delayed on their faces. ¡°Cesar sacrificed everyone to turn himself and his group into demons and we killed them.¡± ¡°Cesar is Chato.¡± Donny added, for their benefit. ¡°What about Matthew?!¡± The gray haired mage broke her stern bearing as she pressed Shin. Shin tilted his head. ¡°Who is that?¡± Dolores froze in a state just before grief, with something else swelling inside her. ¡°If they were in the town, they¡¯re dead.¡± Donny stepped in before anything more could be said on the matter. The old mage looked at him for a moment but remained silent. ¡°Do you find any traps?¡± Shin asked Micah, unconcerned with the detour of the conversation. ¡°No.¡± Micah responded on reflex. Shin summoned three floating eyes and sent them down random paths, staying quiet for a while before pointing straight ahead. ¡°That way.¡± --- The party sat and stood around in a corner focusing on their skills, Wolfsbane split into two groups of five at either direction. Some of the recently made underlings shot dissatisfied glances their way which were either ignored or fell unnoticed all together. Shin focused within, feeling for the difference between mana and aura. Mana was like a cool flowing breeze permeating himself and all around as naturally as air, while Aura was a simmering heat contained within his body. Shin felt each in turns, randomly and whimsical, and then the bond between stamina and the energy of life. [Galvanize has upgraded to epic tier Invigoration.] ¡®Convert mana into aura. Efficiency: 0.1.¡¯ It¡¯s efficiency was terrible at level 1, but Shin had succeeded. Now he could focus solely on Spirit over Vitality, but as for immediate goals, he had another fusion he desired. Ivan stared at the boy with restrained venom. ¡°They treat us like servants.¡± He said freely under the veil of silence. ¡°They acted like they owned the place back then too.¡± Dolores added, her demeanor sour. ¡°B-but this is better for us.¡± Micah stammered. ¡°We can deal with the hordes now and it¡¯s easier to train and we have a kind of safety net and, you know¡­¡± Hostile looks frayed his nerves as he resorted to spewing out his reasoning, trying to relieve the hostility. ¡°You like being an intern for them?¡± Jordan snapped, flustering the mage into broken sentences. ¡°Are you in my party or theirs?¡± Ivan stepped to him, bearing down with a pressure Micah crumbled under. ¡°Yours¡­¡± ¡°Good. We-¡± A draconic wail cut the Executioner off and a patrol of seven charged. A firebolt eviscerated all seven but rumbling from both directions soon followed. The party of four burst into action, joining the side of Wolfsbane lending only assistance as the other ten bore the brunt of the horde. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Shin struck a cultist with a fist enveloped in wisping green mana. The cultist staggered but took three more strikes until life left its body and it fell dead. A weak skill, Shin thought, too weak to be useful right now but training would change that. Beside him, a force shot a cultist straight back into the ground. Yen¡¯s skill was not a striking force but a form of limited telekinesis. A warrior charged and she pulled a second cultist back to crash into him. Neither skill did much but inconvenience their mad enemies but still the pyromancer continued using only those skills, the result of discussion among the four concluding that training their new uncommon tier skills against the horde would be more productive, now that they could leave the heavy lifting to another party. Soon the last of the cultists fell dead. A small tremoring and the sound of cracking stone came from the other side and soon the same reached them, as large roots enveloped the corpses, dragging them into the ground, small plants and herbs sprouting up in their place, steadily growing. The party returned to their corner back to training without a word, Micah watching with a difficult and hesitant expression. --- A dense translucent mist of blue mana surrounded Shin as he focused on the crackling of two skills in front. Mana Meditation had already been maxed now on this 28th day, quadrupling his recovery. It was though he were back in the training grounds, albeit at the cost of some strain on his mind. Donny and Kamala had already succeeded in their skill upgrades and were now resting up in preparation for what lay ahead, waiting for him and Yen. [Greater Spirit Orb and Greater Spiral have fused into epic tier Spirit Gyro.] ¡®Conjure a dense orb of spiralling ether.¡¯ The two skills in his hands broke into light and a green orb appeared before him. Looking carefully, the entire sphere was a cluster of green threads rotating violently and spinning on an axis of the center. Shin casually pushed his palm into the orb and it sheered down his fingers on contact. It was just as useful as he envisioned, Shin thought as he cast rejuvenation on his hand, though he would need a better test than his measly 65 Constitution to know exactly how useful. Shin scanned the result of the last few days of training. [Human Onmyoji (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 578 (751) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: Heal lvl. 3, Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 10, Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 2, Harvest Spirit lvl. 6, Invoke lvl. 10, Tremor lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 1, Ward lvl. 1, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Soul Strike lvl. 7, See Through Spirits lvl. 2, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Gyro would need to be his priority for the next few days as his only ranged magic attack but he would like to see Soul Strike maxed and upgraded, along with Condense to enhance the potency of trump card in Tremor. The shatter of a dim flash of light behind him stole his attention away. ¡°Ha!¡± Yen celebrated her skill upgrade, fueled by a sense of competitiveness and some frustration of being last. A thick semi spherical shield of mana hovered in the air before her. ¡°Thought you would get another fire skill for sure.¡± ¡°I need something to block dragon breath. You know, from the boss. In case you haven¡¯t figured that out yet.¡± ¡°Yeah no, I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around the mystery of the dragon cultists until just now.¡± Shin sent out two floating eyes in search of their next path as the two fell into another duel of quips. ¡°Um¡­¡± Shin looked up to find Micah coming to a stop before him, nervous and awkward. ¡°Can I join you?¡± The moment the wizard asked he seemed to lose confidence and panic slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not that strong, b-but I have a lot of support skills. I can be a real asset from the backline and make things easier and stuff and, and I can get whatever skills you want me to-¡± ¡°You can¡¯t follow me.¡± Shin cut him off, and Micah lost his voice. ¡°You¡¯re not enough.¡± Micah¡¯s face fell into silent devastation, his posture becoming listless as though something broke inside him. He lingered for a moment, unable to bring himself to respond at all, before walking away without a word. ¡°That was harsh¡­¡± Yen watch him leave with a trace of pity. ¡°Look at him, you crushed his soul.¡± ¡°Better to get the hard truth direct.¡± Donny commented. ¡°Yeah, but you could be like, tactful or something¡­ Anyway, I need you to help me level Shield.¡± Yen directed at Shin. ¡°We¡¯re going on our own.¡± Ivan approached in the middle of their conversation, stern and aggressive. ¡°Eager to run into a party less generous than us?¡± Pity left the mage¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you even know what¡¯s out there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your business.¡± ¡°Found a room.¡± Shin announced from his seat on the floor, before she could reply. ¡°Find a way around it.¡± Yen shot back immediately. ¡°There¡¯s something inside. Looks important.¡± ¡°...what¡¯s guarding this important thing.¡± ¡°50 cultists. Four dragonborn.¡± ¡°Can you two handle four?¡± ¡°Alone, yeah.¡± Donny answered. ¡°Fifty masks makes it difficult, but we could manage with some angels.¡± ¡°It is doable. But they are costly. If we run into a strong party shortly after, I won¡¯t have much left.¡± ¡°If your team takes out the cultists, we¡¯ll give you a rare tier item each.¡± Donny looked towards Ivan. The tall executioner showed some interest but didn¡¯t respond. ¡°My fault. Didn¡¯t realize you were in a position where you could pass that up.¡± ¡°Two. Each.¡± Donny almost laughed. ¡°Are you mad? That¡¯s 500 gold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Both glanced at the boy rising to his feet, looking Ivan in the eyes. ¡°Two each if you kill the cultists.¡± Ivan nodded and returned to his party, filling them in on what he decided, as the four of them readied for a tough fight, no one showing any complaints at Shin¡¯s offer. Ivan brought his people to heel and the two parties made their way to the treasure room Shin found without delay. Ivan and his party gave each other a glance and then to them before rushing around the corner and through the doorway. Ivan cleaved through two cultists with a single swing and pressed the line further as Cheng bashed all who came near his advance, doing the same. The archer followed behind first, thinning the crowd of cultists arrow by arrow to control the swarm as the remaining three frontline members joined the vanguard. The dragonborn unleashed empowering roars and Donny blitzed into one, sending it crashing into the one behind. Shin flickered in front of the other by his side and a condensed tremor sent it flying into the pair just as they start to rise. A firebolt straining nearly to its limits exploded on all three as the remaining dragonborn burst towards Shin. Its viscous swing halted completely as Mara appeared to fray the creature¡¯s mind just long enough for Shin to sink his estoc through its eye. Two dragonborn burst out of the blaze, charred and a few scales missing but vigor and ferocity emanated from their scaled physiques. Shin lunged forward to meet his second as it froze in place, and his estoc clanged off the iron coating spread across the creature¡¯s eyes. Its sword rent the air as Shin ducked and a flurry followed. Shin darted and dodged but the dragonborn followed him doggedly, fling its blade with deadly precision even through the blindness. Roots shot up around the dragonborn, hardening in an instant and coating over like stone. Frost gathered in its maw as a screech from a siren above and fist coated in swirling deep blue mana struck at the same time. Its breath skill stalled with the impact on its mind and soul. Thin green mana covered Shin¡¯s fists as he struck again twice. The monster¡¯s skill cancelled fully as it grimaced. Three strikes at uncommon tier had been enough to kill an ordinary cultist, a far cry from the effect its greater variant had on this dragonborn but the difference was substantial compared to the first he had tried it on. Shin punched again and again, pummeling the monster¡¯s soul until iron coating left its lifeless eyes. Eight in total it had taken. At 20 mana each, it was not a cheap death, but Shin took value in the fact that it was feasible, even at this low level. Donny feinted a swing of his axe at the dragonborn¡¯s bloody side, scales blasted off by the firebolt prior, and cleaved through its wounded neck, the iron coating at its side faded away uselessly. The two assessed the room. Yen and Kamala had found a corner at the back where they couldn¡¯t be ambushed from behind, maintaining vigilance as Wolfsbane finished up their role. Shin flickered to the treasure he had spotted atop a stone altar. A bluish white orb with a golden frame circling its center, seven flat bars rising its surface to the top encrusted with a brilliant gem deeper than the orb and glowing splendidly. [Frost Globus] He took shug form and plucked the item from its perch, bursting back immediately. He waited for a moment before dispelling the invoke and storing the jeweled orb after a cursory inspection. ¡°Our items.¡± Ivan spoke, Wolfsbane having gathered together, most among them tense. ¡°What kinds do you want?¡± No sooner had Shin spoken the words had a section of the wall behind Wolfsbane dropped into a doorway and a rumble sounded within. Cultists swarmed out first backing down the unfortunate party near, followed by four dragon born warriors, mightier and better equip than their ordinary peers, and behind them still, a scaled monstrosity. The upper body of a dragonborn and the lower body of a drake, each larger and more hulky than either, donning items and finery of immense wealth. [Drakotaur Treasure Guardian (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Go.¡± The other three sped off at Shin¡¯s word, louder than normal, and he followed behind. Ivan burst after them, disregarding his party entirely, and a towering paper golem appeared in front. He slashed through with ease, finding only a paper talisman cut in two, but the pause in his actions twice over gave the party enough time to pass through the doorway, a narrow ward filling it whole the instant Shin crossed through. Ivan raised his greatsword still, and the talismans he missed on the floor locked him to the floor for a brief moment. He tore them out by the power of his strength but it was too late. Cultists barreling towards him forced his focus and the threat of the dragonborn drove him further still. He slashed futilely, back against the wall, roaring with rage and desperation. ¡°Fuck, I can¡¯t believe we ditched Freckles!¡± ¡°Had to be done.¡± ¡°Still though. It felt like hitting a cat with your car. Hey Shin, we could have handled that.¡± ¡°And run out of mana.¡± Kamala retorted. Yen couldn¡¯t dispute it nor would she try. They had taken on the room less than full to begin with. None of them expected a second wave, let alone one much more dangerous. Shin led the way, darting through paths at random to reach the sensory cut off point before his ward feel and the horde followed. He rounded a corner and came to a stop in an instant, posture leaning forward ready to lunge. The others stopped behind him and faced the party of ten. At the front stood a short old woman, shoulder length gray hair parted down to the side, arms held dignified behind her back. [Human Shaolin (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Hand over your bags.¡± Chapter 56 Shin held still, taking in the enemies before him. All calm, all with presence, but none more so than the old woman who spoke, stern and composed. Why they too stayed their hand Shin did not know, but he had come to an observation and broke the silence with half a guess. ¡°Hua.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The old woman showed no concern, but a coldness found her eyes. ¡°You seem relieved.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Her arms lowered from behind her back as Wumei took a stance. ¡°I¡¯ll take you on alone, brat.¡± The two blurred forward and Shin attacked first. The woman slipped her head to the side as a sharp snapping fist sailed passed. Several more followed and met the same fate, the old shaolin¡¯s eyes tracking his movements with ease. Shin faked a punch and spun forward in place, Wumei leaning away from the axe kicked from her stance with a trace of surprise on her face. Shin spun into a crouch and burst off, unleashing a flurry of strikes from increasingly unorthodox angles. The old woman dodged at first, his reaction slipping just slight each time until finally a kick blocked firm on her arm. The barrage continued as Shin pushed her on the backfoot around, forcing a constant cycle of dodges and more frequently deflections, her style defensive. Suddenly she found her opening and thrust a palm at his face. Shin twisted around her arm and his own swung with him. The broadsword that found his hand flickered off a jian in hers, a strange force propelling his weapon up, instead of back the way it came as deflect would. With one clean motion, the woman slashed down on his open side and found only air as Shin bent back unnaturally. She darted back herself as a tremoring foot snapped at her gut. Shin leaned forward, relocating his spine, as Wumei changed her stance, sword held back straight in her right hand and her left hand out, yellow mana swirling around her. She burst forward first this time, thrusting and slashing clean rapid strikes with no wasted movement and a rampart of counters lying in wait behind. Shin lashed out with both hands, his broadsword split into two. The pair of them exchanged lethal blows but none found their mark on either side. Shin slashed at her neck as she retreated and a saber replaced his sword, the length forcing her to lean back more off balance. Shin flickered to the left, his estoc piercing towards her side flourished away by the sword. Weapons changed his hands with no pattern as the old woman was forced on the defensive once again. Though her eyes had not once lost their sharpness. Shin cross slashed with two swords and she made her move, both deflecting wide from a single slash as she stepped in. Her foot slammed into his leg, knocking it back as well before the tremor could reach her and she thrust a palm at his chest. Blood splurted from Shin¡¯s mouth, but the old woman¡¯s eyes widened, a green fist slamming into her ribs through the gong of Bastion from the boy¡¯s unbalanced stance, and flashed back as a saber grazed her neck. She inspected within herself briefly. The physical injury was minor, but they was an unpleasant ache deep within she found herself wary of, not to mention her defensive skill rendered useless before it. Shin postured himself upright, expression unchanged even with his internal organs ruptured to mush, as a golden light enveloped him. ¡°The Igarashi haven¡¯t slacked in their training, I see. With your arrogance I had assumed you were a Minamoto.¡± The gray haired woman relaxed her stance only slightly as she stood as composed as she had been at the start. ¡°You cannot win. Hand over you items and-¡± A gray furred shug appeared at Shin¡¯s side and a siren above. Mara unleashed a sonic scream at the party of Hua, concussive force cascading through the corridor. The sword vanished from Wumei¡¯s hands as she circled them in the air, forming a large shield of transparent mystical energy. The sonic scream stopped short but a dense firebolt blasted the shield apart, sending the old woman flying back, yellow mana wrapped over her unharmed body. Several on her side charged, but her brief absence was all the time the party needed. Shin and Donny charged forward, a Shield Charge stopping short on a man¡¯s bastion. A feint into a hack followed, just as he had done to the dragonborn, but his axe stopped short on the man¡¯s palm, his other sending a force through his armor, bursting his organs. Donny lurched forward, vomiting blood as the man held back his other palm for a thrust, and jolted to the side as the spear of an angel shattered his bastion, impaling him through. Draped in silk beneath brass bracers, greaves, and a cuirass of antiquity with a sleek helm covering half her beautiful face, the angel ripped out her spear and shattered the man¡¯s skull against the wall with her golden shield. [Erelim (epic) - Greater Lord] A second man behind rushed the angel in a fit of anger and Donny lunged, the crash of his shield breaking the enemy¡¯s bones as a limp corpse slumped down the cold stone. Another couch of blood from his injuries aggravated even further brought him to a knee and a golden light covered him. Shin kicked a woman away with a condensed tremor, breaking through her defenses and armor, jolted to the side just enough for an arrow to nail him into the wall by his shoulder instead of his head. The archer nocked another arrow, and Kong blinked by her back, ripping her head off with a single bite before blinking away. A lightningbolt hurled towards Shin and was dispelled away before it reached its target by Kamala. Shin broke the arrow and ripped himself out as Mara unleashed a volley of screeches at the mage in a fit, impairing him enough for Kong to reap another life. Yen condensed another firebolt as much as she could handle and launched it to a now defensiveness party. A figured blurred towards it and with a clawed palm of red aura, shattered the spell away, a small burst of flames singeing her hand. The old woman took one look at the situation and gave her order. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Retreat!¡± She thrust with both palms the moment she spoke, sending two concussive waves at Shin and the erelim, stalling them just long enough for the remaining members of her party to flee, and she quickly followed. Shin conjured three floating eyes, sending one racing in pursuit and the other two down different paths. ¡°Good thing¡­ they thought we, had more left¡­ than we do.¡± Donny spoke, his injuries barely healed enough to allow as much. ¡°Stop talking.¡± Kamala ordered. ¡°You were far too reckless.¡± Donny smiled back. ¡°It¡¯s feels good to actually be stronger than the clan teams for once.¡± Yen floated down, her face still holding traces of the tension of battle but her posture quite confident and relaxed. ¡°What did you say they were, Hua?¡± ¡°Descendants of Mulan.¡± Kamala informed. ¡°...like the movie?¡± ¡°Educate yourself in history when you get the chance.¡± ¡°Sorry, I missed the press conference where the secret cabal of magical fucking clans told everyone myths and legend were real.¡± ¡°It is a famous story¡­¡± Kamala stopped herself. ¡°The Hua have eyes that allow them to see great speeds and predict the movements of things in motion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of shit compared to the others.¡± ¡°They were among the least powerful and influential of the 12 great clans. But things can change quickly now.¡± ¡°Speaking of change¡­¡± Donny¡¯s voice sounded better. ¡°That orb is probably a key right. Like for the two head.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Yen concurred. ¡°But if the boss room was that easy to open someone would have beat it already. No chance it doesn¡¯t take more, like we might need a fire and lightning one too.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was thinking. Even if we were fully rested, taking out two hordes of cultists and dragon monsters then running into another ambush isn¡¯t exactly sustainable.¡± Donny rose to his feet under the silent disapproval of his healer. ¡°Probably a could time to start thinking about getting those new members.¡± ¡°In here, though?¡± ¡°A partnership is a possibility.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°As long as we can make them our bitches¡­ Hey, Shin.¡± The boy burst off without a word, and the three of them chased after. --- Lu Kang glanced over the other two parties with contained excitement. For minutes now they had stalled in this three way standoff, each in one of the six identical paths leading this circular hall, marked by the massive mosaic of a seven headed dragon he quite hoped was the boss of this stage, one that likely lay waiting past the seventh path, carved far more grandly than the others. A great spear rested calmly on his shoulder. Silky black hair tied neatly in a high warrior¡¯s ponytail and thick eyebrows capped a handsome face, his body donning silk and steel by whatever name the notices deemed to give them. He had not found a worthy fight even after all this time, hoping one would present itself here. Less so from the house of witches to his right though he did consider they could always surprise him, and more from the ten golden eyed elites to his left. ¡°Hey. Let¡¯s team up against the Atreus. Works better for you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He beckoned the red haired witch leading the Rhun. Contemplation ran through Raina¡¯s mind but she stayed her voice. Somewhat disappointed, Lu Kang glanced over to the old white haired man in the center of his party. ¡°They¡¯re clearly weak if they lack that much confidence. Let¡¯s run them off and settle this ourselves.¡± Charlamagne stared back with the callous eyes of a worn king giving nothing more than the silence he had given thus far. This time, Lu Kang was let down. Almost surprised. ¡°You won¡¯t even take an even fight? Did the Atreus breed out their spines?¡± Some rustled at the provocation but the old man was not among them. Lu Kang settled back into silence, his enthusiasm dampened slightly, resigning himself to wait for another party, however small, to come and break this standstill. A black haired girl, or rather boy he assessed, flickered at the end on the path next to the Rhun, and three more followed of valuable tier. ¡°Hey, new blood.¡± He called, excitement reinvigorated. ¡°Pick a side. Anyone.¡± Shin glanced at Raina and then the other parties. The golden eyes of the Atreus unmistakable and the party to the left the Lu he guessed most likely. No one showed any sign of moving from their station. He considered the situation for a moment, and fell into silent waiting as well. Raina showed some relief outside of his line of vision. ¡°Worthless¡­¡± ¡°Princess.¡± Charlamagne spoke for the first time, his voice one of great bearing and long years of authority. ¡°Your place is here.¡± ¡°My place is not yours to decide.¡± Cold intensity amassed within Kamala¡¯s stoic expression, her words absolute. A smile found Lu Kang¡¯s face, the domineering presence of the Lotus Princess providing him some sort of entertainment, if nothing else. His attention lingered for only a moment before being stolen by the appearance of another party next to the Atreus, the second to notice them. This one also four, led by a blonde young man with pink eyes. [Human Magic Swordsman (epic) - Greater Lord] [Human Shaolin (epic) - Greater Lord] [Human Arcane Thief (epic) - Greater Lord] [Human Arcanist (epic) - Greater Lord] Leon glanced around himself, whether he came to any realization it did not show on his face. ¡°Agamemnon¡¯s blood runs deep.¡± He shot a calm subtly mocking glance to the Atreus. ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± One of them shouted back. ¡°Or is it just you?¡± The golden eyed man burst forward, unable to contain his rage any longer, and Leon¡¯s sword flashed. He landed gracefully, golden light fading from his sword as the man¡¯s head fell from his body. Shock spread across all faces save for a few, most of all the remaining Atreus. Leon walked to the center under the scrutiny of all and led his party beside Shin. ¡°Then we¡¯re with Raina.¡± Shin glanced at Leon then declared his stance. Lu Kang laughed and flourish his spear. ¡°No choice now, old man!¡± But the Atreus stood still, betraying his expectations once more. ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± He looked at them, as if he almost couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Moments past and he realized they had made up their minds. Lu Kang stored his spear and headed back down his path in disgust. ¡°A house with nothing but cowards.¡± The Atreus headed away in concert at the gesture of Charlamagne, staying only long enough to recover the body of their fallen. Raina lingered, even after the tension faded before turning to Shin. ¡°Thank you.¡± She too, led her party back down their corridor, thankful to be free of the perilous situation. Shin smiled back and turned to Leon. ¡°We have one orb. How many do you have?¡± ¡°Two. Fire and Earth.¡± ¡°Frost.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s team up.¡± Leon smiled. ¡°How about you slow down.¡± Yen interjected. ¡°If you can cut through the Atreus, why haven¡¯t you just gone and defeated the boss yet? What are you playing at?¡± Leon smiled at her. ¡°I can only use that twice with my mana.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell them!¡± The red haired girl snapped at him. ¡°We could open the door together and split back into our parties in the boss room. Then compete over who can kill the boss first.¡± Leon continued undeterred. ¡°Okay.¡± Yen had a mouthful of criticisms but sighed them all away, knowing full well what Shin was like. Strange kinship held the silence, one between the pair seemingly able to communicate in a way as of yet undiscovered, another between the members who knew what it was like to follow the enigmatic. Chapter 57 Shin painted the path they¡¯ve travelled on two sets of scrolls, perfectly to scale. Leon took the brush handed to him and did the same on his end, several unexplored areas becoming obvious, most of all a larger circular zone down one the paths in this mosaic hall. ¡°Go down first then up?¡± Shin asked, the lower half of the map holding the most unexplored space. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°How do we know there¡¯s orb rooms left?¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°There might only be one of each, we¡¯d be better off hunting down parties.¡± ¡°No.¡± Grace spoke up, adamant in her gentle demeanor. ¡°Hah?¡± Yen pressed back, with looming disparagement. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Leon confirmed. ¡°This would be easier if we knew each other¡¯s names.¡± ¡°Donny.¡± ¡°...Kamala.¡± Yen waited to go last and postured herself, conceit finding her face. ¡°Yenny Phoenix.¡± The Shaolin scoffed. ¡°Something to say?¡± Yen confronted the insult. ¡°You¡¯re like a child.¡± Yen¡¯s expression turned a bit more hostile. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t been replaced yet. Maybe you do have some talent.¡± The woman started to open her mouth but Leon caught her attention from the side, smiling calmly. ¡°...Suyin Hua.¡± Mockery found Yen¡¯s face in the opportunity. ¡°The sick man of Murim? We found some of you earlier. They weren¡¯t much.¡± Suyin blurred, her viscous palm striking out towards Yen. And a warning of death struck her. She flashed back even faster than before, a few beads of sweat trickling down her face as she turned all her attention to the boy crouching down. His hollow eyes focused back on her, unblinking. ¡°They were the aggressors. Half of them survived, the Abbess among them, I believe.¡± Kamala spoke up to relieve the tension with a bit of diplomacy, which seemed to achieve the desired affect, albeit slightly, as Suyin rose to a guarded ease. Leon glanced at her, no sign of the events affecting him at all, and back to the party. ¡°You know Grace from Shin. And this is Ti.¡± He rested a hand on the red haired girl¡¯s head. ¡°Stop looking at me!¡± Ti shouted at a calmly smiling Shin. ¡°Can you scout?¡± ¡°Of course! Ah¡­¡± She caught herself only after answering without thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me questions!¡± ¡°You scout ahead to the main areas and I¡¯ll check the other paths.¡± Shin turned to Leon. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Leon looked to Ti who shot a sharp glance at Shin then dashed off, the others following close behind, Grace flying through the air as Yen did. --- Ti sprinted through the corridors, disappearing for a brief moment as she rounded each corner, the others following behind at a distance. She stopped suddenly and raised her hand. Suyin rushed forward first with quiet steps and burst through a patrol of cultists landing a palm on the warrior¡¯s head. Blood splattered from the orifices of his skull and the warrior slumped to the floor as Leon and Donny appeared behind, carving away the ordinary cultists. The group continued on without rest as Shin sped down a different path. Small clusters of weeds sprouted behind the group, marking their path. Like this they barrelled through the maze, leaving bodies of cultists in their wake. Shin rejoined behind for a moment in brief spurts before taking off in a different direction again. Eventually Ti disappeared round the corner and reappeared hiding back along the wall. ¡°Gray.¡± Shin rejoined the group finding them at a stop. ¡°Wind.¡± Leon informed him. ¡°We kill the room then snatch the orb before the second wave comes.¡± Yen suggested their plan. ¡°The treasure guardian tracks you down wherever you are, even if the orb is in a bag.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t happen for us¡­¡± ¡°It probably ran into another party.¡± Donny mused, turning to Leon. ¡°Rest of us clear the way and you take it out? Then we can bail.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± With that, the two parties took off. Leon and Donny each took a side, carving through the masked cultists. Shin and Suyin charged the dragonborn. The first froze and Shin pierced through its eye. The second coated over its with body iron and seven green strikes felled it dead. A dragon born to the side vomited blood as Suyin drew her palm back, taking a few strained steps before falling dead with the other. The two vanguards needed no help in wiping out their enemies. With everything settled, Shin hopped casually over to the altar and pocketed the glowing gray orb. The group fell back into position as the wall sank down, the rumbling of a stampede within. The swarm of cultists were brushed aside by giant vines and the scaled dragonkind soon appeared. Donny burst into a dragonborn warrior, crashing it back into one behind and Shin did the same with a tremor. Leon appeared before the guardless Drakotaur with perfect timing, a glowing golden sword held above. Violent wind started to rage off the monstrosity¡¯s body but dispersed away as the sword cleaved it in two. [Drakotaur Treasure Guardian (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1183 The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Agility - 747 Constitution - 928 Vitality - 945 Dexterity - 756 Perception - 982 Force - 1105 Spirit - 870 Control - 715 Willpower - 766 Skills: Maim lvl. 10, Wind Mane lvl. 10, Windbolt lvl. 10, Shift lvl. 10, Swift lvl. 10, Traits: Treasure Sense (legendary), Wind Amplification (epic), Wind Affinity (epic), Iron Scales (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), The casters and thief girl fled the doorway first with the rest following behind. A gate of hardened vines clustered the entrance, buying them enough time to escape beyond the sectioned limits of perception. ¡°Let me handle dispelling.¡± Yen told Ti. ¡°I don¡¯t listen to you.¡± The tiny thief snapped back. ¡°Run out of mana if you want, then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anybody¡¯s help, I can take care of myself!¡± ¡°You had trouble with the troll.¡± Shin said. ¡°H-how do you know that?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was hit with fire?¡± Leon calmly reminded her from the side. ¡°Ah¡­ Oh¡­¡± Ti seemed to come to a realization, shooting Shin a tentative glance. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to do anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± The arcane thief grew a bit embarrassed then sped off ahead to resume her role as a scout. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the next one.¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°Thanks.¡± Yen found it a bit awkward to response, the feeling the golden swordsman gave off eerily similar to Shin with a slight difference she couldn¡¯t place a finger on. Tension and distance still lingered between the two parties¡¯ alliance, but it was working, enough that none gave complaint as they carried on through the awkwardness. --- Yellow lightning scaled off the drakotaur like a mane and the lightning in its mouth vanished as a dense firebolt exploded on it. The monster slammed down its feet, the scales on front blasted off, flesh burned and bleeding, but it remained standing to meet a second that reaped its life. Donny and Shin knocked back the dragonborn warriors again as the group fled the room, a cluster of roots blockading their enemies once more. The two parties raced throughout the corridors, Shin taking the lead this time, finally stopping at simple corner. ¡°We should rest.¡± Suyin suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll look ahead.¡± Shin sped off on his own in pursuit of their goals. ¡°We should be stealing from other parties.¡± Yen proposed. ¡°We searched through all the gaps now and we¡¯re still short two orbs.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t hand it over willingly.¡± Grace argued. ¡°They will lie on the ground like good corpses while we loot them.¡± ¡°...do you want to kill that badly?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The disapproving look sent her way got under Yen¡¯s skin. ¡°Two months in and you still don¡¯t understand how to play this game?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a game.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± An intensely assertive presence found Yen, unlike any side she had shown or pretended to be before. ¡°And some of us want to win.¡± Grace did not respond as she saw her words would fall on deaf ears, his face a mix of somber aversion and disappointment. ¡°Your clan¡¯s power is in the eyes, right?¡± Donny glanced at the two then broke the tension with a question aimed at Suyin. ¡°Faster vision, see the future.¡± ¡°We do not see the future.¡± Suyin corrected, her attitude cold. ¡°We intuit the movements of things based on their current trajectory.¡± ¡°Still quite useful. Man I fought, it was like he knew everything I¡¯d do.¡± ¡°Is this your idea of small talk? Discussing how you killed my family.¡± ¡°It was a fair fight.¡± Shin returned in a blur. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people over there.¡± ¡°Guards?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Six hour break should be enough. Just gotta make sure they don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°We are not bandits.¡± Grace asserted. ¡°We¡¯ll have a chat with them first, see how that goes.¡± Shin blurred away again, leaving the group to rest in tense silence. --- A crowd of 20 odd players ambled at the corner of a corridor in varied states of alert. Alert which quickly turned to fear as eight strangers with higher tier classes appeared in front in a flash. Weapons drawn and spells at the ready, they waited anxiously for the inevitable fight to come but none did. ¡°Who are you guarding?¡± Donny asked. No one spoke up leading to him pressing a little harder. ¡°We could just kill you and find out anyway.¡± ¡°Minamoto¡­¡± An aged man spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s who they said they were.¡± ¡°They could be like Bando.¡± Donny glanced at Shin then back to the guards. ¡°How many of them?¡± ¡°Nine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s doable.¡± ¡°No it isn¡¯t.¡± Yen objected. ¡°They can¡¯t disappear.¡± Shin persuaded. ¡°That¡¯s Koga. Bando was stronger too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then¡­¡± ¡°Alright. What we need you to do is give us your bags and fuck off.¡± Donny ordered but again they were slow to act. ¡°Do you wanna die here? For them?¡± ¡°They took people hostage¡­¡± The same man answered. ¡°We can¡¯t, we have to do what they say. Please¡­ just go.¡± ¡°We can find a way if we work together-¡± Grace¡¯s words were cut off but Shin beheading the man in a flash. Leon impaled another next to him on his sword, calm and indifferent. The rest burst into action around Grace, slaughtering the guards in seconds. Shin flung out a talisman and a hulking paper golem rounded the corner and was torn the shreds in a violent charge. The red skinned woman turned only just in time to see the firebolt blast her to pieces. Donny and Shin rounded the corner at the same time, meeting eight players with reddened skin and glowing red pupils. All eight burst into action with ferocious power and speed. Two red slashes of aura broke on Donny¡¯s shield and Shin¡¯s gray furred fist. An older man at the back roared as a wave of energy barreled towards them and was siphoned away into the hands of a red haired girl glancing around the wall. The others bounded behind the vanguard, each taking one of the seven charging Minamoto, an erelim taking the helm for Kamala. A brawl erupted in the wide corridor, the Minamoto possessing strength and skill but lacking in variety. Roots ensnared one long enough for additional vines to contain his outrage and the golden sword of the erelim to slice through his skull. Suyin spun in place, deftly deflecting the attacks of two at once, a palm thrust to their torsos rupturing organs within. Shin¡¯s tremoring fist stopped short on the shield of bastion but his estoc pierced the woman¡¯s jaw up through her skull. A Minamoto¡¯s bursting shoulder charge stopped short on Donny¡¯s own bastion as he feinted a strike to his enemy¡¯s head, taking a leg instead, a second thrust to the falling man finishing the job. Vines and erelim ended the life of another as Leon calming weathered the onslaught of his opponent. Greater in stats but still the man could not get pass the golden haired swordsman¡¯s skillful blade. He ducked under a swing of his club and severed an arm in turn. The red eyed man turned unfettered, a second club finding his other hand and swung as Leon parried and took the other arm. His greatsword thrust through the man¡¯s heart, ending his life. The old man at the back finished condensing a wave in his palm and unleashed it upon all. Ti flickered to the front and released the first wave she had been holding back at him, condensing it stronger. The two waves struggled with Ti¡¯s starting to be pushed back. Mara appeared near the ceiling and hurled a volley of screeches. The old man weathered the first and second but the third finally broke his concentration along with his wave, and Ti¡¯s surged over him, disintegrating the top half of his body. Shin hopped over to the remains and scavenged through the spatial bag, paying no heed for the surviving hostages they were told about. He took out two orbs, one deep blue the other dark green. ¡°Water and Acid.¡± He smiled back. ¡°Acid?¡± Yen stressed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have resistance for acid.¡± Yen shot back at Donny. ¡°The dragon¡¯s probably going to have around 1500 Force if things make sense, that¡¯s not something we can deal with without resistance.¡± ¡°Just have to dodge then.¡± ¡°Acid attacks are slower than the others.¡± Leon offered. ¡°You better hope so. You¡¯re the ones on the frontlines.¡± Yen rose off the ground. ¡°Everyone should be good enough on mana. Let¡¯s head to the boss room before someone else does.¡± ¡°Ti.¡± The thief girl glanced back at Leon¡¯s call, annoyed at being outmatched at plundering by Shin, who teased her slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll get our share.¡± Hesitant, but still she ran off, heading down the path back to the great hall like they had talked about. The others followed as Shin remained just a few moments to finish looting. Grace held still, a melancholic frown on her face. ¡°Keep moving. Always.¡± She looked across to the hollow eyed boy with a sickeningly familiar slight smile, disillusioned. Shin sped off and she lingered before flying towards the group. Chapter 58 The two parties rushed without detour through the maze they had thoroughly mapped out. Soon they reached back to the hall, empty, and headed into the sole distinct path lined with carvings and statues of a dragon. The path turned dark and Shin took the lead with prismatic eyes. For minutes they travelled in the dark but none voiced complaints or doubts and soon they came into a massive semi spherical hall, its floor and walls more intricate than any of the layer thus far, it¡¯s ceiling impossibly high, standing strong without any pillars to support it. The party checked around as they moved but nothing earned their attention than the towering stone gates behind seven dragon statues. Shin darted back as a myriad of elements surged up, forming a wall of colors. He tossed a rock and it disintegrated in an instant under several effects. Shin and Ti darted around but found no sign of any mechanism to remove the seven colored wall. Suddenly, the wall disappeared and behind it, charged a horde of cultists and dragonborn, hundreds strong. ¡°Hurry!¡± The party moved before Yen gave her yell, all sharing the same sentiment. Donny crashed into one side and stomped away more as a firebolt exploded the other wave, but still they swarmed, through the flames and force without fear or hesitation. Shin conjured a spiralling green ball and sent it swirling towards a dragonborn. It sparked with friction against its iron coating before shearing it away along with the creature¡¯s scales and barreling clean through. The gyro danced through the air like a playful fairy, boring holes through a medley of cultists before an armored dragonborn swatted it away to shards. An erelim took its place pushing back the dragonborn warrior and others. Grace called forth her own summon, a horned humanoid with hair like fire and molten veins glowing over its skin. [Fire Ifrit (epic) - Greater Lord] The ifrit swiped its hand and a giant fireball crashed into the horde but like Yen¡¯s attack, and endless surge of reinforcements took the fallens¡¯ place. The creature raised its hand in anger, flames bursting out and bombarding the horde like a rain of comets. Roots broke through the ground around them and formed two giant walls from floor to ceiling, making a clear path to the boss room. The five melee types all took out their orbs, Shin and Leon carrying two each as the fastest among them. But as they drew near, the ground split apart below and two distinct creatures emerged, one of red scales, the other bluish white. [Fire Dragon (epic) - Greater Lord] [Frost Dragon (epic) - Greater Lord] They spat out a giant elemental ball, one of fire and frost. Gray fur covered Shin¡¯s body as he swatted away the fire. But unlike his expectations, it burst apart not entirely, searing flames burning his hand through the mana eater trait. To his right Donny had broken the frost dragon¡¯s attack and met an equal and opposite fate, the black goblin shield surface iced over and the skin on his face and neck frostbitten. Leon burst forward, beheading the fire dragon with a single golden swing. A dense firebolt blasted away at the frost dragon and an eruption at the hands of the ifrit burned it to death through the opening in its scales. Leon leapt back suddenly as the pair of dragons burst into raw elemental mana, walling off the entrance to the boss. The white and red flames swirled together and a new creature emerged. [Frostfire Dragon (epic) - Greater Lord] This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A hail of frost and flame roared down at the party. Kamala and Ti casts their spells to eliminate the magic but neither found a trace of success, a condensed mana shield erected before the dragon¡¯s breath reached them. Yen held firm but the cracks spread across the shield under its overwhelming force and broke through. Yen froze for a moment and a dense purple shield appeared before her, warding the ice and fire just out of reach. She glanced back to Kamala hovering behind, her focus strained between the shield and her vines, the breath unceasing. As their advancement stalled, enemies start to hack through the vines around them and more invaded from the end of the path. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here.¡± Kamala spoke up first, louder than the party were used to as she struggled to patch the walls of the vines. Shin glanced around at the frostbitten Donny he was healing and the two casters drained of more mana than they needed. And his face fell a shade below neutral, a sight Grace took some silent surprise at and Leon observed with casual interest. ¡°We¡¯re going back.¡± Shin decided. Some took longer than others but all could read the writing on the wall. This first attempt was a failure. The erelim and ifrit were sent charging back as the spearhead to break the encirclement. The rest followed behind, blasting and striking a path back to the dark pathway. Shin glanced behind at the horde that stopped just at the entrance and back forward, his smile not yet returned. --- Micah stared in detached horror as the cultists dragged their bruiser to the altar. The proud, strong, reliable brusier he had seen rush head first to danger so many times reduced to crying and begging. They hoisted her onto the stone and a force locked her limbs down as she struggled, her words devolved to barely comprehensible noise. The priests rose their arms and the chanting began again. The altar shone as mana invaded her body to screams of pain and fear and soon the noise and light reached a crescendo. The barbarian fell limp then rose calmly. Micah¡¯s face fell into further fear and disgust at the draconic top half of her head and zealous smile. A priest placed a mask over her head as the other chanted around him, including the ones holding him firm. ¡°We follow because he is mighty! We follow because he is all!¡± Another pair of cultists dragged Ivan over, barely conscious, blood pouring from his busted mouth. He had resisted more than anyone and that was his reward. They pulled him over the altar just the same and began chanting once more. Ivan spasmed awake, screaming in pain. The altar glowed strangely and a flash of light forced Micah¡¯s eyes shut for a moment and when he opened them, he found a scaled dragonborn in the executioner¡¯s place. ¡°Praise be to Drogal! Master of All! Praise be to Drogal! Master of All!¡± Elation took hold of the cultists as they celebrated the birth of a new follower deemed worthy of receiving the blood of their god. Micah had scarcely time to take it in as the cultists holding him starting dragging him towards the dreaded altar. ¡°No! This isn¡¯t fair! Don¡¯t, l-let me go!¡± Terror spread through every fiber of his being. Terror and bitterness. Why did they reject him. He could be useful. He could be strong. They left him here. They used and abandoned him. Why were they special. Why wasn¡¯t he. Why wasn¡¯t he special. His back hit the hard stone and his limbs pulled down against him. This wasn¡¯t fair. Why wasn¡¯t he chosen. Something else overtook his terror. Bitterness, rejection, envy. Why were they special. Micah found himself in a dark place, a void he could see no end to, and before him sat a horned demoness with light purple skin. Beauty surpassed by cold unfeeling eyes, her face full of venom. ¡°Do you wish for power?¡± Bitter words fell on Micah¡¯s ears, perilous and alluring. ¡°Do you resent? Do you yearn? Does it taste of ash in your mouth?¡± Micah stared at the demon, his expression tensing as true feelings boiled to the surface. ¡°What do you desire?¡± ¡°I want to take everything from them!¡± Power took hold of him as he roared. The priests surrounding the altar spasmed as dark mana coated over them, and fell dead. Row by row the mist spread, killing all in the room, the cultists, the dragonborn, the drakotaur, and his surviving teammates. Micah rose in silence and stepped through the floor of corpses, his elation taking the reins from his nerves. He grabbed the head of the treasure guardian and mana surged up through his hand. He rose up and breathed yellow lightning, and mockery found his blackened eyes. A mad laugh overcame him as the souls of the dead absorbed into him. He could be special. He could take what they have. Chapter 59 ¡°We¡¯re running out of time!¡± Yen yelled. ¡°The only way is to get some other parties to block the mobs. We¡¯re not getting in with enough mana any other way.¡± ¡°...and leave them to die?¡± ¡°Fuck them!¡± Yen¡¯s frustrations boiled over. ¡°You got another solution or you just get off on acting like a saint?¡± Grace didn¡¯t respond, nor did anyone else speak up, for differing reasons. Shin sat in meditation, his face neutral in thought, while Leon leaned against the wall with casual indifference. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. We split into two groups and pick up whatever goons we can. Right, Shin?¡¯ ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cruel¡­¡± Grace turned to Leon. The golden haired swordsman looked back, his expression unchanged. ¡°We can find another way.¡± ¡°No we can¡¯t.¡± Yen pressed. ¡°We need a plan, and I¡¯m only hearing one right now.¡± Donny added. ¡°You could hand over the orbs and volunteer yourself for the role.¡± The stern eyed shaolin suggested rather firmly. ¡°Thought we weren¡¯t going to fight until after we got in?¡± ¡°The result will be the same.¡± Amidst the growing tension, Shin was the first one to glance towards the hall, and the others followed at the sound of footsteps. Three players, one of magic, might, and stealth by their attire and class, four dragonborn warriors, and a drakotaur treasure guardian. All surrounding bronze skinned woman with deep purple hair and playful eyes that shone with the fierceness of the sun. Leon¡¯s party members readied for battle and Shin¡¯s side tensed, most of all Yen, though the lack of action or wariness from their leaders stayed their hands. Leon saw familiarity in the hollow eyed boy and thus remained as relaxed as ever. Shin smiled, and Sereth returned menacing elation. She walked forward to the helm of her blank faced and glossy eyed followers straight to Shin, taking in a long look before turning predatory eyes to the rest. ¡°Your others?¡± ¡°Temporary.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Sereth seemed pleased. ¡°Are you not going to the dragon?¡± ¡°Enemies in the way.¡± Sereth hummed, giving the three following Shin a glance. ¡°Shall I push them aside?¡± Shin tilted his head. ¡°Sure?¡± ¡°I can always find new servants.¡± ¡°Slaves.¡± Suyin corrected. Sereth looked over, with deepening eyes. ¡°You should be more careful. You¡¯re only temporary.¡± Suyin firmed herself nervously under the strange pressure the Mesmer gave off with nothing more than her gaze. ¡°We¡¯re trying again in five hours.¡± Shin told Sereth their plan. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll wait here.¡± One of the players knelt down against the wall on all fours and Sereth found a seat, not beside Shin but across, happily watching he turned his focus to his skills, light shattering off him in an instant. Silently, the expanded group remained, all but three unsettled by the weight in the air. --- The corridor was silent, save for the dull scrapping of stone. Shin guided the whirling orb of spiritual energy across the wall in smooth precise lines. [Spirit Gyro has reached lvl. 5] [Channelling has reached lvl. 3] Spirit Gyro was leveling well, though it was only an aftereffect of his true focus. Unlike Condense, Channelling strengthened a skill without compacting its size, and even at this low level it could enhance more than its predecessor. Maelstrom was his supplementary skill of choice for its duration, a decision that had proven to be fruitful in these calm hours. His orb came to a halt and floated a bit away, starting a new line. He had began his training against Yen¡¯s mana shield, but that had lasted only twice before she stated she could do no more if she wanted her mana full for the fight ahead. And with the others in a similar situation, he was thus relegated to a wall for his training partner. Yen glanced around, namely at Shin and his disconcerting admirer, who seemed more than happy to simply watch the boy in silence. Nerves held like a lump in her throat from the strange unease in the air but the time was drawing near and the danger beyond the door was far more of a concern. ¡°The horde is a problem¡­¡± She mustered the courage to start discussing strategy. ¡°But the bigger one are the two dragons guarding the room. They turn into an elite when both are killed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an issue.¡± Sereth answered without even so much as glancing at the orange haired mage. Yen hesitated for a moment but pressed on. ¡°We only get one more shot, we can¡¯t take any chances.¡± This time, Sereth did turn her way, and Yen somewhat regretted speaking up. ¡°Were you the first he chose?¡± ¡°...yeah, I guess. First for this party.¡± Yen balked a little. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Sereth hummed slightly as she turned her glance to the others. It didn¡¯t seem like she expected to find anything in particular but her eyes locked on Grace and sharpened. ¡°You were with him at the start.¡± Panic and shock tensed Grace¡¯s expression as she realized the woman had read her mind. ¡°What was he like?¡± Grace was slow to answer but the tone of Sereth¡¯s question was not one that would allow to her ignore it. ¡°He smiled¡­ always.¡± Sereth hummed again, her stare lingering for a only a moment before seemingly losing interest as she turned back to Shin. Yen glanced at both and then to Shin as well, something holding her thoughts for the first time. He had always smiled too, at least at the start. Whatever the situation, he always bore a slight eerily calm smile, but somewhere along the way, he had started to show different sides. Mostly neutral and subtle, sometimes casual contemplation, other times a looming hatred, almost. His expressions seemed so natural she hadn¡¯t ever really stopped to think about it. The Spirit Gyro popped overhead and Shin rose to his feet, with a smile, a trace of determination within. ¡°Time.¡± The others rose to their feet and readied themselves as he waited before speeding off. All followed after him, though Leon lingered slightly to glance at the pattern Shin had created on the wall. Four lines in the form of a golden ratio, all stemming from a perfect circle and meeting in the middle, forming a concave diamond. His slight smile unchanged, but his calm eyes held an unfathomable depth, before he too headed down the path. The group charged out of the tunnel, Shin at the helm, stopping short before the seven colored flame wall rose from the ground. He waited, ready. The moment the wall fell, Sereth sent all but two players of her thralls towards the horde. They slaughtered mindlessly, paying no heed to their own injuries. As the group approached the gate, the two dragons appeared in a burst of flames, and faltered. The beasts strained under assault but their minds soon gave in and they too charged into the fray, burning and freezing their own. Seven members of the two parties entering stood near the statues and placed in their orbs. Shin turned to smiling Sereth, a wall of slaughter keeping the forces at bay. ¡°Thanks.¡± Sereth smiled back, more brilliantly than before as Shin disappeared along with the rest. The allied group of eight found themselves in a great lair of stone and wealth. A massive iridescent dragon sat atop a hill of coins and treasure. He mustered from his slumber, fierce and an undaunted. [Prismatic Dragon (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Greedy Vermin. You will find naught but despair. Just as the ones before.¡± Fire breathed down on the two parties, melting the stone they stood on as they charged to the sides around it, split back into two. The dragon flourished his head, spitting out a bombardment of fire. Kong appeared from the air, breaking one the same time as Donny, and Yenny dispelled the third, leaving the rest to blast around them. The prismatic dragon¡¯s glance landed on them and breathed down a stream of frost, striking a swirling purple shield. The stream of frost chilled the very air as it surged against Kamala¡¯s shield. Gradually, the shield itself began to freeze over and crack. As the great dragon tensed its body with the aim of freezing them whole, a flicker caught its eye and it raised its head away from the spiralling green orb. At that instant, Leon appeared in the air, his sword shining a brilliant gold that brought fear to the eyes of the beast. Yellow lightning enveloped its body in an instant and burst out, forcing Leon to dart away by the air, his sword still golden. The mighty Drogal turned its focus to the swordman and unleashed hail and storm. Grace raised her staff and a white ward sheltered them, repelling the fierce onslaught of elements. As the dragon breathed down, a dense firebolt struck its face clean, yet it turn out of the flames barely scathed its scales. Yen barely had time for shock to truly hit as the Dragon lashed its tail. The scaled whip struck the gong of bastion and shattered it by sheer impact. Donny¡¯s feet held firm, rooted to the ground, blood spurting through his teeth as he bore the attack. The spirit orb chanced another swipe at the dragon¡¯s eyes and was dodged again, this time the beast shattering it to pieces with a lightning fast swipe of its claws. Drogal turned his attention once again to the golden swordsman, breathing blasts and streams as the three around him countered each one. ¡°We need a plan.¡± Donny called out in the lull of combat they were given. ¡°Yen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± She strained her mind to think but could find no solution. Her strongest attack had been weathered almost as if it were nothing. The nova spell and its sheer physical abilities meant neither Donny nor Shin could dream of getting close enough to try their luck. Even Kamala¡¯s roots and vines wouldn¡¯t be able to hold it down, not against its might and elements, even if she were to add her Grasp alongside it. It seemed wary of Shin¡¯s green orb but that was likely because he aimed at its eyes, and nothing more. ¡°We have to wear it down¡­¡± ¡°The sundial.¡± Kamala pointed out with her glance. At the wall behind the dragon was a stone dial casting an impossible shadow. ¡°A minute has passed and the shadow has circled a tenth of it.¡± ¡°Meaning, what, we¡¯ve got nine more minutes?¡± Donny asked, golden light healing him. ¡°It is likely¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough time.¡± Yen bargained. ¡°It can¡¯t last that long at this rate.¡± ¡°Would there be a time limit if it couldn¡¯t?¡± Donny reasoned, and Yen had no answer. ¡°It costs monsters the same amount to use skills, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin answered. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s wait and see how much it can use. Its too strong and fast to have more than, what 2,000 Spirit? If it keeps going past that, it might have not have a limit.¡± ¡°...fuck¡­¡± The party waited on edge, watching the others do their best to dodge, block, and counter at the dragon¡¯s attacks, until the sundial was half covered in shadows. The boss had used more skills than they all could combined several times over. The worst seemed to be true. ¡°It could be the other way¡­¡± Yen suggested. ¡°It might run out after ten minutes and we just have to survive.¡± ¡°Or it gets worse.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Suyin shouted at them, as Leon slashed into the dragon¡¯s leg again to stall its attacks for a few moments. ¡°We all get kicked out of the dungeon if 10 minutes pass!¡± ¡°You know that how?¡± Donny spoke back. ¡°We ran into a party that tried!¡± She swatted away another fireball, sweat dripping down her face. ¡°Funny you kept that to yourself.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t work together now, none of us will beat it!¡± Suyin snapped. ¡°There¡¯s no time to try again.¡± ¡°...she¡¯s right.¡± Donny glanced at the others. ¡°We still don¡¯t have a way to kill it.¡± Yen reminded. Shin sheared through the handle of a morning star and held the metal head between its spikes. ¡°Make it use Nova.¡± He looked to Donny. ¡°Got it.¡± The knight didn¡¯t need anything more. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Put this through its eye. Protect Donny, and stop Leon.¡± He told Kamala and Yen. A glance at the knight sent him charging without a second thought. The dragon sparred a glance, and lashed its tail. The great scaled whip stopped short in the air by an invisible force. A giant slash of wind dispersed into the air and Donny drew close. Lightning surged in its mouth and Leon stole its focus once more, forcing it to breathe the element his way. Donny saw the chance and burst forward, cleaving his axe at the wound in its leg. A red mist enveloped the blade as he ripped it out, drawing more blood than there should be. Drogal roared in rage at the vermin that wounded it, and fire exploded from its body. Donny crashed into the wall, his body charred, but still alive. Black markings spread over Shin¡¯s eyes, enhancing his speed of his vision and he flickered forward. Drogal took noticed of the tremor channeled deeply on the hand that palmed the spiked sphere and its jaw started to open towards him, but with a sudden jolt snapped to Leon¡¯s shining charge. The swordsman froze in place, just for an instant before Grace dispelled the Grasp away in time to dodge back from a surge of destructive lightning. And in that opening, Shin held out his hand. Like a missile the morning star rocketed forth and clanged harmlessly against a dense iron coating. Lightning rent him like claws, faster than even his eyes now could keep up with. Shin watched the morning star fall along with his severed arm falling with the lower half of body, as the dragon opened its mouth to a surge of molten flames. Chapter 60 Flames scarred the air and Shin blinked back to the party, his shredded body falling to the ground. Both his arms were missing, along with the rest of his body below his abdomen. The remains of his guts all out of his torso, what blood he could not stop drained into the ground. Shin kept what little blood he have left circulating, and his organs working as golden light enveloped him immediately, slowly regenerating his flesh and bone. Kamala focused left as a mystic shield stopped a surge of green acid. Steam rose from the shield and the ground the acid fell to, and Kamala¡¯s strain increased, her efforts split three ways between the injured Shin and Donny and her condensed shield. A fierce firebolt blasted the dragon¡¯s head off course, relieving the priestess of some of her burden as Yen soared through the room, weaving through draconic elements as she peppered the monster with sharp bolts of mana. Kong and Mara appeared around Shin and sped into action. A shrieking roar of pure survival left the shug¡¯s mouth and light shattered off him. [Shug Magehunter (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 654 Agility - 625 Constitution - 448 Vitality - 487 Dexterity - 588 Perception - 476 Force - 233 Spirit - 420 Control - 296 Willpower - 314 Skills: Blink lvl. 7, Spellbreak lvl. 5, Heavy Slug lvl. 8, Greater Dart lvl. 10, Greater Dodge lvl. 9, Traits: Mana Eater (epic), Lesser Weakness Resistance (rare), Lowlight Vision (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Kong sped to the dragon and blinked with a clawed strike, as the dragon snapped its jaw on him. The shug appeared above and slammed its mouth down as another firebolt exploded just beneath its eye, the dragon lurching its head just into time. Drogal¡¯s eyes darted to the right at the man with the golden sword. A single swing slashed deep into its neck, too fast to draw away in time. The beast roared and lightning burst around it, forcing all pestering vermin from its side. The dragon took one glance at the party and spat a volley of bombardment before turning its focus back to the one it so deemed a threat. A vicious onslaught fell upon Leon¡¯s party as the four of them struggled to weather the storm. The mage and the two spirits waited and watched, their goal merely to buy enough time for Shin to heal. ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Donny walked forward, some of his skin still scalded and charred. ¡°Your injures are grave, do not be foolish.¡± Kamala¡¯s voice nearly raised to a shout. ¡°Not much choice¡± Donny glanced at the other party. ¡°They won¡¯t last long, then it¡¯s all on us. Just heal the leader.¡± Donny burst forward with no regard for his injuries. Aura swirling as he charged through the frenzy of elements and motion around him. His eyes glinted, and ducked under a lash of the dragon¡¯s tail aiming for several at once. And then jumped over its return scaping across the stone, the wind pressure alone threatening to blow him away. The moment his feet touched the ground, he barrelling forward shield first. Drogal glanced but fire and screams and the glow of a golden blade stole his focus as Donny slammed into its leg. The knight buried his axe into the wound once more, the light of a failed upgrade shattering off it. He raised his axe again, and held his shield above on reflex as the dragon stomped down on him. Blood burst from the veins in his arms and his bones cracked along with the stone beneath him. A stiff force from his shield knocked the dragon¡¯s foot back up, but he barely glanced to the side as a second hand swatted him away through the shatter of fortress. Donny cratered the wall with a cough of blood as a purple shield appeared just in time to shield him from a surge of flames. Just one more, Donny thought. One more time and he can get it. He willed his body to move as he slowly fell to the ground but it would not answer. With the last bit of his strength, he gripped his axe and leaned forward. And found himself in a dark place once again. Before him, stood a giant man with the head of a lion, his eyes fierce and thrilled almost masking the subtle intelligent glint, his fanged smile wide. The wear of battle shielded Donny from shock but the look in the eyes of the lion drew him in, and he too bore the same before he realized. Ecstasy and craze filled the lion¡¯s face as he laughed his lust for violence away. ¡°Slaughter¡­ Warrior.¡± Donny raised his head to the stone room with the same elated crave. The flames ceased as his feet hit the ground, and he burst forward. Faster and stronger than before. Flames burst from the dragon¡¯s body and Donny shattered a path with his shield, flames grazing over his flesh as he passed but he did not slow. He raised his axe with another burst and light shone from it as he buried it deep in the dragon¡¯s leg to a shower of blood. The dragon roared, this time with a trace of pain and stomped down on Donny, but this time he withstood it. Power surged up, a standing shield charge crashing the dragon¡¯s leg up. Kong blinked by his back in the air and brought him down to the dragon¡¯s other leg and Donny rent through an open wound again, painting the stone red. He burst away back from a snap and stomped on the ground, knocking Leon back a leap before returning to the fray, dauntless and eager. Shin laid on the ground, his body restored down to his thighs and forearms. The sounds of battle echoed around him but louder still were Inari¡¯s intense emotions. Frustration, disappointment, rage, and overwhelming pride. She urged him, like a growing tsunami, and Shin let it wash over him. His healing stopped and Inari summoned by his side. Her feelings soared and Shin answered. White light enveloped her whole and shattered off. Her clothes more illustrious and fierce, a sword in each hand with a fox face on their hilts, and five tails behind her. [Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 750 Agility - 1001 Constitution - 447 Vitality - 603 Dexterity - 794 Perception - 655 Force - 999 Spirit - 830 This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Control - 613 Willpower - 808 Skills: Foxfire lvl. 1, Slash lvl. 1, Glare lvl. 1, Holy Fire lvl. 1, Grand Sword Combat lvl. 1, Burst lvl. 1, Swift lvl. 1, Traits: Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Soul Weapon (epic), Foxtail (epic), Nightvision (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Charming Resistance (epic), Inari shot through the air like lightning and slashed through the dragon¡¯s eye. Drogal roared and spewed fire as Inari burst off the air. His breath followed the kitsune guardian incessantly to no avail. Inari did not jump off the air as before, but ran as though it were the ground beneath her. She charged suddenly at the dragon¡¯s face and flames exploded from his body, washing over her to reveal a figure shrouded in gray blue flames. The foxfire swept off her and infused into her swords as her figure blurred, slashing through the other eye. Flames erupted from the cut as Drogal failed to extinguish them with any of his elements. The great dragon steeled itself as its prismatic scales shone, tracking the white fox by scent and unleashed a majestic destruction. A surge of seven colors barreled towards Inari, and she stood still in the air. She held out her hands and her five tails pointed outwards. The prismatic breath stopped just before they reached her, and her tails lit one by one with flames of the same color. She flashed away from the surge as it melted away the stone between the two parties, and exhaled, releasing the seven colored flames she stole back at the monster. The prismatic breath melted its scales as the dragon roared in pain, ceasing its ultimate attack. Seven colors coated its body like armor as it began to shoot frost and acid and wind at the kitsune in short spurts. Mara disappeared to Kong¡¯s notice but before he turned he received a message of intent. The shug darted around the mythical battle he dared not interfere with to snatch a belt from the ground and returned to the side of the one who called. Shin rose, lesser quality items replacing the pants a boots he lost, as he equipped the belt from the disappearing shug, damaged but its effects not broken. The party gathered around him as he looked towards the dragon. ¡°One more time.¡± Vigor blazed in their eyes anew as they felt his will. Inari dashed through the air, spitting hurling foxfire over the lowly dragon but it was taking too long to consume the prismatic armor. ¡°Aim it all at the eye.¡± She turned to Shin as he returned to the fight and acted immediately, gathering the foxfire she had created and sent it surging into the still burning eye of the dragon. Drogal roared and drained his prismatic armor to condense in his eye before the wretched deceitful flames burned through. A force held his body for a split second as he sensed two vermin join the fox charging towards him. Lightning surged from his body and cratered the space around him as he gathered a seven colored flame from the depths of his soul to extinguish the lives of the curs for good. And in that small opening, the swordsman appeared, his blade shining brilliantly. Drogal had forgotten the true threat for but one fatal moment, left with no time to respond. Leon slashed his sword, and a gray furred hand grabbed his shoulder. Shin pulled him back as the blade slashed nearly clean through the dragon¡¯s neck. He stepped forward through the air as Leon fell, cloth and a white mask finding his body, tremor channeling in his fist, and burst forward. With all his might he struck the reeling dragon¡¯s head, the impact ripping the flesh and scales from its body clean off. Leon smiled as he fell, casually and indifferent, and he disappeared from the room with the rest of his party. Shin landed with the crash of the dragon¡¯s head over on the pile of gold, and a silence took the room for a brief moment. [Prismatic Dragon (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1200 Agility - 750 Constitution - 1050 Vitality - 975 Dexterity - 675 Perception - 1170 Force - 1525 Spirit - 1275 Control - 900 Willpower - 980 Skills: Lesser Prismatic Breath lvl. 10, Lesser Prismatic Armor lvl. 10, Elemental Breath lvl. 10, Elemental Bolt lvl. 10, Lash lvl. 10, Traits: Greater Elemental Amplification (legendary), Greater Elemental Affinity (legendary), Mana Domain (legendary), Iron Scales (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Yen roared in the relief and exhilaration of victory for the four of them, and pounced on the Onmyoji as the invoke faded away with his mana. ¡°Shin, you devious fuck!¡± Donny smiled too, satisfied for now, and turned as a healing light covered his body. Kamala retained her stoic expression but he could tell inwardly, she was basking in the emotions as well. ¡°Where¡¯s the loot?!¡± Yen beamed. As if responding to her call, the body of the dragon started to melt, along with the hill of gold. Both swirled into the center forming eight treasure chests, glowing orange. Yen soared over immediately in a burst of anticipation and hope. As the item floated up, her expectations were met perfectly. She donned the item without hesitation, a white long sleeve silk crop jacket held together around the top of the chest with straps, while storing her amulet. ¡°Wait are you waiting for?¡± She said, tapping all seven other chests open. ¡°This is all legendary!¡± The others walked over to varying degrees of haste. Shin inspected each before hopping over to the ones he chose, skin tight leather ninja pants with the Greater Swift skill and a pair of golden arm circlets that with a skill that boosted the stats of his personal summons by twofold. Kamala took an elegant white gown and teardrop head necklace while Donny took a brutally jagged dull gold axe and a white metal chestpiece. ¡°What did you get?¡± Yen asked them. ¡°Bites into the opponent when I cut them, basically. Passive skill.¡± Donny held out his axe. ¡°Armor triples my defense skills like Bastion.¡± ¡°...the gown triples the potency of healing, the necklace triples abjuration spells.¡± ¡°Fucking perfect, we¡¯re basically invincible now. We should thank golden boy¡¯s party for giving us twice the rewards.¡± ¡°Guess you got something good, too.¡± ¡°Triple flight speed for the riding boots¡­¡± Yen taps her jacket. ¡°Triple fire potency. Three fucking times!¡± ¡°Do not get overconfident.¡± Kamala spoke. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡± Yen showed no sign of reeling in her excitement. ¡°We still got the tutorial rewards, and this is a guaranteed top 100 stop. Another epic tier skill.¡± ¡°As will 96 others. The ones we have faced included.¡± Kamala reminded. This time, Yen¡¯s confidence did shake a bit, as she found herself reminded by something. ¡°We can worry about all that in ten days.¡± Donny spoke up. ¡°What happens after the stage ends.¡± ¡°We probably go where the party leader came from.¡± Yen understood his question, answering casually as there was nothing to worry about. ¡°How long do we have anyway?¡± ¡°3 seconds.¡± Shin answered. ¡°Huh? Wha-?¡± The world froze gray though time did not stop between them. Shin scrolled through the rankings first.
  1. Shin
  2. Leon Moore
  3. Attila Atreus
  4. Sereth Narmer
  5. ¡­
He found Yuna in the early fifties, about as much as he expected. There was no difference in reward between 2 and 100, so she would continue to be cautious and smart. Her success was never a doubt in his mind, he just wanted to see how she was doing. ¡°Hey¡­ You¡¯re from the Igarashi family, right. Like the main family?¡± ¡°Clan.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Yen gathered her resolve to ask the tactless question. ¡°Why is your name just Shin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my name?¡± Shin tilted his head and Yen opened her mouth before deciding to drop the matter. She scrolled through the list more. ¡°...Kamalasambhava¡­? You said yours was Pandavas. Shin is Shin, what¡¯s your excuse?¡± Kamala did not answer, simply looking for her skill options. ¡°And where are you? Did you fuck up somehow?¡± ¡°69.¡± ¡°...Adonis Knox?¡± ¡°Mum could see the future.¡± Donny scrolled up a little more before glancing to Yen after a smile. ¡°Yennifer Thompson?¡± ¡°Shutup.¡± Shin didn¡¯t bother looking for the ability he had been searching for from the start. From what Onamuji said, it wouldn¡¯t be something he could obtain from these. Instead, he chose a new trait, one he had decided during the fight. The first step in a pair of traits he felt he needed for the path ahead. [Acquired legendary tier trait Survival State.] ¡®Survive fatal injuries much longer than normal.¡¯ Unlike before, there was no bombardment of invitations, only finding himself in the small dark dimension with his floating patron. Onamuji didn¡¯t speak immediately this time, merely slowly floating before him haphazardly as if trying to read him. ¡°You¡¯re so reckless for someone who chose the long term¡­¡± He mused. ¡°You plannin¡¯ to focus on speed?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Physical stats in general?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright. You can put some more points into something else then. Just a hundred. No more, even in the last stage. Maybe two hundred. Get a bunch of ¡®space¡¯. Traits are better than skills right now too. Think about what you¡¯d want ¡®em to be. You¡¯ll understand in the next part. Also, stay in greater lord for now.¡± ¡°Class?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just bare with it and raise that all the way. Gonna be difficult if you don¡¯t.¡± Onamuji paused for a moment. ¡°You like the people you¡¯re with?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin tilted his head in question but Onamuji didn¡¯t elaborate. ¡°I got more to say at the end, but guess that¡¯s good ¡®nuff for now. Remember, just a hundred. No more till the end of the trials.¡± The space faded away with Onamuji¡¯s partings and Shin found himself back in the still world. The others seemed the same but he noticed Yen being different from how she was. A little like back when she walked away after their first training, though firmer now. But he felt like he shouldn¡¯t ask why, so he kept silent. The goddess overseeing them appeared in the gray sky once more, distant and divine as ever. ¡°Fate is merciful for those who truly seek it. The Tower shelters. The Tower bestows. The Tower is all. Thou who hath found hope. Thou who hath found thy path. Walk it to the end. Walk it to salvation.¡± A light consumed the world. Consumed all but the depth of hollow eyes. Chapter 61 Flutter sat on her flower throne, thoroughly uncontent. She had remodelled the boss room to one of the inside of a tree trunk and filled it with flowers and pleasant things, but it was still too big. She didn¡¯t like big. Things had been quiet since the attack of the vile lizardmen and that was just how she liked it. However, the return of the eerie human concerned her. She had no way of telling time trapped in this dungeon room she wasn¡¯t allowed to leave, thus she wasn¡¯t even sure whether a month had passed or not. ¡°Tend to me.¡± Three pixie maids she had summoned through the dungeon core poured her more honeydew, fanned her with a leaf, and combed her hair. They were better than the fools she had in the cove, one thing better about living in this dire hole in the ground. Though as soon as she thought that, another benefit crossed her mind with a smile. ¡°I used to be a princess.¡± The pixie maids stopped to look at her. ¡°But now I¡¯m a queen! Stronger than mother.¡± ¡°Strong queen~¡± ¡°Princess queen~¡± ¡°Soft flowers~¡± Flutter¡¯s ego grew further from the pixies¡¯ cheers. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m strong! Maybe I¡¯ll teach that creepy human a lesson when he returns. If he¡¯s still alive.¡± Flutter laughed arrogantly. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± A shrill shriek left her mouth as her soul left her body. Flutter slammed her face and arms on the ground before him in prostration. ¡°A thousand blessing upon the immortal great master, your return was never in doubt!¡± The pixie maids mimicked her action behind her, clumsily smacking their heads on the floor. ¡°How did it go?¡± Shin showed no sign of being bothered whatsoever. ¡°Ah, well there was¡­ I mean, we have protected your castle without issue!¡± Flutter changed the direction of her words mid sentence. ¡°This is it?¡± An unfamiliar voice spoke up. ¡°I expected more from your dungeon that happy fairy tree cave¡­¡± Flutter looked up to find not one, not two, but three other big humans. ¡°Why are there more, you didn¡¯t say there would be more!¡± Flutter flew right in front of Shin¡¯s face to complain, forgetting her previous fear. ¡°Can you switch out the boss?¡± The orange haired she-witch assaulted her ears again. ¡°Uncommon tier will get run over by any average party of goons.¡± ¡°Who asked you?!¡± Flutter snapped. The orange human wasn¡¯t the master. She had no reason to fear her. ¡°I am a great and powerful master! What do you know about ruling a dungeon?!¡± Yen¡¯s eyes sharpened in confidence and fierceness. ¡°Well, since we just got back from slaying a dragon, I think I can judge this one.¡± Flutter¡¯s face short circuited. She turned to the great master and he confirmed the orange human¡¯s words with a smile. She turned back to the woman who looked down on her with authority that invoked caution. ¡°We have ten days, I¡¯ll redesign it so it¡¯ll hold up.¡± ¡°My dungeon is perfect. Try it if you can, ugly human!¡± Fire appearing in the human¡¯s hands made Flutter run for cover behind Shin¡¯s head, though no apology left her lips. She would never apologize. ¡°I¡¯ll come back in ten days.¡± Shin told her as he led the others out of the room as quickly as he arrived, leaving her with nothing but worries and frustration once again. --- The party exited their dungeon into a forest of Pangea. There had been no difficulty getting through at all, the traps glowed distinctly to them all and the monsters gave not even a shred of hostility. Not that either would have been an problem for any of them if they were. ¡°What now?¡± Yen asked. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get someone.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Shin blurred away before she could say more, dashing straight towards the location he had met the bruiser before the second stage. It hadn¡¯t been long since they returned so he couldn¡¯t have gotten far if he decided to move. The possibility of him having joined a party didn¡¯t cross his mind. He didn¡¯t feel like the type, and as such, Shin was expecting a fight to convince him. Time slowed as Shin¡¯s eyes moved to the masked man sitting in a tree to his side. Like lightning he threw a kunai but it passed only through air. Shin¡¯s eye¡¯s deepened. The man had vanished before he realized he even moved. It was more than teleportation, more than speed. ¡°You are a violent one.¡± Shin snapped around to the casual, jovial voice, bow drawn, but the man was gone already. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time. We have so little as it is.¡± Shin glanced slowly to the side, switching his weapon to a broadsword and saber, watching the man carefully. Dressed in leather with the red and black colors of a jester and donning a white mask with two carved eyes and a wide curving smile through which he could not see past. Not a single part of his body uncovered. But most of all, the masked man felt like nothing. Not the emptiness of demons, but as though he did not exist right before him. Shin¡¯s eyes flashed prismatic and the man disappeared from his vision. ¡°Strange. Such a strange epoch this is.¡± Shin turned to the voice and his eyes returned to normal, revealing the image of the man, crouching in the tree. ¡°Who-¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t bother with questions, I won¡¯t answer them. I don¡¯t know what you are yet.¡± The masked man¡¯s gaze seemed to deepen, and then suddenly, the tension disappeared from his presence. ¡°Well, no matter. For the sake of convenience, you may call me Mask.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°I came for a meeting, now leave with a warning.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes shifted with the movement of the voice mid sentence to Mask standing elsewhere, his arms held out in spectacle. ¡°If you don¡¯t grasp every bit of power you can, you will never take what you seek.¡± Mask disappeared as his words seemed to linger in the forest. Shin glanced around but no sign of the man returned. With nothing further to be done, he put the encounter to the back of his mind and carried on. In no time at all, he came across the place he had encountered the barbarian one month ago, finding only his broken body. [Human Berserker (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 700 Agility - 400 Constitution - 200 Vitality - 222 Dexterity - 200 Perception - 300 Force - 12 Spirit - 14 Control - 50 Willpower - 100 Shin calmly inspected the body, his expression indifferent. His right arm bent the wrong way at the elbow and his ribs were broken and bruised, lining up where the impact would be if he guarded with the arm. Blood stained down his dislocated jaw, barely starting to dry. His leg was broken at knee on the perfect angle and the front of his skull caved in by a round object. A complete and utter destruction. His opponent had no difficulty, such was their skill it was evident on the canvas they left. Shin glanced over the ground and sped off at the traces of departing footprints. Like the wind he weaved through the forest, keeping track of the signs of movement as his eyes flashed iridescent in brief spurts. Soon he locked onto a direction and burst off, no longer paying attention to the ground. Shin came to a stop just before a slight incline, with a young beautiful woman ahead. Light brown skin and striking icy blue hair, she wore a sheet of cloth across her chest and a fur skirt with belts revealing most of her thick legs. She had leather bracelets over her wrists and a rope circlet around the top of her arms but was noticeably barefoot. Her lean taut muscles obvious through a smooth feminine body but most prominent to Shin was pleasant smile beneath eyes of piercing unwavering focus. [Human Shaolin (epic) - Greater Lord] Shin didn¡¯t need to ask if she was the one. It was obvious. Her body shifted just slightly, almost imperceptibly, and Shin leant back as her leg cleaved the air over him. Her leg stopped short the moment it crossed over and raised up in an instant. Shin dove away as an axe kick cratered the ground, as she burst immediately after him. Fists and elbows showered down on him from a high guard with powerful kicks shot at the slightest opening, all with lethal intentions. Shin assessed her style as he dodged. Her stance wide and compact with her fists tucked in tight, her legs bent and her feet light in movement. Muay Boran, a style meant for killing, and she had mastered it. More than that, Shin thought, as a flying elbow seamlessly gave into a spinning heel kick from an unmoving center mass. It was beyond that. Restricted to a distinct form, but its principles the same as the ones taught in the Igarashi clan. Shin slipped a punch and flickered his own back with she slipped in turn. Her hands immediately reached around the back of his head and he ducked out of it. Shin sidestepped a flying knee of immense force. The icy blue haired woman landing a foot on the tree behind and burst off towards him with another sweeping kick. Shin started to fight back properly, his strikes as sharp as her¡¯s was powerful, ruthlessly aiming the most vulnerable vitals of her eyes and throat. But his attacks didn¡¯t reach their mark. She blocked and dodged each, returning strikes of her own, precision and timing becoming increasingly sharper. A jab grazed a cut along his cheek and he pulled a punch back before she could grab hold. Shin suspected something and decided to test it. Illustrious shrine priest clothes adorned his body. His hair drained white with red symbols and five tails grow of the same, and a fox mask covered the top half of his face. He pressed forward this time, overstraining his body so his speed matched hers, his movements sharper. The shaolin blocked and dodged, but some strikes started to land and through it, Shin noticed something else. He pressed her more, sharp unorthodox attacks hailing down on her from all angles. But gradually, his success dwindled as her skill grew. Shin palmed her stance back and kicked at her knee. A loud crack came from his leg as she held hers up to block. She lunged forward with an elbow instantly, like a tiger that found its moment, but it crashed only into a ward Shin formed beside his head as his tremoring fist slammed into her chest, sending her crashing through the forest with the slight shatter of bones. Shin reset his broken leg and healed it as he thought. Her bones were durable, as hard as armor, and it didn¡¯t seem like an active skill. A trait perhaps. Shin burst forward, only to meet the shaolin charging back. Her wounds were healing too, although by her expression it wasn¡¯t even on her mind. She attacked relentlessly as Shin landed strikes in longer and longer intervals. A jab snapped his head back and a pressure permeated his mind to force it unconscious. Shin forced it to remain awake and kicked with a tremoring foot, but she caught his leg just past the rippling vibrations and swept the other. Shin landed on his hands and popped the tremor to break his leg free from her grasp as he spun upright into a charge. Her knee appeared right in front of his face and shattered the ward formed between. An elbow slammed into his head from above, fracturing the side of his face. She was learning, Shin thought. Growing every second they fought. She deflecting his kick away and bore the brunt of another as her own sweeping kick changed into a front kicked at the last instant, and a force ruptured his organs. Shin fought on, hand to hand as he healed, more blows landing on him to crushing effect. The fight was slowly devolving into a one sided beating with him barely able to avoid disabling impacts to his brain. Another punch shattered his ward and snapped his body back as an axe kick followed down. As he reached the brink of these self imposed restrictions, Shin could no longer afford to hold back. Four tremors bloomed at the ends of his limbs, and he turned from fighter to assassin. He parried her leg to the side and a torrent of blows in combination surged the shaolin back as she was once against forced to guard and defend against the unpredictable. Shin feinted a jab and popped open her guard, hurling a wild haymaker towards her face. And she smiled. Cheerful, ecstatic, victorious. She leant back as a rising kick barrelled up towards Shin¡¯s jaw. Shin gracefully slipped just past, and burying a condensed tremor into the shaolin¡¯s solar plexus.The titanic punch broke through the recognizable gong of Bastion and a second Tremor burst with its raw force, knocking the air out of her lungs as she slammed across the earth. She flipped to her feet and the flutter of talismans surrounding her stole her attention for an instant. A gray furred Shin appeared behind her, the moment she rose to her feet, his arms locking into a choke and his legs around her arms. She struggled against it as the talismans fell on them both, increasing the weight of her limbs and the weight she had to bare. The surface of his legs sundered away and his muscles and joints ruptured but still he held firm. Her body shifted slightly, and Shin unwrapped his legs, kicking the back of her knees before she could burst off. As her knees hit the ground he and pulled the hold tight, bending her torso back in a way she couldn¡¯t use the full strength of her body. Her arms reached up to pull him off her but a ward blocked them. By the time she struck again to break through, the power in her body was falling. Her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and her limbs fell limp. Shin released his grip and let her fall face first to the ground. Shin took a seat on the ground, healing them both with little mana he had left. As he expected, she couldn¡¯t adapt immediately to too many things happening at once. He had also exploited that tendency to adapt to his advantage, targeting how he predicted she would react. Still, he had cut it close. As his invoke faded away, the shaolin¡¯s eyes opened and she casually sat up to face him, the piercing fierceness in her eyes gone, but not the depth. ¡°Fight again?¡± She smiled with cute tone, matching her face, as Shin understood she wanted another fight to the death. ¡°Later.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± The shaolin showed no urgency nor disappointment, only a genuine carefree anticipation. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Karla.¡± ¡°Join my party?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± And just like that, Shin had found his fifth member. Chapter 62 Shin returned with Karla back to the others in no time, the three waiting around roughly where he left them. ¡°Of course this is who you wanted to recruit¡­¡± Yen through some shade Shin¡¯s way at the sight of another beautiful young woman. ¡°No. She killed him.¡± Before Yen could fully form a response to that revelation, she introduced the new member. ¡°This is Karla.¡± Karla smiled at them but did nothing in particular. ¡°Donny.¡± Her eyes turned to the sole person who introduced themselves back. ¡°Fight?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Be back later.¡± Shin informed them as he left suddenly once again. There was something that caught his eye on the way over which he wanted to visit. Before long he found himself into front of a fence of brambles through which his eyes couldn¡¯t see. Shin knocked twice and waited but no one answered. He tilted his head before conjuring a spiralling spirit orb and carving out a doorway, and pushed it in as he entered the fairy cove. Shin glanced around. This cove was quite different from the one he visited prior. Large mushrooms replaced trees for homes but most notably the place was grim. Dimly lit, small barren trees, and an air of hardship about the place. Even the fairies that poked their little heads out to see the stranger had faces more of worry than wonder. Shin continued to what seemed to be the most notable place in the center of the cove, where an eerie old fairy sat on a thorn of thorny branches. [Fairy Harrier (uncommon) - Greater Lord] White hair and wrinkled skin with sharp features the old fairy stared back with derision and mockery. ¡°Why have you come, human?¡± ¡°Looking for strong spirits.¡± ¡°Aye, there may be what you seek. However¡­ All those paths are closed, now that you have entered my domain.¡± He cackled back, his voice growing louder and more ominous with each word. ¡°None shall oppose me. None shall be free of my torment. I rule this cove, and soon I shall rule this forest!¡± The old man cackled madly, his voice echoing throughout the cove. ¡°I am Barley the Tormentor! Soon my reign of terror-¡± Shin slapped his hands over the evil fairy squashing it to paste. Misty tendrils of magic rose from his palms as he parted them, fashioning the soul together and nonchalantly placed it within his own. The surrounding fairies looked on with shock, and then broke into celebration. Cheers filled the cove as the little fairies danced and sang as others flew around making the mushrooms glow warmly with faerie dust. ¡°There¡¯s another cove that way.¡± Shin pointed towards Flutter¡¯s home. ¡°You¡¯ll be safer there.¡± Silence took hold as the fairies paused their celebrations, and then returned to the festivities without a care in the world. Shin tilted his head. If they didn¡¯t want to, he wouldn¡¯t make them. If something went wrong, they should be able remember the way at least and flee to safety. A bolt of fire exploded in the sky way in the distance, back towards the dungeon. Shin blurred away immediately, tearing through the forest in the direction of the party. --- Karla flashed through the surging web of vines, the sheer quantity preventing her from reaching her opponent. She darted left as an invisible force closed in on an empty space. Fire and force exploded around her as she drew nearer and nearer. A wall of vines erupted before her and she sundered a path through, bursting towards the orange haired mage. Karla broke through the mage¡¯s invisible shield but her fist and body passed through flames as the mage turned to fire and took to the air. She darted away as a force tried to hold her in place again, rushing towards her downed opponent. Dozens of sharp long thorns speared up from the ground but she danced around them, spinning in the air as she smacked down another red explosion. Three white winged angels with golden shields and weapons soared towards her. She slipped inside the spear thrust of one, rupturing it to death through its armor. A sword of another deflected off her reinforced arm as she broke its neck with a kick. A quick pivot in the same fluid motion flowed into a lunging elbow shattering the helm of the angel and another fist crushed its head against the ground, all three scattering to dust. Karla burst towards the priest of vines, hand raised. ¡°Stop.¡± Karla came to a half just before the priest, several sharp thorns aiming towards her vitals and the protection of vines and a magic shield formed before her. Both looked towards Shin who had just arrived. ¡°She tried to kill Donny!¡± Yen yelled, holding a firebolt steady in her palm aimed at the shaolin. Shin glanced over at the knight behind Kamala. Unmoving, badly injured, but not dead. He thought for a moment. ¡°No fighting people in the party unless me or Kamala watch over. If we tell you to stop, you have to stop.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°Fuck that!¡± Yen objected. ¡°She¡¯s a total psycho, kick her out.¡± ¡°You can hunt monsters if you want. Don¡¯t go too far, we¡¯ll stay around here mostly.¡± Shin casually told Karla. ¡°Kay.¡± The icy blue haired battle maniac burst off into the forest. ¡°Shin!¡± ¡°Gonna find spirits.¡± He sped off too, in the opposite direction, prismatic eyes looking forward to the future. --- Shin weaved through the arrows of the centaurs, as he cut down another and the herd shifted formation among the trees. Half human half horse with slightly bestial features, these rare tier creature¡¯s weren¡¯t too powerful on their own but they were more intelligent than most he had fought and coordinated well in a group. Shin darted to the side as a powerful concussive force blasted a tree apart. He glanced over to the leader of this tribe, a Centaur Psion, his target. Two swirling green orbs appeared above Shin and shot off, boring through the ordinary centaurs as he carved through a share of his own. The gyros whizzed around the trees, soaring towards the psion from both sides. The centaur leader¡¯s face twisted in anger and with a roar, concussive force exploded from him, destroying the attacks that had wiped out his people. For a brief moment, Shin cast Greater Swift and severed the centaur¡¯s head from his body in an instant. No sooner had the body fallen had Shin started harvesting its soul, storing it before hopping around to do the same to the others. [Harvest Spirit has reached lvl. 10. 50 Attribute Points rewarded.] The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. For the benefit of his spirits, Shin willed the skill further. [Harvest Spirit has upgraded to epic tier Harvest Soul.] Shin had truly felt the loss of the tenfold progression boost these past nine days, although it wasn¡¯t anything unexpected. He sat down amidst the carnage and pulled two uncommon tier spirit souls out, redcap and skraeling variants. Recaps weren¡¯t common to come across unless he lingered around bloodshed, but he had encountered a tribe of hostile skraelings. Tiny warriors, not much larger than pygmies, with gray skin with large bulbous heads. Shin channelled Soul Fusion and the two souls meshed together. He held it firm and stable, giving no favor to either as they fought for survival. Eventually they swirled into a whole and the soul formed into a living creature, a horned plant humanoid creature, weapons in hand. [Spriggan Ambusher (rare) - Intermediate Lord] The spriggan moved and Shin severed it in two, harvesting its soul and putting it within himself. He had learned a few things about soul fusion. The first was that even if both were dead, a succession fusion would result in the revival of the new spirit. The second was that they would typically be hostile towards him. On the more practical side, the chances of success were better if they were the same rank and tier, and even more so if their ¡®types¡¯ seemed compatible. Shin took out the souls of a kappa and a yeth and fused once more. The skill succeeded again, this time producing a result he had seen many times. [Nue Waterwader (rare) - Greater Lord] The creature had the face and hair of a beautiful woman though like a kappa, the top of its head was bald and slightly caved in, its body covered in green scales and a turtle shell on its back. Without a shred of uniformity or reason, Shin deduced that Nues were something of a spiritual chimera, where any new spirit that didn¡¯t fit into an existing species fell into. Shin re-added the spirit to his arsenal of materials just as before. It marked a significant line of success concerning uncommon tier, and so now Shin believed he was ready. He called forth Mara and took out the Lovelorn Nymph he had fought early in the second stage. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me! You promised!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Mara cried. ¡°Using me¡­ making another stronger, I know it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m making you stronger.¡± Mara fell silent and her flailing calmed slightly. ¡°You¡¯ll win.¡± Shin channelled the two souls together, giving preference to neither. He held the swirl more stable than before and the fusion finished faster. From the glowing light formed a large bird with the head of a beautiful woman. Two long blue feathers flowed back from her forehead and two strands of red hair spread over her face like eyebrows flowing back passed the rest of her long curled hair of the same rich color. Purple eyeliner painted the ends of her eyes matching her lips among an ethereally pale face. The patch of feathers of her chest was white but the rest were pitch black with purple tips. A long tail feather of the same design fluttered in the wind as she hovered on two wings before Shin. [Nue Warder (rare) - Greater Lord] Mara smiled at him, her gaze full of confidence and intelligence. ¡°I said I would be beautiful, did I not?¡± ¡°You are.¡± Her mature smile grew more. ¡°I said I would be strong as well. It pained me to be so useless.¡± ¡°You got smarter.¡± Shin chimed in. ¡°I was always smart. It was just that wretched state that clouded my mind so. Ah, but that is over. Now I can properly protect you.¡± Mara¡¯s eyes grew deeper and more intense. ¡°Renew the bond, my king. Let us conquer all you wish.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin formed a bridge between their souls and Mara accepted without hesitation, her missing bond returning to where it was. [Nue Warder (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 204 Agility - 367 Constitution - 228 Vitality - 233 Dexterity - 220 Perception - 421 Force - 989 Spirit - 796 Control - 550 Willpower - 512 Skills: Ward lvl. 1, Mana Shield lvl. 1, Sonic Wave lvl. 1, High Pitch lvl. 6, Greater Screech lvl. 1, Traits: Protector (epic), Sound Amplification (rare), Nightvision (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (uncommon), Lesser Poison Resistance (uncommon), Shin first noted her lopsided stats. A mage type specialist, her Force nearly that of Inari¡¯s despite the kitsune being a whole tier ahead. Her skills had changed for the better as well. Luring song and charm had not seen much use but the two new defensive skills she acquired held much greater value. He had the same Ward skill already but more was always useful. More importantly was the shield skill he had fused away, and with her Force it would be formidable. And as Shin had hoped, she returned her two offensive sound skills, along with the ever useful mental attack, which would all now pack a bigger punch. Mara hummed with an air of pride and elation as Shin inspected her status favorably. ¡°I¡¯ll call you later.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mara faded back into his soul, her arrogance and joy still felt through. Shin was happy she was pleased with her evolution, his thoughts turning to the next stage where he could harvest and level far more efficiently. He had wondered about the next step for her but he had just obtained that piece. All that was left was his training. [Bonus Stage will begin in 24 hours.] A surprise message interrupted his thoughts. The system had not signaled the last stage, nor had it described it as anything other than the number of stage. His mind briefly drifted back to the last conversation he had with Onamuji before speeding off into the forest. He still had time and mana, and he would put his new soul collecting skill to work in preparation for this bonus stage, whatever it was. Just as he thought that, Shin came to a sudden stop. Ahead floated a spirit, three feet tall with childish features donning a large robe that seemed part of itself. Her expression calm as she turned to him with eyes like a bright starry sky, pleasant and foreboding. [Sidhe Dreamer (rare) - Greater Lord] ¡°Would you like to dream?¡± --- Dull, heavy strikes fell on Donny¡¯s shield as he desperately defended. A vermillian shield he bore, his obsidian goblin one destroyed in their first fight, and it was not the only one. Karla¡¯s leg struck the gong of bastion he was forced to constantly use, lest she shatter another shield. He cleaved at her neck with his orichalcum axe at barest sign of an opening. Her eyes followed easily and she raised her hand, aura reinforcing it as she deflected the axe away, and kicked out. Donny gathered Bastion on his chestplate. She couldn¡¯t break this piece of armor but she could bypass it entirely and rupture his insides, as she had done so often these past days. Spellbreak shattered his skill and sent him crashing back. He sprung to his feet just in time to see a sweeping leg aiming to burst his head apart. Just before the strike landed, Karla froze in the air, locked in place. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Kamala spoke calmly while strain showed on Yen¡¯s face. The speed they ¡®sparred¡¯ at forced every ounce of her attention, and even then, she could only barely predict what the mad monk would do if she wasn¡¯t paying her any mind. ¡°Show more care to your limits.¡± Kamala lectured Donny as she healed him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be good training if I did.¡± ¡°Heal, please.¡± Karla hopped over by Kamala in an instant, holding out her bloodied hands with a cute smile, completely at odds with the brutality just prior. Kamala paused a moment and began healing. Her wounds were only surface level as they usually were, so it took no time at all. ¡°There¡¯s only a few minutes left so don¡¯t run off.¡± ¡°Kay~¡± ¡°This is insane. Even for Shin.¡± Yen grumbled from the shade of a tree. ¡°Better strong members than anything else.¡± ¡°Teammates not timebombs¡­¡± ¡°What, still down about the patron thing?¡± Yen scoffed. ¡°The system should give more info about invitations. I had a bunch and the one I picked was a fucking loser.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Saving the best for last, huh.¡± ¡°Shutup.¡± Though Yen cracked a smile. Shin flashed past them and into the dungeon before they could call out. He sped through the dungeon to the boss room in an instant, startling Flutter at his sudden appearance. ¡°Survive.¡± Before she could say a word, he brought out the soul of the old fairy and fused them together. The spoiled fairy queen¡¯s wails of shock soon turned to wails of rage as she fought to save her own existence. The swirl melded into one and from the light emerged a child like being, 3 feet tall in a fluttering robe and no wings. Flutter¡¯s face remained the same as before, though her expression somewhere between shock and repulsion as she inspected her new form in a daze. [Sidhe Oppressor (rare) - Greater Lord] Strength - 161 Agility - 374 Constitution - 208 Vitality - 184 Dexterity - 343 Perception - 452 Force - 712 Spirit - 777 Control - 575 Willpower - 698 Skills: Greater Pixie Dust lvl 5, Greater Befuddle lvl. 2, Shroud lvl. 1, Greater Harass lvl. 1, Greater Ache lvl. 1, Traits: Faerie Presence (rare), Lesser Magic Affinity (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Minor Poison Resistance (uncommon), Minor Disease Resistance (uncommon), Minor Charming Resistance (uncommon), Shin disappeared without a word as the bonus stage arrived, leaving behind Flutter to slowly glance at her new body and collapse into an utter mental breakdown tinged with rage. All five members of the party appeared together along with other parties and individuals in a place none of them expected, a wide corridor with modern furnishings, the walls lines fully with classic arcade consoles of all kinds. ¡°Welcome~¡± The voice of a playful boy sounded throughout the building as if through speakers. ¡°To the Newcomer Festival!¡± Chapter 63 ¡°How is it? Surprised?¡± The boyish voice asked with an irresponsible tone. ¡°I took inspiration from your world for this bonus stage. Feel at home?¡± ¡°Is this a trick?¡± The voice continued before anyone could answer Yen¡¯s question. ¡°Well, don¡¯t get too comfortable. The festival is your best chance to survive the third trial so don¡¯t waste the time you have. The trial is simple. Take on the challenges from the consoles in front. The better you do, the more tokens you get. If you do really good, you¡¯ll even get a ticket. That¡¯s important for later. There¡¯s lots of games so don¡¯t complain if you find one you¡¯re not good at. There¡¯s only one rule. Any player that kills another player gets kicked out. Have fun~¡± A notification appeared before all members of the party with a timer counting down from 24 hours. They waited a few moments but the voice said nothing further. ¡°...that can¡¯t be a real god, right? What happened to the goddess with all the Shakespearean elegance?¡± ¡°If they take in all worlds like ours, there¡¯s probably all sorts.¡± Donny reasoned, not taking any particular interest in the topic as he looked around the hall of players and consoles. ¡°There is only a day for this ¡®part¡¯, we shouldn¡¯t waste time.¡± Kamala spoke up. ¡°My patron advised me to acquire traits here. We should find out how.¡± ¡°Why traits?¡± ¡°She could not say.¡± ¡°Mine said the same thing. Even gave me hints about which ones.¡± Donny mentioned. ¡°Must be nice having a god give you the answers¡­¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°Choose more carefully next time.¡± Kamala glanced before telling her. ¡°I find it hard to believe there isn¡¯t one powerful god willing to give you a greater blessing.¡± Yen opened and closed her mouth in silence as she processed Kamala¡¯s words. ¡°Can¡¯t you just compliment people normally¡­ Hey!¡± She yelled at Donny and Karla who started to wander towards the arcade games. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± The two stopped and turned back, though only Donny spoke. ¡°He said to have fun.¡± ¡°A bonus stage is still a stage, and stages are all bullshit. Let someone else test the water first so you don¡¯t die like some goons.¡± ¡°You worry too much, you know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called using your fucking brain.¡± ¡°She has a point.¡± Kamala sided with the mage. ¡°Maybe. But doesn¡¯t look like anyone else is stepping up.¡± The party glanced down either direction of the hall filled with players and parties loitering around, none seeming eager to challenge a game. Shin hopped by a lone player without a word, startling the man whose nerves seemed frayed enough already. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this if you try the game.¡± A rare tier longsword appeared in his hands as he propositioned the lesser lord swordsman. ¡°That¡­¡± Shin waited only a moment at the man¡¯s reluctance before starting to head over to someone else. ¡°Wait!¡± The prize offered moving on seemed to relieve the swordsman of much of his apprehension. He gathered his resolve and looked towards the arcade console. In an instant, his eyes glossed over as though asleep on his feet. Barely six seconds passed before he jolted awake, his breathing heavy and expression tense with fear. A hand moved to his neck on reflex and confusion with a tinge of relief set in as he found no wound nor blood. ¡°What is it?¡± Shin asked. ¡°Goblins¡­¡± The man seemed to ask on reflex. ¡°They just kept coming. No matter how much I killed¡­ so I ran. I ran¡­¡± His hand found his neck again before glancing up as he changed the subject. ¡°You waited here?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I was in there for 10 minutes¡­ I think. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ 89 tokens¡­ A ranking. Five hundred and twel- thirteen.¡± Shin tilted his head in thought before putting the promised longsword in the player¡¯s hands and pulling out two more rare tier items and holding them out. ¡°Try again. Do better this time.¡± The man¡¯s reluctance was almost tangible but among the silence he glanced at the items and then the console, thoughts running through his mind. He equipped the gear Shin offered and once again his body fell into idleness. Shin prodded his shoulder and without warning slashed at his neck, stopping just short of drawing blood, but the man gave no reaction. He stored the blade and waited patented until the man returned, lasting roughly 11 seconds this time. His expression thoroughly troubled but he took notice of Shin standing in front in silence, as though waiting on a report. ¡°I got 74 more tokens¡­ My rank, huh, it, um. The score didn¡¯t change. My rank¡¯s getting lower though.¡± ¡°Skills?¡± ¡°What? Oh, a couple went up.¡± Shin left just as unceremoniously as he appeared, hopping back over to the party who had taken to waiting on his experiment. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He declared. ¡°Okay, so¡­¡± Yen organized the information in her head. ¡°We get tokens and listed on the scoreboard. We can try more than once but it only gives more tokens, only the first attempt counts for the score. Dying in the game doesn¡¯t mean dying in real life. Skills can level up in the games and there¡¯s some time dilation. A hundred times? That means we get a hundred days of training basically.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yen questioned the knight. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re target practice on the outside when we¡¯re in the games. Some of us need to stay on the outside to protect the ones inside.¡± ¡°Killing¡¯s against the rules.¡± ¡°You only get kicked out. Doesn¡¯t really stop some dickhead taking our bags and killing to run away.¡± Yen seemed to realize how thin the protection of the rule was now, but moved on quickly. ¡°Then we just need to take turns. One person standing guard at a time. More importantly, with how the rankings are, we should chose a type that we won¡¯t rank high in no matter what and just grind until near the end. Then we can aim for high scores. Probably where the tickets come from.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Donny walked over to a console painted with a goblin pattern and fell into a daze. Karla followed after. Yen sighed in slight annoyance at the lack of a full plan and joined them, an endless horde also very much ill suited to her build. ¡°I will try the Ogre Waves then.¡± Kamala assessed the described of a different console besides them before looking to Shin. ¡°Okay.¡± With that Kamala entered her training as Shin waited patiently as the lone guard. Though he didn¡¯t have to wait for long before Yen snapped back to her senses with a foul expression on her face. ¡°Little bastards¡­ Let me level up a bit more before I need to guard?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yen plunged back into the challenge lasting only a few more seconds than the first time. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not pleasant.¡± Donny said as he returned the same time, though he didn¡¯t seem too bothered by whatever gruesome fate ended his first attempt. Kamala returned from her round as well, her expression unchanged. ¡°Top 10?¡± Yen checked the priestess¡¯ ranking. ¡°Why did you choose that one, it¡¯s such a waste.¡± ¡°There are others I will perform better in, and the highest priority now is to improve our skills with the time we have.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Yen glanced at the blue haired shaolin. ¡°Has she come out yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Probably enjoying every second of it¡­¡± Yen steeled her resolve and plunged back into the game. ¡°Want a turn?¡± Donny asked Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin hopped in front of the goblin horde game. As with Kamala, it was a waste to tackle something he¡¯d perform well in later, but there were others better suited to him and he too wanted to increase his skills. Shin focused his consciousness into the console and his surroundings changed in an instant. He found himself in a barren rocky wasteland stretching without end, tinged in the gloomy brown of an early dusk. And bearing down on him from all directions was an endless horde of green skinned goblins. Some nearly bare with primitive weapons, some lightly geared, and some heavily, but all consumed by a battle craze to the point of madness. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Shin blurred and an axe cleaved clean through the necks of two goblins. The goblins near had barely started to register his presence before his arms flickered, shredding them apart. Black hair flared in the spiral of gust and Shin burst forward, carving haphazardly through the horde with abandon, reaping a red harvest from all he came near. Two spiralling green orbs fully concentrated behind with a ferocity of crazed violence and shot off, boring holes clean through goblin and armor alike. Like murderous wisps they frenzied through the enemies afar, leaving a field of corpses in their wake. Just as ruthlessly Shin¡¯s weapons flickered, draining aura via the Rapid skill he had no need to use and replenishing it at the cost of mana. [Invigoration has reached lvl. 3.] Shin¡¯s attacks slowed as he felt his stamina drop low, leaving enough to fight with nothing more than stats and skill, but he killed them just as easily as she had. The spirit gyros shattered apart at the end of their durability and three more concentrated to take their place. Shin guided them as best his intuition and senses felt, honing his control more sharply and precise with each passing moment. As soon as he felt the progress of his mastery slow, he created another orb, adding several more until he became the center of a storm of death. [Channelling has reached lvl. 4.] [Spirit Gyro has reached lvl. 6.] The orbs broke one by one but none replaced them, Shin¡¯s mana nearly depleted. But his movements did not slow. Arrows and magic fell upon him with the blades and clubs but none so much as grazed his skin. An impassionate massacre was all their attempts were met with as he patiently waited for his energy to recover. He had many skills to level and as much training dummies as he needed. --- Shin struck a goblin with his bare fist and the life left its eyes. Far from the result it wanted. He slashed open a path by the sword in his other and focused more intently. The skill as it was, wasn¡¯t enough. He didn¡¯t need it to dent or crack, he needed it to break. Shin struck a second goblin and its soul fractured on impact, shattering away like glass. [Greater Soul Strike has upgraded to epic tier Lambast.] A far more lethal and far more effective attack, though he would have to level it later. A white fox masked woman appeared by his side, ethereal and graceful, and without hesitation began an eager slaughter of her own. Shin stood still as he cast a transparent purple cube over him. Arrows and spells struck the walls of the ward immediately as did the weapons of the common goblins but the sanctuary held and the attackers executed by his sorcerous kitsune partner in a flash. Shin stored his weapons and pulled up his status, his demeanor relaxed and nonchalant as though he were not surrounded by an endless horde of vicious creatures. [Human Onmyoji (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 (910) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: Heal lvl. 3, Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 4, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 10, Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 1, Invoke lvl. 10, Tremor lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Ward lvl. 5, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Lambast lvl. 1, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Survival State, His skills were progressing swiftly as one would expected after two full days of constant fighting. He had only Inari, Lambast, and Ward to max now for his immediately plans within this challenge. Heal could be done later in a more suitable game and Greater See Through Spirits wasn¡¯t much of a priority. Inari leveled slowly, at least her designated skill did, but that was only naturally. She cost a staggering 600 mana to summon which is why Shin had put an extra 122 into Spirit, in line with what Onamuji said he could. [Ward has reached lvl. 6.] His standing barrier advanced once again from the furious attacks of surrounding goblins, who were quickly engulfed in a surge of Foxfire. Shin glanced at the smoldering ash and the bodies beyond. Soul attacks worked on these creatures and they appeared normal in his prismatic eyes, but the moment they died, their souls became dormant, wooden almost, as if they were mere imitations. Harvest Soul naturally wouldn¡¯t work which meant he had no fuel for Soul Fusion. If that were the case or all games, which he suspected it was, it meant those skills would go neglected this bonus stage. Although, even if this wasn¡¯t the case, they likely would anyway as he had a more important task, and one that seemed it would prove quite difficult. Raising his skills to legendary tier. He had tried several skills so far to no success, the difficulty exponential compared to epic tier. He had decided on Combat for his first skill but these goblins weren¡¯t nearly enough of a challenge to spark an upgrade. He¡¯d need to utilize another game for that. As for this run, Tremor was a frontrunner, as well as the now far more deadly Lambast. Shin glanced up as Inari spit a giant ball of Foxfire towards him, just barely avoiding the ward as it arced over and crashed into the goblins behind. The corner of her mouth raised in a smile as she blurred around, ever eager to show off. Shin was happy she was having fun. With little else to do, he watched her fight for the hour she had as she wanted. When her level increases, he¡¯d be able to keep her out near constantly. --- Shin stood motionless in a state of calm primordial focus. The blue mist surrounding him broke into shattered light and became denser. [Mana Meditation has upgraded to the legendary tier Greater Mana Meditation.] Time seemed to jump ahead in hazy steps. The walls of his ward broke and replaced, Inari faded away and reappeared into the battle. Still, Shin did not move. He thought of only the feeling of rapid movement, of lightning strikes. The fingers on his hands started to twitch as his mind drew closer to the ideal, something instantaneous and complete. The walls of his ward dispelled away and he vanished. The crack of a kick snapped a goblin¡¯s head around before it knew it was dead. Shin¡¯s body flickered from his one legged stance inbetween a group of four goblins still stepping towards where his ward had been. His arms blurred and they fell headless into oblivion. [Rapid has upgraded into legendary tier Greater Rapid.] [Achievement: Skill Upgrade III. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] ¡®Upgrade 30 skills.¡¯ Shin burst through the horde slaughtering everything he came near, draining the aura for his skill as it recovered. The days blurred together in the endless fray. He raised a sword to a charging armored goblin and his palm thrust into the chest of a cloth draped creature. An explosion of blood and flesh painted its comrades behind as violent instantaneous vibrations destroyed any trace of the goblin. [Tremor has upgraded to legendary tier Quake.] Shin stomped the ground and the jagged pulse of Quake sundered the ground in a wave, shards of rock shredding through the horde like shrapnel. He burst off and grabbed a goblin by the head, blood spurting from its orifices as contained vibrations turning the inside of its skull into slush. He stood among the carnage, sometimes still, sometimes he fought. Inari danced around him, a blade in each hand, and faded away as Mara and Kong took her place. Thunderous fists and sonic blasts kept the horde at bay as he felt for the bond within. Shrine priest clothing adorned his body, five white fox tails grew behind with elegant red markings and his hair changed to match. A white fox mask covered the top of his face and he moved. [Invoke has upgraded to legendary tier Greater Invoke.] He rent through the horde like blades of glass, a gladius in each hand. An ethereal white god of death descended upon the land and the invoke around him faded away. Sometimes his body flickered, sometimes he sunder his foes with quake, and sometimes he invoked the power of his spirits, and sometimes they fought alongside him with as much devastation as he brought himself. There was no end to the slaughter, no end to the progress of his mastery. The challenge provided no food nor water nor could he access his own within his spatial bag. He controlled his body, dominated it to function as efficiently as possible allowing for no waste. Still, his athleticism withered, his health decayed in the unforgiving nature of a hopeless challenge. But Shin persisted, willing his body past its limits, demanding more, urging longer. His focus changed naught whether sitting behind the walls of ward or amidst a sea of enemies. His movements began to slow, gradually at first but more and more noticeable as time went on. Cuts and wounds began to find his body but were healed away and the infections forced out. Shin raised a weapon and collapsed to a knee as his legs gave out, and the goblins fell upon him. Life returned to Shin¡¯s eyes standing outside the console and he was met with immediate notifications. [Goblin Horde Challenge Score - 9 hours 51 minutes 36 seconds] [536,524 tokens rewarded.] [Rank 1. Shin] Shin turned his attention to his skill sheet first and foremost, which had undergone an immense difference. [Human Onmyoji (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 (910) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: Heal lvl. 3, Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 1, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Survival State, In the time spent, he had upgraded four skills to legendary tier and maxed them all, along with every skill he currently could in battle. By the pattern of classes, he likely needed six legendary skills to upgrade his class. Two more during this festival was well within reach. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s out!¡± Yen called out to the others, having noticed his return before turning back to him. ¡°Seriously, do you know how long you were in there?¡± ¡°41 days?¡± ¡°10 fucking hours. How is that even possible. Second place isn¡¯t even close.¡± ¡°So how much did you raise?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Maxed?¡± Yen added. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen bore a look of exasperation mixed with one that already expected as much and was rather dulled to it. ¡°Me and firebird are up to two. Think Kamala¡¯s on three. Dunno about Karla.¡± Donny informed him. ¡°Mm?¡± Karla returned from her latest run of the goblin challenge. ¡°How many legendary skills you got?¡± ¡°Four~¡± Karla beamed. ¡°Another Shin¡­¡± Yen groaned. ¡°What¡¯s even the criteria for¡­¡± Yen¡¯s voice drifted off an a wide grin of pride and pure elation replaced her casual frustration. ¡°Blessing?¡± Shin asked. Yen held her grin for a few moments as if building up anticipation for the announcement. ¡°Falcon of the Two Horizons.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s a good one.¡± ¡°Very.¡± Kamala joined in the conversation, having returned to see the rest talking. Yen showed a look of slight disappointment and annoyance at the ruined mystery she planned to flaunt. ¡°Does murim just teach everything or what? These are earth mythologies anyway.¡± ¡°Most of it seems to be relevant.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± ¡°There are a few probable reasons.¡± Kamala said though she didn¡¯t share any of those theories. ¡°Who are your patrons anyway?¡± Yen moved the conversation forward having moved on from her slight disappointment. ¡°Master of The Great Land.¡± ¡°Lord of Slaughter.¡± ¡®Mercenary Queen~¡± ¡°Maiden of the Midsummer Lake.¡± ¡°Do we know all of them too?¡± ¡°All but the Mercenary Queen.¡± Kamala answered, looking to Shin. ¡°Don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°So is she new or just obscure?¡± ¡°By the nature of this ¡®system¡¯, it stands that players can become gods, which is likely true for those born within the Tower as well.¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± Yen figured as much herself. ¡°But I mean-¡± A terrible stifled wail sounded from a player in the distance. The party turned their sights to find the source pierced through the back by a blank eyed player. The victim fell flat and the man disappeared as dozens, hundreds of blank eyed players swarmed around the corner towards them like mindless zombies. Chapter 64 A mana shield appeared before a terrified robed woman and an overwhelming hail of attacks shredding it apart along with her. A leather clad rogue turned and fled only for an arrow to pierce his skull. Another brutish warrior cleaved through an attacker with his great axe out of desperation and vanished to safety. People fled, fought, and froze as fear took them but nothing turned the tide. The horde tore through the unfortunate players nearest to them with mad abandon. For every mindless player that vanished ten more rounded the corner in their place. Shin focused and a dense narrow ward spread across the hallway right in front of the nearest madman, and a flurry of martial and magic skills shattered it to pieces in mere seconds. White wings bloomed from Kamala¡¯s back and Yen rose into the air, the party fleeing at high speed with no need for words. They raced past the other players, Donny bringing up the rear and Shin in front, his eyes prismatic and vigilant. A passage between hallways appeared on their left and Shin took it without hesitation. He glanced in the direction they were fleeing and darted the other way, the rest of the party seeing the bounding zombie like players down this hallway as well. Through the arcade halls they fled and fled, unable to stop the horde and prohibited from fighting back. They weaved through the corridors of the festival grounds as more and more paths closed around them by new groups of hordes. Shin cut through another passage and found a rock and a hard place. From the right came a barrelling horde and to the left a crowd stood mindless around a door swirling with the portal of a dungeon entrance, marked with words above. ¡®Safe Room¡¯ Shin darted left without hesitation and the party followed. ¡°It might be a trap!¡± Yen yelled. ¡°Not much choice.¡± Donny responded and Yen couldn¡¯t disagree. As the mindless players started to turn back towards them, Shin pushed them aside, forming a path to the door. The listless players spurned into a rage in an instant and attacked the ward as the party soared through. The blue walls of the ward shattered and another one formed around the party, smaller and denser, cracking and breaking through just as they passed through the portal. Shin looked back, finding all the party well and glanced at the mindless players standing eerily just outside the portal, transparent on their side, before turning his attention to the safe room. Spacious and empty aside from the players taking refuge inside, easily numbering in the hundreds. Among them there were a few recognizable faces. The glaive wielding leader from the standoff in the hall of the second dungeon of what he presumed was a Lu party. A familiar old woman who he now knew to be the Abbess of the Hua clan. A party of brown skinned players chief among them a towering young man of imposing build and stern resolve, Saba, he suspected. And lastly a party from his country who seemed protective of a boy eleven or twelve, uninterested in the world around him as he calmly played with magic. Kamo, by their behavior and classes most likely, Shin guessed. As he gave the rest of the room a quick scan, he caught notice of tan blonde haired boy wearing a silk mask hiding half his face and waved, who promptly ignored him with a vitriolic click of his tongue. ¡°What now?¡± Yen looked back at the entrance before asking. ¡°We can¡¯t waste this bonus stage staying inside here¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± An energetic stranger¡¯s voice responded in front and the party turned towards him, Shin already aware. A young man with dark brown skin and thick dreads tied behind. The baggy silk pants of a rogue and traditional shoes of a martial artist, shirtless revealing a lean muscular physique ideal for fighting, his tall height obvious even from the casual crouch he adopted before them. His demeanor one of unconcerned measured confidence with a strange endearing gravitas. [???] ¡°Relax.¡± He brushed aside the party¡¯s hostility and suspicion at an approaching stranger with a composed smile. ¡°No one can die in this room. No point in fighting. But¡­ as you can see, nothing to gain here either.¡± The stranger raised a finger as he spoke. ¡°Only one way to get back to the games. A wall the zombies can¡¯t break. Any of you have the ward skill?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin answered and the stranger turned his attention to him, formerly directed towards Kamala and Yen as mage types. ¡°Then we have what we need. Listen. There¡¯s two others with the skill, the bandage guy over there has Greater Ward.¡± He motioned to a member of the Kamo, a epic tier Warder at Greater Lord, dressed partially in bandages and good tier equipment. ¡°He¡¯s got it maxed but it¡¯s still not enough to block attacks on both sides reliably. Tested already. So we need someone else to upgrade and max the skill as well, then two can seal off the hallway on both sides.¡± ¡°So why haven¡¯t you done that already?¡± Yen questioned. ¡°We only have two. So they¡¯d need to work full time, and one doesn¡¯t want to.¡± Shin felt the rooms attention shift slightly to a young woman of the Saba who scowled it away. ¡°But if we have three, the warders can rotate duties. Problem solved.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin agreed on the spot. The unidentifiable stranger seemed slightly caught off guard by Shin¡¯s instant and complete acceptance but moved on immediately. ¡°Great. We can get started right away. One of you upgrade the skill while the rest of us stop the horde with whatever we have. Then the other one switches in and we¡¯re safe.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Better than staying in here.¡± Donny voiced. The stranger smiled at them. ¡°You can call me Dante.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± A far too casual revelation of a most important name. Yen expressed some annoyance at Shin¡¯s lack of caution but said nothing. As expected, the room¡¯s attention fell squarely on them, the number one ranked player and his party. Even Dante¡¯s interest seemed to grow, rising to his feet with renewed interest, a shade taller than Donny. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± A scornful tone came from the Kamo Warder. ¡°Why should we support everyone? Leave the worthless behind. Murim and people who are useful. We don¡¯t need anyone else.¡± None among the Kamo spoke up in opposition, even the older ones, nor did anyone from the murim parties. Discontent emanated from the rest but no one brought themselves to protest out of fear, few seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Hey, now. It¡¯s not right to reject anyone.¡± Dante spoke with a subtly imposing casualness. ¡°Silence, commoner.¡± Venom and disparagement laced the warder¡¯s words. Dante raised his arms out unbothered. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help. Maybe when you leave, you might be sabotaged by the dissatisfied left behind.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Red veins started to line the Kamo scion at Dante¡¯s implied threat, but quickly, he realized the growing atmosphere in the room from the commoners that greatly outnumbered him. ¡°...fine. But we leave him behind.¡± He looked towards a young man standing off to the side by himself, a carefree smile and a blue bandana covering his eyes. ¡°No exceptions.¡± Dante said. ¡°He is a threat! A demon that curses the ground he stands on!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Shin spoke up and Dante smiled. ¡°You fools don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°I am tired of this room and your time wasting.¡± The Greater Lord Soothsayer woman from the Saba spoke up, as she looked to the party. ¡°I¡¯ll support everyone joining if I am the one to use the challenges first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then let us move on from this.¡± She stepped forward and the rest of the Saba followed. ¡°Okay.¡± Dante brought the attention of the room back to him. ¡°We need to break through the horde first. The strongest warder secures the back and the other two moving forward to make a path to open space. Then we find a spot with all the types of challenges and block the horde while the soothsayer gets greater ward.¡± ¡°Who gave you-¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°About time.¡± ¡°The plan is sound.¡± The soothsayer, Lu Kang, and the Abbess all voice approval of the plan, speaking for their parties. The young scion of the Kamo stood to his feet as well, walking to the entrance without word or care, and Kamo warder could do nothing but follow after, shooting Dante a glare as they passed towards the doorway. Most of the room followed after them, all but those too shaken by the dangers outside. A member of the Saba leapt outside without warning and glanced in all three possible directions before darting back. ¡°Right.¡± The Kamo Warder stepped through next, a ward extending out from the wall around the doorway and turning right. The mindless players swept into a frenzy at once but none of their attacks could penetrate the defenses of the greater ward. The young scion left and the rest followed. Shin sped ahead along with the rest of the party, moving in tandem with the growing ward. A hole opened up and Shin created a tunnel of his own stretching as far as it could go. It shattered as the Saba ran passed to their alert but reformed in an instant. The soothsayer woman did the same as Shin, hers extending beyond the borders of the horde. Players poured out and began restraining, blocking, and pushing back the zombies breaking off from the pack towards them. Mere moments was all it took for those who wished to leave the room to pass. Shin and the party finally began to move as the Kamo brought up the rear, their ward the only one that could hold up against the assault, and soon, they were all truly outside. But there was no time to pause. The zombies swarmed over their incapacitated brethren and charged. The crowd of players raced through the connected halls with the Saba at the head, the soothsayer guiding them with blank eyes. ¡°Here.¡± She ordered and the Saba came to a stop in the middle of a long hallway. Kamo Warder erected a third ward in an instant, this one spanning the width of the corridor, trapping the horde behind. Before the group could settle, another swarm bounded towards them from a distance, this one far smaller. Shields and obstacles of all kinds shot out towards them, chief among a wall of weaving vines that snatched at and wrapped around the limbs of the attacking zombies. The Saba warder had already entered a challenge, guarded by her kinsmen. The group needed only hold long enough for her to return with an improved skill. Barrier after all manner of barrier cast out towards the zombies, reforming just as they broke, other skills pushing or stalling the mindless back, allowing none to take advantage of any gaps. Seconds seemed to pass like minutes as they resisted wave after wave of the horde¡¯s erratic attacks. Gradually, more and more players ran out of mana or stamina and started to fall back closer to the Kamo. Nerves started to fray as those in the front saw the allies that bolstered their confidence fall back one after the other, and the threat of the horde breaking through inched closer and closer. Fewer and fewer barriers reformed and finally, the weaker willed lost their nerves. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°This is crazy!¡± ¡°Take us back to the safe room!¡± Cowards turned and fled in droves as zombies started to break through, but through the routing chaos, one of the Saba flickered to the front, eyes closed beneath the shade of a bamboo hat. His mouth swelled before spitting yellow fog at high speed across the horde. The fog cleared unnaturally in a mere moment, revealing the mindless players stuck in place foaming at the mouth as if paralyzed. He stood calmly before the zombies as they spasmed against the paralyzing poison, quickly regaining their ability to move. Veins bulged as they pushed themselves recklessly, some starting to spit blood, others even thrashing to their own demise. But soon they started to step forward in large numbers and then sprint. A sword appeared in the Saba¡¯s hand as he took a drawing stance, intensity emanating from his body before the surge. He grabbed hilt of the sword and a dense ward appeared right in front. The zombies hurled weapons and spells but the ward held firm. The greater lord samurai relaxed his posture with a matching smile as he walked back to his party. Their soothsayer crossed her hands in wait, looking to Shin. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°It would be best if we all waited until Shin returns.¡± Kamala spoke up, making no effort to conceal the implication of her words. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen glanced to the Hua in particular. ¡°Don¡¯t be long.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin hopped over to one console in particular and found himself in the graveyard of a battlefield. A full moon hung over the night and before him rose a four armed golden skeleton, seven feet tall and bearing a large sword in each hand. The skeleton shot forth like an arrow and brought down a mighty slash from four directions. Light shattered from Shin¡¯s body and the four swords clanged against a dense blue barrier. He would not be long. Chapter 65 The golden skeleton continued its relentless barrage against the wall of the ward just before Shin to no effect. Unlike Shield or Armor, Ward couldn¡¯t be worn down by lesser attacks. Either a skill was strong enough to break it or it had no effect. The skeleton boss for this challenge did have such a skill in its arsenal but while it seemed to have infinite stamina, they same couldn¡¯t be said for its mana. A pause appeared in the monster¡¯s slashes as it raised its four arms at once, and Shin darted away as a fourfold slash shattered his ward. The skeleton lunged, slashing after Shin who resigned himself to nothing more than dodging. Fighting it was pointless, he had learned during his time in this challenge. A fully concentrated quake wouldn¡¯t so much as crack the creature, a durability bearing resemblance to the Atreus clan. But more than that, soul and mind attacks did nothing to it either. Even Inari¡¯s Holy Fire had no effect. Most likely, nothing short of a mythic tier skill could kill it, hence Shin saving his mana to focus on the priority. The golden skeleton¡¯s blades tore through the air and recoiled off a newly formed ward. [Greater Ward has reached lvl. 10. 250 Attribute Points rewarded.] The walls of the ward faded away and Shin allowed a blade to land. His vision returned to the hallway of the festival along with some notifications. With a total of zero kills, his ranking and reward tokens were meaningless, though he did glance at the current listings briefly.
  1. Chandra Pandavas - 17 kills
  2. Leon Moore - 16 kills
  3. ¡­.
He had only been at the challenge for half an hour in real time and it showed. Little had changed. The party were among the first to notice his return but not by much. He held the vigilance and attention of many in the group. ¡°Is that rank just for show? What took so long?¡± The soothsayer asked with some indignation. Not entirely unjustified, given he had taken ten times as long as she had. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kamo Warder said impatiently. ¡°How do we divide up our time?¡± ¡°An hour each on rotation.¡± She returned, half proposition, half decree. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± The two finished their negotiations without Shin and turned to him. Shin glanced to the left and put up a ward wall just behind Kamo Warder¡¯s own. Few noticed the difference but the fellow ward users could tell the level of the greater ward at a glance. The Saba Soothsayer¡¯s was only the bare minimum of level 1. They gave Shin a silent glance and went about their business, Kamo Warder¡¯s eyes lingering a bit longer as he entered a challenge behind the guard of several members of his clan. ¡°Anyone we should be aware here?¡± Yen asked Kamala as she glanced around the group. ¡°...Zerah Saba.¡± Kamala guided them with her line of sight to the soothsayer. ¡°Behind her is Titon. Both children of Eskender.¡± ¡°Ah, the big shot from the bazaar?¡± Yen remembered. ¡°Pretty sure his name was in the top 20.¡± Donny mentioned. ¡°It is not surprising. He is called the second coming of Memnon.¡± ¡°God forbid anyone in murim show a bit of humility¡­ Anyone else?¡± ¡°I do not recognize him but from his behavior in the dragon¡¯s dungeon, the one in the center of the Lu is likely Lu Kang¡­ second coming of Lu Bu¡­¡± Yen looked back at Kamala halfway speechless, just to make sure that wasn¡¯t a joke. The lotus eyed priestess herself seemed even less in a joking mood than usual. ¡°Aside from the Hua¡­ there is only the party of Kamo, but little is known about them.¡± She looked to Shin who nonchalantly looked back with his signature blank smile, not a shred of information offered. ¡°The warder talks the most but the kid is definitely more important, right? Acts more like a spoiled prince than any of them.¡± ¡°Yo, sick boy.¡± The party turned to the sight of a young man donning a blue bandana over the top half of his head waving at Shin, carefree smile and casual demeanor to the point of irresponsibility. ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± He laughed. ¡°...can we help you?¡± Yen asked, a bit abrasively. ¡°Nope.¡± Shin tilted his head. ¡°Xerxes?¡± The guy¡¯s face shifted to one of neutral surprise before a smile returned. ¡°You met my brother?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I see. He¡¯s a great guy, isn''t he?¡± Pride swelled in his words. ¡°Ah, my name¡¯s Chogo, don¡¯t call me Xerxes.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I know.¡± Chogo beamed. Yen seemed the most put off by the blind madman by far, making no effort to hide her disdain or wariness. Shin by contrast showed no concern at all. ¡°Hey! Champion.¡± Lu Kang called out to Shin, his expression less than pleased. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back in the dungeon? That was a great opportunity.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t need to.¡± ¡°Fighting itself is the need. Where¡¯s your pride?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time looking for a sense of honor in assassins.¡± Lu Kang turned in silent inspection to the abbess of Hua, Wumei, joining in, her stern gaze focused on the party. ¡°Where¡¯s the honor in bitter old hags losing a fight they started?¡± Yen shot back, tensions rising a step further as Wumei¡¯s expression worsened. ¡°Fight?¡± Karla asked. ¡°No.¡± Shin answered without concern. ¡°Again¡­¡± Lu Kang¡¯s tone carried the weight of disappointment. ¡°You are one of the chosen. Act more like it.¡± ¡°Who chose you?!¡± Attentions shifted to a young man in the simple cloth robes and leather armor of a warrior, spear in hand, loose long black hair and sharp expression painting him every bit the image of a hero of humble origins. ¡°What pride of murim? You fools know only know arrogance.¡± Lu Kang¡¯s body language focused on him, his face one of measured annoyance. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Cheon Mujin!¡± The Sohei shouted loud and bold as if to assert his claim on the world itself. ¡°Cheon?¡± A trace of Lu Kang¡¯s anger was replaced with interest. A glaive shot at Mujin¡¯s face faster than nearly anyone witnessing could react, stopping just short. Mujin himself tensed, among those lacking. ¡°What a joke¡­¡± Lu Kang withdrew his weapon, his anger and interest replaced with disdain. ¡°The biggest fool is whoever told you to use that name.¡± Veins bulged on Mujin¡¯s temples as he grit his teeth, rage staving away cowardice and reason. He slid back in the blink of an eye into a perfect honed stance, spear pointing forward and the mana of skills cloaking him for a moment. ¡°How dare you call my grandfather a fool¡­ a murim bastard like you!¡± ¡°Strong?¡± Mujin flinched at the cheery voice behind him and darted away to face a smiling Karla. The question of how and when she got behind him written all over his face. ¡°Grandpa said I have to beat the murim people too.¡± A glimmer in Karla¡¯s eyes appeared. ¡°Fight?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin answered for Mujin, still unaware of his situation. Lu Kang glanced at Shin then his eyes focused on the icy blue haired shaolin, his interest renewed. Shin displayed not the slightest concern for her, but rather the opposite. The reigning champion of the trials had no doubt in her victory. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hm~?¡± Karla tilted her posture to Lu Kang, her sing song tone and eyes devoid of fear. ¡°Karla.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lu Kang stored his weapon and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you on the outside.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Mujin yelled. ¡°Silence, trash.¡± Lu Kang didn¡¯t even bother to turn around, as he entered a challenge under the guard of the rest of his party. Gradually, the rest of the onlookers retreated to their various corners and resumed training of their own. ¡°Should probably have two people on the outside now.¡± Donny suggested, a fair amount of attention still on their group of five. ¡°I¡¯ll stay out¡­¡± ¡°Feeling selfless today, Yen?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± She rebutted. ¡°Karla is the closest to upgrading and your builds are better for the situation.¡± ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll try not to take too long.¡± ¡°Did you upgrade Quickstep and Quickstrike?¡± Shin directed his question to Donny and Karla as they started to turn. ¡°Yeah, Burst and Snap.¡± Donny answered while Karla simply pointed her attention to Shin in wait, which he understood. ¡°Fused?¡± ¡°Still deciding.¡± Shin¡¯s body flickered in their small corner of the hallway, displaying attack and movement separately and in one with the skill. ¡°Greater Rapid.¡± Karla¡¯s eyes lit up a little as she entered the golden skeleton challenge. ¡°I¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± Donny entered the ogre wave console, followed shortly by Kamala. ¡°Can you upgrade on your next turn?¡± Shin turned to Yen, her expression and tone of doubt and resolve the same as the last time she spoke when he entered. ¡°Yeah.¡± --- The sharp edge of a sword slammed Shin away, though it couldn¡¯t pierce through the invisible coat of armor surrounding him and he twisted in the air to regain his footing with ease. The golden skeleton blurred in front and Shin darted back as a fourfold cross slash shattered his mystic armor and drew red lines across his torso. [Greater Mystic Protection has reached lvl. 9.] Shin cast the skill over himself again and healed his wounds as his shirt repaired itself, confining him to dodging the monster¡¯s rapid attacks once again. During the two hours he had waiting on his turn he had chosen Mystic Protection as he priority above all others. More accurately, he had decided in a moment without hesitation and spent the time talking with whoever was on the outside with him and watching the others in the group, several of them holding his interest. He let the golden skeleton land a hit again, one that wouldn¡¯t endanger his life even if it broke through. The process of armor and bloodshed repeated over and over until finally, he reached it. [Greater Mystic Protection has reached lvl. 10. 250 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Requirements for class upgrades reached.] ¡®Spirit Medium. Kekkaishi. Invoker.¡¯ As with all his upgrades before, there was one that resonated with him above all, and he chose it without a second thought. [You have upgraded your class to legendary tier Invoker. 250 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Acquired legendary tier skill Invoke Skill.] ¡®Use a skill from a bonded monster.¡¯ He had already had the opportunity to look through a list of legendary tier abilities, one far more varied than before him now. What he wanted wasn¡¯t available at this level, so Shin chose what he needed most right now, what would make him stronger. [Acquired legendary tier skill Overshadow.] ¡®Increase all attributes while under possession through empowering the possessing monster.¡¯ The form of a kitsune warrior took his body and an intense energy of his latest skill enveloped him. A quick jab knocked the golden skeleton off balance before it could even react. Its four arms flurried and Shin flurried faster, technique and raw stats alone overwhelming. Greater Invoke borrowed 75% of the invoked spirit¡¯s stats and at level one Overshadow elevated them 2.1x. With the enhancement of Greater Blessing his Agility sat just above 2,000 and Strength 1,500. Black markings appeared around Shin¡¯s eyes as he decided to take it further. Body Supremacy overstrained his muscles, the swirling mana of Greater Swiftness flowed through him, and his body flickered. A storm raged against the golden skeleton, a cascade of blows striking from all directions at such a speed the impact kept it tremoring helplessly in place. Shin stopped in front, a fourfold slash barrelling down on him at the moment¡¯s opening, slow motion to him almost. And Shin struck with Kong¡¯s Heavy Slug, the sheer speed sending the skeleton crashing away. Buffs didn¡¯t compound, but the fivefold of Greater Swiftness was separate from the increase of Overshadow. Even at mere level 1, his speed fully enhanced within invoke was fourfold what he could accomplish at his base, such that his augmented vision could barely keep up with himself. Power overwhelming. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Shin glanced at the creature charging over. He needed it to be more. Far more. Chapter 66 Shin dominated the golden skeleton in close combat as he had many times before over the long hours of the challenge. Greater Invoke and Overshadow alone were enough to render it near helpless. Midway through an exchange, Shin felt the urging of Inari push against him and allowed her to take the reins. A white masked Shin burst into action, the nature of his movements more straightforward and indulgent, Inari taking the utmost joy in towering above her opponent. Shin watched through his own eyes in the backseat of his body. An innate aspect of Overshadow was it gave greater power to the invoked spirits to usurp control of his body but he had felt no difference to before, not that any of them besides Inari actively tried, and even then, he could give and take as he pleased. The phantom sensation of a hand on his right shoulder interrupted his thoughts and he took back control to Inari¡¯s annoyance, letting the invoke fade away and the golden skeleton¡¯s blade take him back to the hallway. ¡°You went the DIY path after all. Thought you might become the spirit tamer type at some point.¡± Shin turned to the orange haired mage, who casually withdrew her hand seeing him return. ¡°Do buffs work while you¡¯re a monster?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin answered, casting a ward just behind Kamo Warder¡¯s latest one, who entered a challenge without a word. ¡°So stupidly broken...¡± ¡°Losing confidence in the master plan?¡± Donny asked, the other one standing guard with her at the moment. ¡°Shut up. My build is long term and fucking flawless, worry about yourself.¡± Kamala and Karla returned from their challenges as they spoke, Karla bearing a noticeable change. [Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Alright, that¡¯s our heavy hitters sorted.¡± Donny¡¯s words only took a moment to ruminate in Karla¡¯s mind before she turned to Shin. ¡°Fight later?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Still, couldn¡¯t have picked a more accurate class. Specialize in hand to hand?¡± Donny asked the new amazoness. ¡°Yeah~. I got a strong skill.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to make sure I can handle the other end of it tomorrow.¡± ¡°It suits you¡­¡± Kamala complimented from the side. ¡°Thanks~¡± The priestess stared back at Karla¡¯s sincere smile in stoic silence. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t use that strong skill to get kicked out, okay Wonder Woman.¡± Yen interrupted. ¡°My name is Karla.¡± She reminded. ¡°No, that was¡­ Nevermind. The heavy hitters can sit out now and wait for the rest of us.¡± Yen entered the ogre wave challenge once more, followed by Kamala and Donny with a quick nod. Shin opened up his status to scroll through as they left. [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 (910) Control - 150 (195) Willpower - 100 (130) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 1, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 3, Overshadow lvl. 8, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Survival State, The class upgrade had given him five more skill slots again. Even with the two new skills, he had room for 5, but refrained from acquiring any more naturally remembering Onamuji¡¯s advice. It wouldn¡¯t take much longer to max Overshadow and Invoke Skill would be easier to level, something of high priority.. The level of the skill related to efficiency of the borrowed skill. At lvl 3, the potency was only 65% of what it should be. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. After that, all he needed to do is max Soul Fusion to raise Mara and Kong to a higher tier, although he doubted he had enough epic tier souls to do so, and as long as there was the chance of unavoidable failure in using the skill, he wouldn¡¯t use it on them. ¡°Lots of strong fighters~¡± Shin looked up to Karla from his status then out to the crowd. They weren¡¯t the only legendary tier classholders. Titon Saba [Human Champion (legendary) - Greater Lord] Zerah Saba [Human Seer (legendary) - Greater Lord] The blind Saba swordsman [Human Poisonous Samurai (legendary) - Greater Lord] Wumei Hua [Human Ascetic (legendary) - Greater Lord] Lu Kang [Human Battlemaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] The Kamo Warder [Human Kekkaishi (legendary) - Greater Lord] The young Kamo Scion [Human Spellweaver (legendary) - Greater Lord] But more than just the current standouts, the level of the group as a whole was steadily rising, the vast majority now with epic tier classes and sitting at greater lord. It couldn¡¯t be told at a glance who was close to legendary and who wasn¡¯t, but there was no shortage of players who gave off a feeling above the norm. ¡°Fight them later?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hi~¡± A beautiful young woman around Shin¡¯s age leaned over to the side in front of him, arms behind her back. Pale skin and long pine green hair, almost teal, with a playful smile and yellow eyes, alluring with a gleam of danger. Shin¡¯s silent inquiring direct gaze only seemed to result in her eyes narrowing ever so slightly in further interest. [Human Assassin (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Can I hang out with you~?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The assassin¡¯s smile widened just slightly as her body melted into her shadow on the ground. In an instant she appeared behind Shin and wrapped her arms lightly around him. ¡°What~ You didn¡¯t even try to dodge. Did you want to be caught?¡± She teased, subtle movements deliberately brushing against him. ¡°I heard about you in the other trial. ¡®The Goblin¡¯. You¡¯re a lot cuter than I thought you¡¯d be.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± He looked to the side at her where her face had found itself. ¡°Ashley~¡± The suspicious girl seemed encouraged by his honest engagement, her arms slid sensually to a hold around him, the atmosphere around her becoming more irresistible and inviting. ¡°Hey~ Wanna have some fun?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ashley¡¯s playful expression paused for only a moment before beaming into a chuckle, the sensual hold turning into a tight hug. Shin¡¯s rejection only seemed to make her more fond of him for some reason. ¡°Enemy?¡± Karla tilted her head, somewhat confused by the flirtatious assassin. ¡°No~ Protect me.¡± Ashley shifted a bit to the opposite side behind Shin though nothing in her tone nor demeanor suggested she was the slightest bit concerned. ¡°I dare you to say that again!¡± The attention of all three was stolen by the loud yell of the sohei named Cheon Mujin, facing off against the Kamo, more specifically the Kamo Warder who had not yet entered the challenges. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Katsushi spat back with unrestrained venom. ¡°Worthless commoners like you should keep your heads down like the vermin you are!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away with that~¡± Ashley egged on from a distance, though by the atmosphere around Mujin it hardly seemed necessary. ¡°I am-¡± ¡°A fraud!¡± Katsushi yelled with bloodshot eyes behind his bandaged face. ¡°Worthless common scum testing my patience!¡± The warder¡¯s temper seemed to simmer to a resting rage as he directed his intent to his kin standing behind. ¡°Kill him.¡± Two cloth masked members lunged as Mujin shot back into a stance, and a demonic clawed hand pierced through the Kamo Kekkaishi¡¯s chest. Behind him stood Chogo bearing a wicked smile, blue bandana fallen from his head revealing blank eyes and a third vertical eye on his forehead, red with yellow circled patterns. Before anyone could react, the eye shot in Zerah¡¯s direction and her body jolted in pain as if struck by lightning. The blind Saba swordsman slashed through nothing but air to his shock as the three eyed player flickered to the center. A wide sneer spread across Chogo¡¯s face, hands held towards the two ends of the group, and the greater wards shattered. Maniacal laughter filled the hall as Katsushi dropped flat on his face, his attributes laid bare for all to inspect, and Chogo vanished. Chaos erupted in an instant as the mindless players swarmed with a hail of skills through falling shards. Rows of the players nearest were shredded apart as their defenses collapsed under the assault of many. Some fled back through luck and skill, others were less fortunate. Zerah focused her mana and a jolt of pain struck her again. In her place, Shin erected a ward covering the whole of the group, just in front of the main vanguard of the horde, the few unlucky players left outside massacred and the few mindless that made it inside put down by the desperate players targeted. Shin blinked out of Ashley¡¯s hands and tapped his three party members inside the challenges who all came to and quickly took inventory of the situation. A silence fell on the remaining group in the wake of the sudden storm that just blew through. Shin looked to Zerah. ¡°Can you use ward?¡± She kept quiet for a few moments through pained and frustrated expression but eventually answered. ¡°...no.¡± Murmurs spread across the group as most within the challenges were called out and informed about what just happened. But more than any other topic, they discussed what would become of the previous system of warding. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the ward up.¡± Shin spoke up nonchalantly, all eyes turning on him. ¡°Everyone has to give me ten thousand tokens.¡± The murmurs grew louder, now joined by direct complaints and insults and Shin faced them completely unfazed. ¡°You think you can extort from all of us, boy?¡± The old Wumei asked with threatening tone, mirroring the hostile intent aimed towards him by all parties. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin answered, casually and shamelessly. ¡°No one else has Greater Ward. And none of you can beat me.¡± ¡°Arrogant fool.¡± Wumei sneered, relishing in his actions turning him into a common enemy by all. Shin¡¯s body flickered at a speed shocking all those witnessing, as he grabbed an invisible player lunging towards Kamala with a gray furred hand and blinked away. The ninja dropped from midair before he properly realized what just happened, and a medley of weapons skewered his body from below. The barren eyes of the mindless unchanged as they pulled the assailant down, the grotesque sound of blood and flesh being hacked away filling the silenced hallway. Shin blinked back inside the ward, the form of a shug fading into the air behind him. A weight of intent fell upon the group; impassionate, ruthless, suffocating, inhuman. A warning. Shin looked at them once again with hollow eyes and a slight smile. ¡°Ten thousand.¡± Chapter 67 [10,000 tokens received.] [10,000 tokens received.] [10,000 tokens received.] [9,287 tokens received.] [10,000 tokens received.] [5,614 tokens received.] [10,000 tokens received.] Shin watched the dozens of deposits flow into his festival wallet every passing moment. Exchanges could be done remotely with just a thought so there was no need for anyone to come close and physically hand him a bag of money. None complained out loud concerning this blatant extortion after the example Shin made aside from discontent glares, of which he took no note. ¡°Some of you haven¡¯t paid.¡± The notifications flurried again after starting to slow down. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have enough¡­¡± A player spoke up, unable to even attempt to mask the fear in his heart. ¡°Just give me what you have and earn the rest later.¡± Shin kindly advised, to another bump of activity, most of it less than the amount he demanded. ¡°This is bold, even for you¡­¡± Yen stood hand on hip with an elegant assertiveness. ¡°Do you understand how dangerous this is?¡± ¡°Yeah, we need some friends like right now. Can¡¯t be standing around here bare cash with the pagans¡­¡± Donny stared down the players eyeing them with a cold blooded quiet hostility, not a trace of nerves showed on his face despite his words. ¡°...Are you actually worried?¡± Yen found some small amusement in that. ¡°It¡¯s not a normal situation.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just get some goons then. We got a ton of gear.¡± ¡°That would only make things worse.¡± Kamala spoke up in general stoic indifference, glancing briefly at Ashley still lingering around Shin, who playfully waved back. ¡°Single out the lone players first, anyone capable without hostility towards or having problems with the other parties and recruit them.¡± ¡°Kay.¡± Shin flickered over to Dante, the unidentifiable man who greeted them first in the safe room. ¡°Join us.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Shin sent back 10,000 tokens with a thought and dashed off, appearing before Cheon Mujin whose body shifted just barely noticeably to a fighting demeanor. ¡°Join us.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Shin thought about how best to explain it. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to play the games now. You¡¯re weak and have no party.¡± Mujin¡¯s frown turned to a combative scowl. ¡°Give me back by tokens.¡± Shin casually did. ¡°Okay?¡± Mujin held silent for a bit, unsure of how to respond. With the lull of the interaction Shin moved on, quickly finding who he wanted next. The blond haired tanned skinned boy still donning the silk mask hiding half his face fell on edge immediately like a wild animal backed into a corner. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Join us.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°You can train in the group without having to worry.¡± By the unchanging expression on the Hunter¡¯s face, it didn¡¯t seem like that convinced him. Shin fell into thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous if the ward breaks again. Someone can wake you up.¡± Basem stared the nonchalantly smiling threat and looked towards the party¡¯s base, taking care to keep Shin in his peripheral. A few moments passed deep in thought before he glanced back to Shin and dashed off by them, though keeping more than a fair distance. With that, all the ones Shin had taken notice off were recruited. He glanced around the hallway about to head back to others before someone else caught his attention and flickered by the young man who looked back with a dispassionate composure. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. [Human Puppeteer (epic) - Greater Lord] Appearing in his twenties though only a bit taller than Shin, thin, light skin with an attractive face and short straight black hair styled in an undercut, wearing mostly leather rogue like armor. His expression somewhere between emotionless and brooding, almost a bored acceptance, unremarkable on the surface but replicated by no one else within the crowd. His was not marred by arrogance nor apathy nor fear. It simply was. ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°...Jean.¡± His tone dry and inoffensive. Shin tilted his head. ¡°Join us?¡± Jean glanced around at the attention and animosity directed their way, the intelligence in his eyes dulled by his calm and ordinary demeanor. ¡°Alright.¡± Shin returned to the point with the last of the recruits in tow, the others having all found their way there already. ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Not exactly an army¡­¡± Yen looked at the newcomers. ¡°You do your feeling thing again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Should we get more?¡± ¡°It is enough.¡± Kamala brought everyone¡¯s attention to her with the presence of someone who ought be listened to. ¡°Everyone here wishes to take full advantage of the opportunity granted us. We may be strangers but I¡¯m sure you would agree it is in our best interest to work together towards that. We guard each other¡¯s safety for the duration of the challenges to ensure that is possible. Is that tenable?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Dante was the only one who responded but the others held a similar agreeable atmosphere. ¡°Then let us get along for the next ten hours.¡± Kamala looked around at each of them before walking off. ¡°Karla, would you accompany me?¡± ¡°Kay~¡± The amazon blurred beside the priestess as she walked directly towards the Kamo. The remaining masked members took notice immediately and slowly shifted into a guarded state around the boy, holding back no secret of their priority. ¡°We can facilitate a situation that will allow your scion to train safely and undisturbed. An alliance is to our mutual benefit.¡± Kamala spoke to them directly and bluntly. The members glanced at each other, seeming to communicate silently before the one nearest to the young master responded. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Then, please follow me.¡± Kamala trailed by Karla led the party of Kamo straight towards the Saba who to a lesser extent became guarded as well. This time, rather than to the party as a whole, she spoke directly to the one she knew to be the leader. ¡°The effects Lady Zerah experiences are likely a curse, I imagine.¡± She turned back to the masked man who spoke before. ¡°Would the Kamo be able to confirm and expel it?¡± ¡°There is no need for confirmation. It is a curse.¡± The Saba¡¯s attention fell onto him. ¡°By the rules of the system, a legendary or perhaps mythic tier curse removal spell is required.¡± ¡°Then remove it.¡± Zerah snapped at them, her mood understandably combative. ¡°To remove a curse brings great risk to all involved. None among us currently possess such skill to tempt that risk. However, with more time it is possible. Though we will require payment in turn.¡± ¡°What?! It was your member who cursed me!¡± ¡°He is no true member.¡± The Kamo man responded matter of factly. ¡°The freedom he currently enjoys is at the whim of this Tower¡¯s emergence.¡± Zerah clicked her teeth and turned to Kamala. ¡°Then it¡¯s your party¡¯s fault. That cursed child allowed him to join.¡± ¡°...I admit some of the blame lies with us.¡± Kamala answered undisturbed, two pieces of epic tier weaponry appearing in her hands. ¡°A gift to make amends.¡± ¡°My thanks.¡± A regular member of the Saba took the items at Titon Saba¡¯s words, to his sister¡¯s visible frustration. He then turned to the Kamo. ¡°What is your price?¡± ¡°Information on the path of all magic spells you know of and have experienced.¡± ¡°Paid after the removal of the curse.¡± Titon stipulated. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Then I take it we are in alliance.¡± Kamala asked, though she knew the answer already. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I wish you success in your training.¡± Kamala bid them farewell and returned to the party, the Kamo positioning themselves inbetween the locations of the two others meanwhile. ¡°Wow.¡± Yen commented honestly. ¡°The danger has subsided for now. Though how long this holds depends.¡± ¡°S¡¯alright.¡± Donny smiled, mostly directly as a compliment towards their diplomat. ¡°Just a race now, innit.¡± ¡°How many should stay out now?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Two is enough, including Shin. The other clans won¡¯t act anytime soon and the opportunists won¡¯t forget his display.¡± ¡°You sure you want to sit out the whole time?¡± Yen asked him. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shin hopped over to Basem who once again put his guard up. ¡°What do you want?!¡± ¡°Keep you¡¯re stat total low. You can go up to 2200 but no more. And it¡¯s good to get traits now.¡± It took Basem a few moments to realize Shin was giving him advice. ¡°...I already know that.¡± ¡°Oh, you have a patron.¡± ¡°...¡± Basem left the conversation without a word and entered a challenge. Donny glanced at the kid then back to the party. ¡°Who¡¯s taking first shift?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Dante volunteered. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll switch out every hour, everyone gets a turn.¡± He headed back to the ogre wave console. ¡°You¡¯re fine with a stranger going first?¡± Yen argued. ¡°Shin picked him, didn¡¯t he?¡± Donny fell still as his mind entered the challenge. Logically, it still didn¡¯t sit well with her but logic wasn¡¯t wholly relevant with Shin, so she too soon entered the challenges along with the others. ¡°Back soon~¡± Ashley waved to Shin, the last to follow. ¡°She¡¯s right, though.¡± Dante said to Shin. ¡°Can¡¯t trust people too easily. But I get it. More fun to live boldly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re not empty.¡± Shin¡¯s casually words brought a pause to the mysterious player. ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Dante slightly laughed out with a defeated smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re the champion for a reason.¡± ---- Donny¡¯s surroundings changed to a familiar rolling meadow of thin grass. An ogre appeared the next moment with a roar and Donny cleaved through its gut, blood spraying far more violently than it should. Two more ogres appeared and meet the same gruesome fate. Donny gripped his axe, expression solemnly brutal as the numbers double again. A single line of thought ran through his mind. He can¡¯t afford to fall behind. If he fell behind here, he knew he¡¯d never catch back up. Chapter 68 Hours passed and Shin sat calmly in place. Sometimes he talked with whoever was on shift with him but mostly he just watched, the ever vigilant guardsman with no sense of concern nor urgency. The time was without incident, even with the hostility he had incurred and the growing power of those who held it. He didn¡¯t waste mana or attention, not even the excess he had, his priority solely on his protection. Jean checked the counter within his notifications of the event, waiting a few seconds beyond the hour before walking over and tapping Yen¡¯s shoulder. The orange haired mage emerged in a moment and she walked over to Shin¡¯s side with a sigh. [Human Pyromancer (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°I¡¯m up to four okay. We can¡¯t all be freaks.¡± Yen caught Shin looking at her and frowned, checking the time. ¡°Less than an hour. Shouldn¡¯t you start back soon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Anyone else got Greater Ward?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hey. Someone needs to take your place, you know.¡± Slight exasperation found her face. ¡°None of these guys are gonna fight off the horde for you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like Shin had a plan but Yen didn¡¯t say anything further. She didn¡¯t have a solution either. Her casual wandering eye lingered on the sight of one of the people of the curse clan walking over to the Saba and without hesitation she tapped each of their makeshift party members twice on the left shoulder. A signal they decided meaning something was probably going down but nothing serious enough to step away from the verge of a breakthrough. Still, everyone left their challenges, whether by caution or interest. [Human Pagan (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°...what?¡± Kamala questioned Donny¡¯s amused look. ¡°Nothing.¡± He said, turning his attention back to the situation out front. ¡°Are you able now?¡± Titon asked. ¡°I promise no guarantee.¡± The man more or less the new leader of the Kamo said before turning his attention to Zerah. Gray mana swirled around him and Zerah in twine, seeming to eat away at the ominous mana bound to her. Her expression tensed as she bore the discomfort but slowly but surely the curse was vanishing. And just as the last thread was removed, the Kamo exorcist let out a terrifying roar. His body spasmed, rising into the air, and just as suddenly exploded. Shin cast a ward around the now 25 members of their temporary alliance as smoldering gray clusters of curses peppered the hallway. Some were dispelled, some crashed against the various shields of choice and vanished, and some struck players. Their bodies spasmed as well, but this time, their flesh surged like waves beneath their skin and a third familiar eye appeared in the center of their foreheads. Malicious cackles erupted all over as the corrupted players charged towards the nearest wall of the ward. Some tried wielding their skills to break it and when that failed turned to attack another player. Those few who possessed teleportation left to the outside at the farthest side to the party and allowed the mindless players to fall upon them. The moment they died, their bodies exploded into curses, inflicting more mindless around them. ¡°Contain them!¡± Titon roared. The Saba moved into action and the other major powers in the group followed, realizing the threat upon them. All over, the corrupted players were bound, trapped, and suppressed. But the brutal fray between the mindless and the cursed outside the ward raged, and the cursed were growing in number. ¡°Throw them.¡± Shin spoke normally but all heard his voice, and Donny was the first to understand. He grabbed a corrupted player locked in place and the moment Yen released her Grasp, he threw them. A gap appeared in the ward, just briefly, allowing the player to crash into the violence outside. ¡°Move it!¡± Donny yelled this time and other players followed his example by their own means. Shin created more gaps in his ward as the bodies hurled through the air, giving the barest of openings, something the corrupted outside had started trying to exploit. One of the nameless panicked under attack and killed a corrupted inside as it lunged. The player vanished and the corrupted swelled with evil mana. Shin aimed his thoughts and a ward not his own contained the corrupted explosion. He glanced at Zerah who seemed to have regained the use of her skill. With the inside free of corrupted, the group fell silent amidst the cackles and crashes of the battle outside. But that noise died down in moments, and the corrupted looked their way with malicious glee. Tension gripped the air, and the corrupted three eyed players turned and ran away all at once, leaving silence. ¡°We need to move.¡± Jean said with no particular concern. ¡°You know something?¡± Yen asked. ¡°No. But the cursed players seem intelligent and move as a hivemind. They probably went to find players who can break or bypass wards.¡± Jean spoke plainly and bluntly, turning his focus to Zerah. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± The Seer asked with hostility. ¡°They might just be hiding and waiting for us to leave. We need someone to see ahead and find a safe route.¡± ¡°To where?¡± Titon stepped into the conversation. ¡°Somewhere close by a safe room is best.¡± ¡°Then we turn back.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kamala objected. ¡°If the curse has the original¡¯s memories, then it know where that is. Even if it does not, it would likely search through the areas nearest us.¡± Titon lingered on them for a moment then looked to Zerah. Less than pleased but she did as she knew he silently asked. Her eyes rolled up to the back of her head as her consciousness sped through the hallways rapidly. A minute passed until she returned. ¡°I know the path.¡± ¡°The corrupted?¡± Kamala asked. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°In the opposite direction, all together.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get moving then.¡± ¡°The mindless are a problem¡­¡± Jean looked to the lazily rambling horde. ¡°We have two warders again, just push past.¡± ¡°I mean they could lead the corrupted to us.¡± ¡°An easy fix.¡± They turned to Lu Kang. ¡°Some of the people here can get rid of them.¡± ¡°Volunteering yourself?¡± Yen shot back. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± A response that pissed Yen off more than it should. ¡°Mages would be the most appropriate.¡± Wumei spoke up, her gaze focused on Yen. ¡°Someone needs to make the noble sacrifice.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drop you outside if you talk again.¡± Shin spoke with an utterly casual and frivolous tone, but with the nature of the situation and speaker it only added to the eeriness of the promise. Without warning, Donny grabbed a random player by the back of his armor and hurled him towards the ward. A gap opened for the warrior to pass through, and the mindless slaughtered him in an instant. ¡°Right!¡± Donny brought the attention to him. ¡°Line up by the wall. Mage, archer, long range types in front, close combat behind them. Use the strongest attack you have when we tell you. My personal advice to you, yeah, is kill one of them before they kill you.¡± The nameless players stood silently in place, reluctant to obey or reluctant to be the one who moves first. A thundering crash reverb sounded throughout the hall from the end of Lu Kang¡¯s glaive slammed into the ground. ¡°Move.¡± Strong intent from the other four leading clans bore down on the players. Gradually some started walking forward, which led to others following suit and finally those who least wanted to comply unable to withstand the threatening pressure put upon them. The crowd lined up exactly as Donny ordered, most trying to stay as far back as possible, some pushing to the front with nervous resolve. ¡°Give me the rest of your tokens.¡± The sacrificial vanguard shuffled at Shin¡¯s casual demand but a flurry of notifications appeared before Shin all the same. ¡°Aim.¡± Donny waited until it seemed like Shin¡¯s business was finished, then looked around at conscripts. ¡°Now!¡± The wall of the ward fell apart and a surge of attacks cut through the mindless. In no time, the long range players vanished and the rest of the horde charged over the bodies of fallen. ¡°Go!¡± The melee types rushed forward, adrenaline surging through their veins as they tried to secure their way back safely. A more brutal and bloody fray broke out as the desperate players clashed with the mindless. Players vanished in droves and even more fell dead. As the last of the forced conscripts disappeared, a remaining handful of mindless turned their sights on the five parties. Before anyone could act, Shin blurred between two mindless. One turned faster than the other and swung, decapitating the other as Shin dodged, and was banished from the festival. The invoker blitzed through the mindless falling on him, nudging and shoving some away as he allowed others to slay their own. A mindless lunged from a jump behind, longsword fiercely gripped in hand, and Shin slipped his head to the right. The spear of the warrior in front piercing through the other¡¯s neck. Shin casually dodged the thrusts of the spearman on the backfoot until he suddenly vanished, the longsword wielder flat on the ground. Shin blurred back to the party without even sparing the fallen a glance, a passive smile greeting the others. Donny looked around. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Saba up front, us in the back.¡± ¡°Who are you to decide, boy?¡± ¡°You ain¡¯t really got much negotiating power right now.¡± He stated to the abbess bluntly, showing her as little respect as she did him. ¡°Enough talking.¡± Lu Kang stepped to the center with his party. ¡°This is wasting time.¡± Titon nodded to his clansmen and they sped off at the vanguard and the rest followed behind, Shin discreetly leaving behind several floating eye origami. The five parties flew through the halls like the wind down the path Zerah mapped, none among them wishing to lose more of the valuable time than they had to. A tension lingered between the parties but the group held steady. ¡°How much farther, Seer?¡± Minutes passed before Lu Kang broke the silence. ¡°Stay here if you want.¡± Zerah scowled back. The group rounded a corner and were met by a small party of mindless. Blank eyed same as the others, but their posture less listless and each of the half dozen before them baring legendary tier classes. A swordsman burst right in front of a wide eyed Zerah, leaving a trail of lightning in his wake. The flash of his sword clanged off Titon¡¯s shield faster than her eyes could follow, as he pushed her back into the guard of the party. A khopesh appeared in his other hand as he repelled the swordsman¡¯s rapid flurry with ease. A robed mindless Frostmaiden behind unleashed a bombardment of frost. A shield of symbols appeared before Wumei¡¯s swirling hands, guarding her party, and the Lu and Kamo protected themselves with their own defenses. Before the party a mystic shield spread out, denser and larger than usual, easily blocking the solid spheres of frost crashing against it like cannon fire. Yen aimed her gaze, powerful forces locking the Frostmaiden and Lightning Samurai in place, and a giant berserker burst before her. She locked the towering man in place and the spell shattered. The world tinged gray as Shin blinked behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He tried to blink away but the spell denied him. Without hesitation, he threw Yen back outside the gray veil as the giant berserker¡¯s club mace crushed his skull against the wall. The giant raised his weapon and a wrench of force from an enraged pyromancer knocked him off balance just enough for Donny to crash forward with a viscous Shield Charge. But the helmed berserker didn¡¯t bunch an inch, raising his club once again, and Karla rocked his skull with a pinpoint punch on the chin, a violent stream of wind surging passed the point of impact, slumping the giant to the floor as if a switch was turned off. Golden light enveloped Shin and his head started to regenerate, Kamala casting a veil of armor around herself as well. Behind them, a sword thrust from the shadows straight through Jean¡¯s heart without warning, a black garbed man stepping through the shadows like ink. Blood drained from his wound, pain and shock draped his face, just before a cloud of smoke enshrouded his body and a wooden puppet took his place as he appeared several yards away, his expression bored and sharp. Visible mana threads from his fingers attached to the puppet, and it¡¯s arms snapped around the Shadowwalker. The ninja clad assassin struggled against the puppet for only an instant before melting into shadows and lunging for the puppeteer once more. A thrust of immense speed crashed against the nullifying bastion of Donny¡¯s shield. A dagger appeared in the attacker¡¯s hand faster than Donny could react, and the young scion of the Kamo acted. A crippling force bound the mindless player in place. Sparks and disturbance bounded against the arcane constraints, neither might nor magic able to break the man free. He floated over to the front, joining the five other legendary mindless players, all trapped by the arcane, arranged in a perfect line. Without an order, one of the masked Kamo walked to the front and conjured a dense crackling spear of mana. He concentrated it to further destructive power and cast. The spear soared forth, shattering through the chain of heads arranged for him, and the Kamo member disappeared. Shin looked ahead, the first one to notice a seventh mindless peering around the corner amidst the silence they just regained. A large swirling gate of black and red mana opened at the side, and dozens of mindless swarmed through. Zerah cast a ward between them and it broke immediately. None among the group needed an order to flee in the opposite direction. ¡°Find a safe room.¡± Titon commanded. Another member of the Saba picked Zerah up into a carry, allowing her to use her clairvoyance without concern. The Seer¡¯s face flickered and strained, before her consciousness snapped back. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough mana¡­¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s your one job, Seer.¡± Lu Kang admonished. ¡°This way.¡± Before Zerah could respond, Shin spoke up, leading the group along a new path. He offered no explanation but they had not the leeway to demand an answer with the threat behind. Soon the five parties came across another horde, ambling in place. A few started to turn as a greater ward parted them forcefully away, and the group charged into safe room, as Shin stood to the side, waiting just outside the doorway to keep the ward up for the other parties. The moment the last of them passed, Titon bringing up the rear guard of his clan, Shin followed. With nonchalant demeanor, he rejoined his party, glancing around at the inhabitants of this room. Significantly greater numbers than their previous but three main groups could be found at a glance. To the left, familiar faces of the Igarashi clan led by Renzo, numbering close to 50. To the right, three dozen members of the Pendragon house evident by the king Richard at the helm. And straight ahead occupying a region of the room on their own, over 100 people of all ages and shades, each with golden eyes. At the center, stood the solemn faced Charlemagne. ¡°Yo, Princess.¡± A young man stepped forward, stylish blond hair and an arrogant mocking smile aimed right towards Kamala. ¡°This looks like fate, huh?¡± Chapter 69 Cyrus walked towards them with an air of certainty matching his arrogance, that of a blessed noble son lording over the peasantry. The scion of Atreus was draped in more silk than leather as though prioritizing appearance over purpose. [Human Slayer (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°What, you¡¯re giving me the silent treatment still? Even though I¡¯m first?¡± He walked right up to Kamala, his slightly whispering tone at the end taunting her. Kamala returned nothing but a stoic cold gaze but that did not dissuade him. ¡°You can run around with the lessers all you want. But this trials shit won¡¯t last forever. We¡¯ll find you eventually.¡± A colorless world fell upon Cyrus, alone in a gray void of nothing. Before he could react, his eyes were drawn to left. An ominous mass of black swirls in human form looked back. Cyrus stood paralyzed, unable to even think. The being swelled in red and black. Vile antlers bloomed atop its head endlessly. The king of a thousand horns. And it reached. Cyrus fell back on the floor with a pathetic whelp, his arrogance wholly replaced with fear, and then creeping confusion as he found himself back in the safe room, and a hollowed eyed boy in the place of that terrible thing, calmly smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll find you first.¡± Some among the party understood what had just happened from Shin¡¯s words, mocking smiles and a laugh followed. ¡°Embarrassing.¡± Yen held her hand up to her face with disdainful eyes and proud demeanor, every bit the regal display she relished in. The humiliated Atreus¡¯ first instinct was to respond to such an insult but just as quickly as that urge came it was suppressed but the fear lingering within him. He grit his teeth and slunk back into the crowd of his kin, pushing some aside. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kamala¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but Shin felt a subtle hint of gratification and he smiled back. With the altercation ended, the Kamo party walked passed over to the resident party of similarly masked members. ¡°Tokihira has died.¡± One of the men reported to a woman. ¡°I see. I will take lead then.¡± There was no grief in her acknowledgement nor opposition to her assertation. The members of her party silently surrounded the young scion as guards without any orders. Shin himself walked off over to the Igarashi section and the rest of his party followed. Titon led the Saba to remnants of his clan while Lu Kang led his party to a corner of the room unconcerned. Wumei¡¯s held a grim expression as she found none of her own, following the Lu¡¯s example after a passing moment. Renzo and Yugo stood at the center of the Igarashi, now joined by Mai. Kanda also among them though the composition of his party had changed since their meeting in the bazaar. [Human King (legendary) - Greater Lord] [Human Gladiator (legendary) - Greater Lord] [Human Poison Master (legendary) - Greater Lord] [Human Shinobi (legendary) - Greater Lord] Others in the clan had reached legendary though most still remained at epic tier. Though barely a passing thought in Shin¡¯s mind as he walked through the other members, as they reluctantly allowed him through. Or rather, avoided interaction with him, and by extension the rest of the party. ¡°Why are you staying here?¡± Shin asked his siblings directly. ¡°Cause we got no choice.¡± Yugo snapped at him. Shin glanced at a man clearly not a member of the clan with the epic tier Warder class and a nervous demeanor, then back to his siblings with a questioning gaze. ¡°You think we¡¯re fucking stupid?!¡± Yugo lashed out at the implication. ¡°Too many snakes.¡± Mai added, looking to the Atreus. ¡°Ah, they¡¯d rather sabotage everyone else than improve with them.¡± Most realized the meaning of Mai¡¯s words, though Yen spoke it out loud. ¡°Just run further away?¡± Shin couldn¡¯t understand why they were stuck by this. ¡°They send the horde after us.¡± Renzo spoke where his brother refused to. ¡°Are they the ones behind the mindless?¡± Yen asked. Renzo looked at her for a moment before answering. ¡°No, but they can herd them. Magically. Once we settle, they break the ward and force us to deal with the controlled.¡± ¡°Just kill them.¡± Shin said. ¡°They bring more.¡± ¡°The Atreus.¡± Shin elaborated. Yugo slammed his fist into the wall, his temper at a boiling point. ¡°You think we¡¯re fucking clowns?!¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Renzo ordered, though it had no effect. ¡°We don¡¯t need advice from a freak who never finished the training!¡± ¡°Yugo.¡± The heir to the clan spoke more sternly, enough that this time the hotheaded gladiator obeyed, with muttered curses. Renzo turned back to Shin. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± Shin didn¡¯t respond but instead looked to Kamala. ¡°...it is an issue. They outnumber us, and the old man is certainly the type to trade time in the festival for the lives of standouts of the other clans from the safety of the room.¡± She turned to Renzo. ¡°Since you have not simply fled past where his caution would allow, I assume they have a clairvoyant among them.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does no one else have poison?¡± ¡°We did.¡± Mai answered, as the topic of the question was more for her. ¡°A few died, but they have healers. Epic tier poison isn¡¯t a huge issue for them.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s their power?¡± Attention turned to the bored expression of the puppeteer. ¡°Invulnerability, to physical, mental or soul attacks. Resistances and immunities as well. Which each of them has varies. Most have Indestructible.¡± ¡°So unfair~ How are you supposed to beat that?¡± Ashley asked with limited attention as she wrapped around Jean. ¡°Suffocation.¡± Attention returned to Shin who misinterpreted. ¡°Starvation. Aging.¡± ¡°We¡¯re aware.¡± Mai seemed to lose interest in the conversation. ¡°...weaknesses aside,¡± Jean did his best to ignore the toying assassin. ¡°You just need to deal with the clairvoyant.¡± A certain weight was felt even with his dispassionate tone and indirect choice of words. ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± ¡°The girl in the center.¡± Renzo answered and the party looked over, four of them recognizing a beautiful golden haired young woman. ¡°That fake damsel¡­¡± Yen muttered. ¡°No one can take damage of any kind in these rooms and no skills work without their consent. They can be physically moved but no one can be forced to leave the room.¡± Renzo added, clearly placing a small degree of expectation in the party. Jean thought for a moment. ¡°You have an idea?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Really-¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Get lost, brat!¡± The whole safe room turned to the source of the irate yell, a golden eyed mustached man, staring down the lazy eyed young scion of the Kamo clan before him. The boy weaved mana and spell at the middle aged Atreus man as a younger child lacking fully formed empathy and recognition of others would, all to no other effect than annoying his target. The scion continued what almost seemed to be experiments undeterred until the man could bare it no longer. ¡°Inferior!¡± The Atreus swung his arm with tremendous might. Though it may not do damage, it would knock the pest away and relief him of some of his frustration. But to the onlookers¡¯ surprise, the sneering man had done nothing but swing at open air. And the scion continued to weave. ¡°Stand down.¡± The old Charlemagne ordered with his ever present somberly expression. Another member of the house cast a spell on the mustached man which seemed to snap his sense back in order as he looked to where the scion truly was. ¡°Return.¡± The man stared down the brat for a moment before obeying his patriarch¡¯s orders, Charlemagne¡¯s grim eyes focused on the boy. ¡°The old man seems afraid of the kid.¡± Yen half asked. ¡°Not a kid.¡± Shin nonchalantly commented. ¡°What?¡± Again, the conversation was interrupted, this time by growing murmurs of those near the doorways looking outside. Shin hopped over, followed by the party again, along with Renzo and other notables in the room. Before them was a sight recognized by the former five party alliance. A bloody and fruitless battle waged by the mindless as a plague of corruption consumed them. In the place of the dazed mindless, now stood the wicked smiles of the cursed. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Yen¡¯s persona slipped as the situation worsened. ¡°Can your plan still work now?¡± Donny asked Jean. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How wonderful.¡± The new leader of the Kamo party walked past. [Human Shrine Maiden (legendary) - Greater Lord] Without any hesitation, she passed through the doorway. The three eyed corrupted players lunged and a gong pervaded through the halls from the image of a golden bell above her. Immediately, the corrupted ceased in their tracks, wailing in pain. The shrine maiden raised her hand and the nearest to her spasmed, screeched in pain as wisping ominous energy leaked up from its body and dissolved in the air. Flesh surged from the third eye as a center and with its wail reaching piercing heights, the third eye turned to ash. As though a chain reaction, the cursed eyes of the other corrupted burned away to ash in moments. The players slumped to the ground and gradually, started to rise one by one, no longer mindless nor cursed. The Kamo woman lowered her hand and a sword cut through her neck, sending her veiled head rolling across the ground and her body falling limp. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Otsuya spoke as though nothing was wrong. The would be assassin froze in place, a giant shadowy wolf¡¯s head of many eyes and demonic bearing stopped its maw just short from snapping the man in two. Fleshy tendrils shot out from the shrine maiden¡¯s severed ends, reconnecting her head and body in moments. The wolf¡¯s head more obviously originating from her shadow now. ¡°I must ensure the master¡¯s will.¡± At her smiling words, the man¡¯s body spasmed with cursed mana. ¡°So I will have you die three days from now.¡± The wolf retreated into her shadow and the man leapt desperately back into the safe room, bounding towards the Atreus. Renzo rushed out of the safe room followed by the rest of the clan, and Shin led the party right behind. A fair distance they rushed, just to the sure, but soon they stopped and made their conscripted warder cast his barrier around them. Renzo wasted no time, first directing the warder to let in the Kamo and Saba outside requesting entry, then appointed one of the Igarashi members standing guard to make the call of letting in others and entered a challenge. ¡°Half an hour.¡± Donny said as his mind disappeared into a challenge. The rest of the party needed no further words as they took on challenges of their own, now with the intention of ranking as highly as possible. Shin looked around, making sure nothing was off, then raced into a challenge. He found himself in a rolling meadow and a ogre spawned with a roar. The moment he could move, he put an arrow in its eye. Two more ogres took its place and Inari beheaded them just as quickly. The others had told Shin about the ogre wave challenge. He had to save as much mana and aura for the last waves, and speed was everything. --- Inari darted through the air, reaping an ogre¡¯s head with every swing as Shin sped around her sinking arrows through their brains almost as fast. The last of the 9th wave fell, and 512 brutish ogres appeared, charging towards them. Inari felt Shin¡¯s instruction and ran straight up into the air as high as he could go. Shin leap from ground, purple tipped brown feathers covering his body. Overshadow empowered his body further as he concentrated High Pitch as much as he could, and unleashed it. A deafening shrill ring echoed through the massive crowd of ogres who stopped in place from the pain. A ring of foxfire encircled and pulled them in closer to the sound. The ogres roared in pain and burst like sacks of blood, drenching the green meadows red. A moment passed and Shin found himself back in the hallway. He burst off to the next challenge without checking the result and entered. An Elder Redcap with winged boots appeared before him. In an instant, both flashed with lightning speed, half of Shin¡¯s neck split open in white fox form and the epic tier redcap fell in two severed parts. Shin dashed to the next console and found himself in a dense swamp forest. His eyes glowed prismatic as he sped off again in kitsune form. A black webbed paw at the end of a long smooth tail like appendage shot by him as he slipped and decapitated the Atzol Prowler. A large panther like monster with rubbery black fur. He sped off without hesitation, walking on wind to avoid the treacherous bog below as he hunted the stealthy creatures meant to be hunters of this stage. He killed the last and entered the next challenge. A decrepit old woman in simple robes with a face a shade too deformed to be human met him. The Hag channelled an intense ball of mana as Shin concentrated a ward around him. The hag¡¯s greater manabolt rocketed forth with a surge of power, exploding on the greater ward with immense force. The dust and mana settled, revealing a cracked but standing ward. Shin invoked the white form of a kitsune warrior and concentrated a mystic shield before him and Mara appeared at his side. A second giant bolt of mana shattered the shield and stopped short on her shield. The duo weathered three more until a sixth broke through, leaving Shin with mortal wound, but he still stood, facing the seventh attack that ended the challenge. The next challenge was quite a bit different from the others. Before Shin was a setup similar to the strongman test of carnivals, but there was no mallet and instead of the striking base stood a clown faced ogre with the symbol of a target painted on its large stomach. Besides it danced a jester like creature, miming and egging Shin on. Shin hopped towards the ogre, kitsune form taking hold, and took a stance. The destructive vibrations of Quake thundered further in his hands as he channeled it as far as it could go with all the mana he had available. Overshadow strengthened his limbs alongside the overstraining passed his limits and the Greater Swiftness enveloping him in speed. With all his might, he invoked Kong¡¯s Haymaker and struck. A cataclysmic pressure burst from the impact. The target ogre¡¯s stomach rippled and the jester held onto its cap for dear life, miming as though the impact would send it flying away. Soon the force subsided and a puck shot up the tower behind not even halfway before falling back. A three figure number flickered on the modern display at the top, finishing at 361. The jester waved farewell to Shin as he returned outside. This time he spared a moment to glance at the leaderboard for the game.
  1. Chandra Pandavas - 498
  2. Leon Moore - 476
  3. ¡­.
Most of the ones after were from the Pendragon house, though Shin saw nothing of note besides the first two. With that, he jumped over to arguably the main event among the challenges. Shin found himself standing on the hard compact sand of a massive colosseum, facing a large orc in spiked roman armor. [High Orc Arena Champion (epic) - Greater Lord] A boss type monster, the only one of its kind among the challenges, an existence equal to the Prismatic Dragon of the second stage. A crowd of strange monsters roared around them like humans and a orc in classical toga raised its hands. ¡°Begin!¡± Shin leapt to the side as the high orc¡¯s slash split the ground in two, its speed rivalling Shin at his best. The form of a white fox draped his body and Quake concentrated on his foot as Mara appeared to his side and shot Screech after Screech at champion. Kong blinked behind and clawed at its eyes. A stomp sent Kong crashing away into the wall of the arena and the wounds healed in an instant but the distraction was all the time Shin needed. At his greatest speed, he flickered above the high orc and kicked off the air, his cleaving foot crashing down on the monster¡¯s skull. The violent pulse of quake exploded the the insides of the high orc¡¯s head, blood bursting from every orifice as it stumbled and fell dead. [Grand Martial Combat has upgraded to legendary tier Supreme Martial Combat.] The crowd erupted in celebration and faded away as Shin left the challenge, glancing once again at the rankings.
  1. Leon Moore - 0.01 seconds
  2. Chandra Pandavas - 0.02 seconds
  3. Lu Kang - 0.03 seconds
  4. Attila Atreus - 0.05 seconds
  5. Karla - 0.05 seconds
  6. Genjiro Igarashi - 0.05 seconds
  7. Titon Saba - 0.06 seconds
  8. Bando Koga - 0.07 seconds
  9. Sereth Narmer - 0.08 seconds
  10. Xerxes - 0.08 seconds
  11. Rhun Prince - 0.09 seconds.
  12. Shin - 0.09 seconds.
There was hardly any time left now, but his best challenges were done. Now there was only the pursuit of more tokens. --- The giant¡¯s club sent Shin¡¯s orc crashing away. Broken bones and ruptured organs made it slow to rise to its feet, and Shin¡¯s Heal wasn¡¯t fast enough to aid its recovery fully. The giant charged towards the orc, ignoring Shin completely. The nature of this challenge was to support the orc against a foe that outmatched him, but Shin had no buffs he could cast on others. The most he could do was prolong the orc¡¯s inevitably short survival. The orc raised its axe with a roar and the club splattered it to mush, bringing an end to the challenge. Shin returned to the hallway, mere seconds remaining for the festival. He had attempted all the challenges to the best of his current abilities, and so now chose to keep watch over the others in these final moments, although it didn¡¯t seem necessary by the state of the group gathered within the ward. None seemed to be seeking enemies, and most players were waiting for the timer to run out like Shin. Countless players awaited the countdown and once it reached zero, Shin found himself transported to a luxurious booth room along with Yen, Donny, Kamala, and Karla. Stage lights turned on the platform beyond the window, surrounded by rows and floors of similar booths with an enormous crowd standing before the stage. ¡°Congratulations to all who matter~ Did you do well in the games? Did you rob and scheme as much as possible?¡± The red curtains of the stage slowly rose as the overseer¡¯s voice swept through the theater. ¡°I hope you did, because it¡¯s time to put those tokens to use!¡± A green haired boy dressed in ringleader¡¯s garb gestured out as the curtain revealed him. He appeared to be no more than 12 or 13 but only fools thought that truly the case. An excited, cunning smile adorned his face. ¡°Welcome to the main event! The Festival Auction!¡± Chapter 70 ¡°You may call me Nem. Some of you are probably wondering why you¡¯re on the floor instead of a booth.¡± The overseer twirled a cane as he walked, ending with a dramatic point at the crowd. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not important.¡± The murmurings and atmosphere of ill feelings only made Nem smile. ¡°If you feel otherwise then prove it.¡± The god snapped his fingers and ten thin cards appeared in front of Shin, two gold, five silver, and three bronze. The same happened for the others, though the composition of their hand varied. ¡°The rules are simple. Highest bid wins. If you don¡¯t like that, use a ticket! Start a battle of will with the leading bidder and take the item outright. Bronze means you pay the difference between the current bid and what the item is worth. Silver takes the current bid from the defeated along with the item. And gold¡­ takes everything. If the challenged beats the challenger of any ticket, they take all the tokens they have, and the challenger has to have at least the amount of the total bid for a ticket to work. Didn¡¯t I say it was simple? If you have any questions, you should probably give your tokens to someone else.¡± Nem thumped his cane on the stage before him. ¡°Because those standing above are special, they get a bonus. You have two minutes to recruit any other players you know, up to the 40 strong capacity of a guild. Choose wisely~¡± ¡°Are we going for a full guild?¡± Yen asked Shin, after Nem held silent for a few moments. ¡°Just a party.¡± Shin mentally sent out his invites and familiar faces soon appeared in the room with them. First Ashley and Dante, answering the call immediately. Then Jean a second afterwards. Basem a few after that, almost reluctantly. And finally the confrontational Cheon Mujin with more than a few misgivings. ¡°The same temp party, huh¡­ I was expecting five more monsters¡­ Most of them are normal.¡± Yen seemed genuinely a bit disappointed. ¡°Said the same thing about me.¡± Donny chimed in. ¡°You just happened to have some screws loose. But I guess if Shin picked them, they probably do too.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate these insults, woman.¡± Mujin snapped at her. ¡°Really¡­? What century are you from?¡± Something seemed to resurface in Yen¡¯s mind. ¡°Ah, you were going on about Cheon before. That¡¯s a fantasy name, are you murim too?¡± Mujin¡¯s expression worsened though he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°What¡¯s your power?¡± ¡°The Cheon clan ended in the 17th century. There¡¯s never been sign of their revival.¡± Kamala explained. ¡°Even if I was born with nothing! Even if I am the last! I carry the will of the Cheon name.¡± Fierce intent enveloped Mujin as he spoke, every word emanating his resolve. Yen eyed the spear wielding sohei. ¡°So what¡¯s your rank?¡± Silence answered her again within his combative mood. ¡°Seriously? You got a big mouth for an unranked.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Jean spoke up, his expression calm and indifferent as ever, bordering on a brooding apathy amidst the tension. His tone carried only enough emotion to be considered casually professional. ¡°I never ranked either. Is that a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shin answered casually and honestly. ¡°...alright.¡± Yen glanced at Ashley and Dante before returning to Jean. ¡°I guess you¡¯re the scout.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Can you deal with traps?¡± ¡°Up to epic tier.¡± ¡°Finally, an actual scout.¡± Yen seemed more than a little relieved, looking to Shin. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± Yen¡¯s joy turned to suspicion. ¡°...you picked him because you knew, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± She took a few moments to process things. ¡°Did you seriously just pick whoever?! Do you understand how fucked we¡¯d be without a decent scout?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, though?¡± Yen suppressed her further complaints, knowing they¡¯d just be wasted. ¡°...it¡¯s actually kind of annoying how this looks like a balanced party.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Kamala interjected. ¡°We should discuss the upcoming auction.¡± ¡°Who has a god backing them?¡± Donny asked the new recruits. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Same~¡± Only Dante and Ashley answered, though by the expression of the others they were at least aware of the feature. ¡°Titles?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret~¡± ¡°King of Stories.¡± Dante freely offered the truth where Ashley didn''t. ¡°Alright, Shin already told you about the trait thing before. Every god thinks it¡¯s a good idea, so keep that in mind.¡± ¡°What if more than one wants the same trait?¡± Yen asked. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out if that happens.¡± Donny turned his focus to the stage. ¡°Times up~¡± Nem announced, bringing the attention all back to him. ¡°There are four categories up for auction. Without further ado¡­ Legendary tier items!¡± The words Legendary Item appeared in bright orange letters in the dark of the stage surrounded by gaudy effects, and a podium appeared in the center with a rotating cube bearing shifting images of awe inspiring weaponry and armor. ¡°No need to worry about waiting for the right one. The winner can choose exactly what they want! Only a thousand items are up for grabs, so get it while you can.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°If we can choose¡­¡± Yen perked up. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Shin said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We can take them later.¡± With a thought he sent all members of the party an equal share of the tokens he extorted before, about 590,000 each, leaving Shin with around 4.53 million himself. ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°Let the auction begin!¡± A menu appeared before all players in the theater and the auction begun in earnest. Thousands, millions of bids flowed in, yet to everyone¡¯s minds it felt as easy as tracking a few dozen. It only took moments for the bids to peter out until truly only a few dozen remained, none of the names standing out. Three seconds went by with the final bid a shade over 100,000 and a chime rang through the room. The item box on display vanished and a second took its place, starting the next bid with no further fanfare. ¡°The traits category should probably be legendary too. Right?¡± Donny commented as they stood around watching the early bidding without much to do. ¡°The gods wouldn¡¯t make such a big deal about it if that was it. It has to be mythic, or there¡¯s a way to upgrade.¡± As Yen¡¯s focus seemed to drift yearningly to the future, the young hunter put a winning bid near 150,000 and in moments an item box hovered in the air before him. Immediately the box shone and in its place appeared a compound shortbow made of luxurious ivory and wood. ¡°Hey... Didn¡¯t you hear what we said?¡± Basem stored the bow away with no response, holding an air of defiance. An attitude that only annoyed Yen further. ¡°Listen, the only people bidding now are goons. The real numbers will show up later with the real prizes, and you just reduced your limit and showed your hand. Unranked especially can¡¯t afford to screw around.¡± ¡°I ranked.¡± Basem shot back. ¡°When?¡± ¡°...first stage.¡± ¡°What did you pick?¡± ¡°Triple Shot.¡± The aggressiveness of the Hunter¡¯s tone took a spike from the questions thrown his way. ¡°...does that turn one arrow you shoot into three?¡± Yen¡¯s mood shifted a bit. Basem said nothing in response but the answer was obvious to anyone who looked at him. ¡°Are you serious?¡± The critique in her voice ramped up. ¡°Ranking is the only time you can get anything from any class, that sounds like something every random archer can pick up, I can¡¯t believe you wasted it.¡± ¡°Silence, whore!¡± A great force grasped Basem the moment the outburst left his mouth, rooting him in place so strongly he couldn¡¯t even twitch a finger. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you.¡± Yen¡¯s demeanor changed, the look in her eye that of a coldhearted tyrant. The calm tone of her voice as though making a callous decree to a subject only heightened Basem¡¯s fear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t get out? If you had the right skill, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bully the kid too much.¡± Donny chimed in from the side, though his focus largely laid on auction. Yen gave Basem a silent stare just a bit longer before cancelling the spell. The hunter darted to the back of the room fully on guard the moment he could move. Even after Yen turned back around to the auction, he kept his distance and vigilance. The winning figure fluctuated from bid to bid but a clear trend showed it to be gradually rising over all. Still, no player notable made an appearance well into the three figures but towards the end, a change finally happened. The image of a bronze ticket bloomed into existence and two players were teleported to the stage. They glanced around nervously, but neither seemed to be able to move and soon their consciousness seemed to be pulled from their bodies. They held in place for a few silent moments but soon their expressions started to tense and beads of sweat pouring down their faces. Finally something broke in one of them and the challenged player dropped face first on the stage, dead. ¡°Congratulations~¡± Nem told the winner of the invisible battle, still exhausted. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much you have to pay.¡± The god flourished a hand to a counter that appeared in the air at the back. The figures rapidly shuffled, even the amount of them itself, until finally¡­ [???] The winner erupted in a blaze of fire to horrifying screams of pain, thrashing madly around until his body spasmed and turned to ash. ¡°Too bad~¡± Nem taunted with a devious smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t have enough.¡± A weight of danger fell on the theater. ¡°Trial bullshit¡­¡± Yen silently cursed. ¡°What¡¯d think, millions?¡± Donny asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s a fucking trap.¡± The rest of the legendary tier item auction went on with no further incidents nor any particular standouts, giving a sense that the true powerhouses were waiting and watching. ¡°Boring¡­¡± Nem muttered, conjuring a seat for himself as the last item was won. ¡°But¡­¡± A smile found his face again. ¡°I wonder how many can sit out the next one.¡± The glowing sign above the stage changed. [Skill Slot] ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Nem announced with gusto, rising to his feet again. ¡°An additional space within your status, same as what¡¯s granted to all you rankers. There¡¯s only a thousand total, so do your best not to fall behind. Also¡­ I¡¯ve decided to make things a little more fun. The bounty system. Anyone can now put up a bounty on any player they choose. Whoever defeats that player in a battle of wills will claim all bounties on that person!¡± A new section appeared in their menu monitoring all bounties. Within moments, dozens and dozens flooded in, the result of prior rivalries and new grievances formed within the dog eat dog world of the Tower. And towering above them all, was one on Shin submitted by Cyrus Atreus, totalling 5 million tokens. ¡°Must be the one that got violated.¡± ¡°Clown.¡± Yen smirked. Nem raised a hand. ¡°Begin.¡± Shin without hesitation put down a bid of 4 million tokens. In an instant, he found himself on stage, standing opposite a young man in garbs befitting a musketeer with long flowing blond hair and an air of being full of himself. ¡°Thank you in advance for the tokens.¡± The confident taunt fell on deaf ears as Shin waited for whatever was supposed to happen. Several moments passed, the same amount as the duel before. Shin felt something pull his mind and the musketeer dropped dead. Shin glanced around then desired it, and found himself back in the booth, an extra skill slot capacity in his build and his tokens more than doubled. The bidding started again and Shin put 5 million. Again, a silver ticket challenger took the bait again, this time his opponent a decrepit old man with a wicked disposition, dressed in a dark robe stitched with bone. The Confessor gave nothing but cackles before the reigning top ranker. Powerful in combat, he was sure, but he had no equal in Willpower, that he was sure as well. Ten million tokens and the reputation of felling an object of respect and terror would be his. The allotted time passed and the old man found himself in a world of wisping darkness, the boy no longer before him. The Confessor glanced around finding nothing else with him in the void, his sneer turning to a frown of annoyance. He had no experience with this ¡®battle¡¯ before, but he doubted one could run from it. And yet, the boy was nowhere to be found. Finally, something caught his attention, a hanging crescent of white just barely noticeable within the void. The crescent widened upwards, gradually, slowly, like an opening eye. Further and further it opened, crossing a black iris and a hollow pupil. The Confessor stared back, his thoughts still before the eye of the void, as it raised half open, and the old man slumped to the stage floor. Nem fell back into his chair in a fit of mocking laughter, kicking out his legs in pure joy. ¡°Did you fools think this was something as shallow as an Attribute? Will!¡± Nem stressed the word as though none listening had ever heard it before. ¡°The greatest measure and tool ever known. Something you fools would be lucky to-¡± A single spark of red lightning flashed over Nem¡¯s side, and he sat back quietly in his chair, with a slightly annoyed but resigned expression. Though to his right he caught notice of Shin still remaining on stage, eyes closed. Shin focused inwards, ignoring everything else. The first time was over too quickly but with this last battle, he had just barely enough time to feel something. Deeper. Grander. The feeling grew strong as he pulled it up to the surface. His right eye opened slightly and a weight fell on them all. Sharper and heavier than any had felt before. Something beyond intent, beyond resolve. Something imposing. Nem swiped his hand and the pressure disappeared in an instant, a smile returned to his face. ¡°That¡¯s too early for you.¡± Shin glanced down, feeling blood trickled down his right eye. ¡°Thanks.¡± He vanished from the stage with the calm interest of Nem. He returned to his booth captured in silence. A silence quickly broken. ¡°Why would you do that?!¡± Yen yelled. ¡°You had the perfect set up. Who¡¯s gonna take the bait now, you Will monster?¡± Shin wiped the blood from his eye. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It could have been better, ugh¡­¡± A stark difference in reaction could be seen between the old party and the recent. Neither Yen, Donny, nor Kamala showed much surprise to Shin¡¯s impromptu display, having been around him long enough to not be shocked at his nature. Even Karla was unfazed, rather her desire to fight simply intensified. The newer members, though, looked at Shin in a different light, of various kinds. Dante held a keen and inspecting interest. Ashley was thrilled beyond containment. Basem seemed more wary than ever, too wary to even leave. Mujin¡¯s troubled expression turned to one of determination through clenched teeth. And Jean calmly questioned his decision to join this party. Chapter 71 Bidding for the third skill slot kicked off with far less enthusiasm than the first two, the vast majority of players seemingly trying to raise the amount by the smallest possible figure of significance. ¡°All the high rollers scared now that Shin has enough to challenge anyone.¡± Donny commented. The moment the bids slowed down at the million mark, he used a silver ticket and teleported down, a menacing barbarian woman his opponent. His eyes turned white and veins on his temples bulged, and the challenged crashed to the floor. Donny returned with his prize and the tokens. ¡°You have enough tickets to waste them like that?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Need enough to play the game. Best time to earn is right now.¡± Karla put all of her tokens down, just shy of 3 million, and a ticket brought her onto the stage. She smiled at the bald brute of a man and he fell dead, her face devoid of strain or tension. ¡°It¡¯s not as fun as fighting.¡± The Amazon gave her honest assessment upon returning. ¡°How are we coordinating?¡± Dante asked a rather important question. ¡°First one that bets gets it, unless they give up.¡± Donny half suggested. ¡®Sounds good.¡± Yen agreed and none in the room had opposing sentiments. ¡°Build up as much tokens as you can but save at least one ticket for later. Silver, bronze is a death trap.¡± With a thought, Shin gave each of them a million tokens. ¡°You¡¯re carrying us too much.¡± ¡°I can get more.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so¡­¡± As decided the party took turns bidding. Kamala, Dante, and Ashley had enough to bait out ticketholders, all three winning with minimal trouble, though Jean, Basem and Mujin had less success. The latter two that were participating kept finding themselves outbid. Finally, Yen brought herself to go all in with her now 2 million tokens, and immediately a silver ticket brought her before a mustached middle aged man with golden eyes. ¡°If we can¡¯t kill him, we can kill those around him.¡± He sneered. Yen braced and found herself in a blank white space, flames coating most of her body. A pressure struck her mind from the Atreus man shining gold. Pain and a forbidding sense of dread, as though standing at the edge of a cliff, bore down relentlessly. She fought back with her mind, her desire, instinctively, the flames swelling in size and intensity. But still, she felt the dread. The bright gold light emanating from the man shone brighter still with his growing confidence and malice in the face of victory. Yen¡¯s flames flickered and the dread grew. She tried with all her might to push back but the patches of flame shrunk and snuffed out, leaving her more and more of a mere mortal with each moment. And at the brink of defeat, her dread turned to a terrible desperation, and her fire exploded. In seconds, the raging inferno engulfed the light, and then man, and with his shrieks she found herself back on stage, sweat pouring down her exhausted face. ¡°Had me worried for a second.¡± Donny said. ¡°Goldfuckers are targeting us¡­¡± Still, bearing worn eyes, Yen was in no mood to say much more. Several times before in these trials she had experienced that same desperation and it always left her feeling ill. Donny quietly went all in on the next bid and an Atreus called him out immediately, though his battle ended sooner and with less effort. The bids continued with the members of party called out to battle occasionally. Mujin and Basem finally got their time in the sun by going all in at the start of each bid, facing difficulty in their battles though not as much as Yen had. She grit her teeth and went all in again to yet another Atreus challenger, and by the state of her, the struggle no easier than the first. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Gets better. They put bounties on us.¡± Yen checked the section of the menu and sure enough, both her and Donny had bounties of two million apiece. ¡°Why only us?¡± ¡°Someone gave them outdated information.¡± ¡°It was only the four of us when we encountered them in the dungeon.¡± Kamala added. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you have one?¡± The lotus eyed priestess gave no response so Yen dropped it. A noticeable ramp in intensity appeared in the auction as it reached the halfway point of the category. More recognizable names and emerging powerhouses starting making their move, and the bids and bounties both rose in scale. Titon Saba and Lu Kang, Chandra Pandavas, the Paladin turned Justiciar, the kings Eskender and Richard, Renzo, Leon Moore, Sereth Narmer. Major figures won bid and battles with ease one after the other, and the amount of participants started to drop. Among them, a boy, the young scion of the Kamo, who dominated every battle made without so much as a twitch in his lazy expression. [Kamo no Yasunori] ¡°Yas¡­ Isn¡¯t that who you said before? Back in the highlands?¡± Yen turned to Kamala. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kamala did not seem surprised, although it was as though a slight suspicion had just been answered. ¡°The Kamo have long practiced the art of mediumship, even calling on ghosts of past to replace the souls of their own. There has been a rumor for many years that Yasunori himself has been continuously invoked into sacrifices among his own bloodline to rule without interruption, but they keep their secrets closely guarded.¡± The appearance of a familiar blue haired man with cloth wrapped around his eyes whose true name was indeed recognized as Xerxes had Yen mutter an insult under her breath, but the next battle brought a deeper reaction. The challenged a legendary tier classholder with gear rivalling the original members and the challenger, a muscular young man with spiky white hair and a playfully evil smile. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. [Hiroshi Minamoto vs Bando Koga] ¡°17 and 28.¡± Dante commented. No one needed to ask what the numbers meant. All eyes were glued to the stage for the first battle between two high rankers. ¡°We never should have taken in your ungrateful clan¡­¡± Hiroshi¡¯s words dripped with venom, an intense aura cloaked his impressive stature. ¡°I will see them all wiped out to the last child.¡± ¡°Scary~¡± Bando¡¯s insult fell on deaf ears and the two clashed, a dull friction felt by those outside, something that had never happened before. Moment¡¯s passed as the ferocity of their expressions held, and the prince of the Minamoto fell dead. Bando¡¯s smile stretched wide. ¡°Is that the best you have?! The Minamoto are easy!¡± The devious reaper¡¯s words echoed throughout the room even as he vanished. ¡°Psycho¡­¡± ¡°A smart one.¡± Donny glanced through the menu. ¡°They put a 6 million bounty on him.¡± Yen¡¯s response was interrupted by the image of a giant golden ticket in all its splendor. A short old man with a long whisker like mustache dressed in the silk robes of a monk and a crowned cap, his expression one of restrained annoyance. Opposite him, stood the one who used the first golden ticket of the auction. A tall wiry old man with wrinkled skin. His white hair combed back but his long thin bristly beard unkempt in comparison. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit, my old friend.¡± Genjiro gave his old associate a mischievous smile after seeing the look on his face. Feng Lu¡¯s resolve strengthened and their wills clashed like two dragons. Stronger than the battle between Bando and Hiroshi, yet over in a moment, Genjiro standing tall over his slain rival. He gave nothing more than a look of dismissive pride, the right of a dominant victor, and vanished. Bidding started again with a noticeable spike in high rollers bearing the name Igarashi. ¡°That seemed important¡­¡± ¡°It was.¡± Kamala confirmed Yen¡¯s sense for narrative. ¡°Those were the current heads of the Igarashi and Lu clans.¡± ¡°Your grandfather?¡± She asked Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yen had only asked half seriously. ¡°Pretty sure he was rank 9 last time. How is your clan so broken. Do you have another trait besides Body Supremacy?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°The Igarashi have operated as assassins and mercenaries for 500 years. Their upbringing is notoriously harsh, no other clan has such an extensive focus on the art of mortal combat. The most talented among the main family is always chosen as the patriarch.¡± Kamala explained in Shin¡¯s stead. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Renzo¡¯s the heir.¡± ¡°Is he stronger than you?¡± Yen asked with some surprise. ¡°No.¡± Slight relief found her attitude. ¡°What about the old man?¡± Shin thought for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Maybe before.¡± A sum of 1,590,000 tokens entered Shin¡¯s vision, and he turned to the sohei standing to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t need any help from a muri-¡± Shin returned the money back. ¡°I said-!¡± Mujin gave back the the money and Shin returned it again immediately. ¡°Stop that!¡± ¡°You need it.¡± Shin said bluntly. ¡°Hey, do you even crack half a million without it?¡± Yen¡¯s words were prickly towards the guy who had largely been antagonistic from the start. ¡°How many tickets you have, two, one? What do you even expect to do without tokens then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need help.¡± ¡°Why did you pick him?¡± Yen gave up on talking with him and turned to Shin. ¡°Felt right.¡± ¡°We barely met anyone yet! What is he, melee dps? There has to be a ton of better ones out there.¡± ¡°Better knights and mages, too.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yen snapped at Donny¡¯s casual banter. The mage took a moment to compose herself long enough to think, and looked back at Mujin. ¡°Listen, you keep going on about murim this and murim that, but you¡¯ll never beat people who are indestructible or can turn off your mind with a thought unless you close the gap. This auction is probably the only time you can really do that, if you throw away this chance now, you¡¯ll never be anything more than second rate.¡± Mujin didn¡¯t respond but Yen could see her words struck a chord, so she pressed further. ¡°If you don¡¯t like getting handouts, then you can pay Shin back by being in the party. Unless you¡¯re the dishonorable type that doesn¡¯t pay his debts?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Mujin turned to Shin, seeming to have made up his mind with that final push. ¡°I¡¯ll fight until the debt is paid. But only for you, not your clan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not part of the clan.¡± Kamala took the opportunity to ask a question that had been on her mind. ¡°Are there any members you would like us not to battle against?¡± ¡°Yuna, Shoko, Fuyumi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± Karla¡¯s casual word brought everyone¡¯s attention to a towering figure on the stage. Unkempt white hair, a similar complexion to the cheerful amazon, and a muscular physique of a man half his age. Jurandir Barbosa his name, and his opponent fell dead before his smile of foreboding confidence. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Shin have last names?¡± Yen blurted out a question that came to mind. ¡°Grandpa said I¡¯m not a Barbosa~¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Karla didn¡¯t seem to be bothered about it at all, simply stating it as a matter of fact, but Yen felt bad enough to try and be tactful. But the appearance of a familiar curly hay blonde young man made her forget everything else. ¡°Is that fucking Freckles?!¡± ¡°Someone important?¡± Dante asked. ¡°We left him to die.¡± Kamala didn¡¯t mince words. ¡°Yeah, he don¡¯t seem to have gotten over that.¡± Donny kept his focus on the Cursemaster despite his laidback tone. Micah won with surprising ease and turned to look right at the party¡¯s booth, his disposition hateful and sinister with an unsettling arrogance. ¡°Is he gonna be a problem?¡± Yen asked with some concern. ¡°We¡¯ll sort it out when it happens.¡± A silver ticket shone in the air and Shin took the stage. His opponent had put down a sum of 4.5 million right at the start, a clear attempt to bait a challenger, but by the look on his face he hooked a bigger fish that he wanted. ¡°W-wait, wait, I quit.¡± The man vanished from the stage in an instant. ¡°Oh, I forgot. You can yield before a battle of will. Counts as a loss but you keep your life. I hope none of you died in vain~¡± Nem made no effort to pretend he truly forgot, nor to hide his amusement. Jean put all his tokens on the next bid and was summoned to the stage. The battle started with hardly any buildup and Jean returned within moments. A light sweat coated his face but his expression remained unchanged. ¡°Thought you¡¯d never try.¡± Yen jabbed. ¡°The get out of jail card gave you some confidence?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jean showed no reaction to the light banter. ¡°I was waiting for Shin to go next anyway¡­¡± Shin put down 2 million tokens on the next bid and no one dared to raise, the mere thought of the reaper of the auction looming over them enough to give them pause. The time counted down and he won the bid. And he did it again to the same effect. An yet again, this time bidding only 1 million. Donny broke into a smile. He had been around Shin long enough to know he meant nothing by it but the practical results, but the rest of the players would surely take it as a taunt, a particularly egregious one. Six more times he bid and all six auctions were claimed without challenge. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Shin announced to the party. ¡°Our turn then.¡± Donny went all in and a challenge called him out only to leave Donny the prize and every token he owned. The rest of the party started their own hunts for skill slots at their own pace. By the end, most had gotten at least several. Kamala, Dante, and Karla collecting five, and Yen and Jean with only two. Yen opted to sit out in preparation for the next rounds and Jean took an opportunity to pick up one more, although that seemed to be the limit of his risk tolerance. Two players had distinguished themselves even more than Shin, at least in number, Leon Moore and Kamo no Yasunori, claiming 12 skill slots apiece. Nem strolled across the stage as the last item disappeared. ¡°Two down, two to go. How many of you got what you wanted? Did you see someone you care about lose pathetically?¡± He twirled the cane in his hand rapidly. ¡°Weakness is a sin. But don¡¯t worry! For weaklings like you, I have just what you need. Unrestricted. Epic. Tier. Abilities!¡± He raised his cane up to the changing sign above. ¡°Do your best~¡± Chapter 72 ¡°What?¡± Nem leaned forward, hand to his ear. ¡°Are you disappointed it¡¯s not legendary? Listen, you hopelessly greedy flock! To choose something, anything from among the myriad of abilities is a boon rarely found throughout the whole Tower. Mere initiates like you should be salivating at the privilege.¡± ¡°No matter.¡± Nem walked to his chair and sat like an unquestionable crown prince. ¡°The cream will rise and the chaff will fall.¡± The bidding began and Shin used a golden ticket. Brought before him was the current head of the house of Arthur, Richard Pendragon, his attire more regal than before and his expression sour. ¡°I yield¡­¡± Shin returned to the booth with 27 million more tokens and an epic tier option. He opened it immediately and chose something he had planned to take at the third stage, or more accurately a lesser version. [Acquired the epic tier trait Regeneration.] Survival State could prevent death for a time, but if his brain was damaged he was effectively unconscious, any skills possessed unable to be used. Now with the trait his own body could heal regardless. Just as he did before, he placed 2 million on the second bid. A certain Xerxes responded, bidding 3 million. Shin immediately put 3.1 and Ashley put 3.2, vanishing with the call. Her opponent resolved, imposing, and soon dead. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t break the rule!¡± Yen criticized as Ashley returned and choose an ability immediately. ¡°It¡¯s fine, right~?¡± She leaned next to Shin with a smile bearing no guilt or malice. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We can use this.¡± Jean addressed the room. ¡°Most of the dangerous players will be cautious if Shin is active, and the weaker ones will be desperate to jump at any alternative. Someone will catch on soon though¡­¡± He looked to Shin. ¡°Okay.¡± The phantom of the auction agreed to the plan Jean was suggesting. Shin bid again and Mujin bid after, immediately called to the stage by an unknown, winning with moderate difficulty. Basem bid and disappeared next to similar results, his revolve slowly building in the quiet corner. Yen glanced over and locked him in place. Basem startled for a split second then blinked to the other side of the room. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Making sure you were paying attention.¡± Yen took a breath as she steeled her resolve while the others took turns baiting challenges over Shin. Finally she took the plunge, her opponent this time a middle aged witch with hazel eyes. A mercenary after her bounty, she guessed half consciousness, forcing herself to focus on nothing but the battle ahead, a battle she won a bit more easily than her first two. She scanned through the options without a word as soon as she returned and with a smile, made her choice. ¡°Got what you wanted?¡± ¡°It will be when I upgrade it.¡± Yen couldn¡¯t contained her thrilled expression. ¡°What¡¯s the monkey trait?¡± Karla asked Shin. ¡°Mana Eater.¡± With no context clues, Shin knew what she meant, the two very much on the same wavelength. Karla went out this turn and won again with ease. ¡°What did you pick for the Amazon class?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Smash breaks stuff~ Body Dominance like Shin but not as good~¡± ¡°You might turn into more of a monster than Shin¡­¡± Yen mused as she envisioned the direction of Karla¡¯s build. Shin put down 2 million and Sereth put down 7. Two seconds ticked by before someone had the resolve to challenge her, a challenge that ended in utter defeat. Shin tried again and Yuna bid 6 million, imitating the success of the Narmer princess. And for a third time in a row, the party¡¯s plan was usurped, this time by Leon, who won his bid of 5 million without challenge. Jean had subtle look of thought about him, which Kamala noticed. ¡°They all have connections to Shin personally. Most wouldn¡¯t have realized this soon. Your plan was a good one.¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Jean¡¯s tone was one of half thanking Kamala for her consolation, half focused on how to rectify the situation. ¡°What?¡± Yen inquired. ¡°Now that several have confronted the scheme unanswered, others will start to copy them, and some will piece things together.¡± Kamala explained. ¡°Participate as much as you can before a bounty is put on you.¡± She aimed her last sentence mainly at the ones who had been performing with the most difficulty, Yen included to her displeasure though she made no effort to refute the implication. Sure enough, each received no more than one opportunity before a bounty was placed on their heads, all from the house of Atreus. Shin¡¯s remained untouched, but the others¡¯ were raised to 3 million each now. ¡°Back to how it was now. Just get as much as you can.¡± Donny placed a large figure and a silver ticket brought him to the stage, his challenger a ranker and good performer in the auction. Donny entered the white space and took the form of fledgling carnage, a bloody brutality that ripped and tore away before he himself could be broken. Yen put her money down but a gold ticket called the stunned mage away, her opponent no stranger. Muscular body, spiky white hair, and a malicious grin of amusement. Yen grit her teeth before the menacing madman. Options and emotions weighed in her mind but reluctantly, acceptance of reality prevailed. ¡°...I quit.¡± Yen returned, in even worse mood. ¡°Shit!¡± Shin looked at Yen, and before Donny could finish a single word, used a gold ticket, coming face to face with Bando who had placed a 4 million bid the moment it started. The Slayer¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I quit~¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Shin returned to the booth with the four million, and not a token more. He tilted his head, and sent Yen the tokens he just receive. Yen looked at the amount that paled by what she just had by over 3 million and realized something. ¡°He planned it¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I was worried that was the case.¡± ¡°Fuck, that psycho is gonna stalk me every time now!¡± Yen had the panic of someone who realized things were starting to fall apart. ¡°Put a bounty on him.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do anything but waste money. Just hope someone else challenges first.¡± ¡°If he is targeting Yen in particular, there likely won¡¯t be anyone faster.¡± Kamala warned. ¡°A trick might work¡­¡± Jean chimed in. ¡°If he¡¯s trying to be first.¡± --- Yen prepared herself. The plan was sound, on paper. Though reluctant to lose this much again, there wasn¡¯t a better option, not one they could come up with on short notice at least. She steeled herself, and bid 8 million. A silver ticket shone in the auction and Bando found himself facing Shin. The blank unbothered face of a man thinking held his face before his grin returned. ¡°You win. Quit.¡± Shin returned to the booth, his balance 8,000,001 tokens more. The plan had worked. Bando was waiting but his reaction couldn''t be faster than Shin¡¯s who coordinated with Yen directly. Yen immediately put down 3 million and was challenged by another small name, winning her third ability without issue. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Shin smiled and turned his attention to his two item boxes. His choices were slower than his first but he made them without hesitation. [Acquired epic tier trait Hawkeye.] [Acquired epic tier trait Blindsight.] Hawkeye was a greater version of his Quickeye inscription brand, one that didn¡¯t require mana or preparation, and Blindsight allowed him to ¡®see¡¯ the vague outlines of his surroundings in a perfect 360 degrees, and it was enhanced by Hawkeye. Two universally useful traits to build his foundation stronger. Yen meanwhile made her own two choices. She had been weighing different paths before but recent events brought back memories to the forefront that sealed her decision. With the recent turbulence behind them, the party resumed their individual pursuits of abilities. Nearly every move was met with challenges but all were vanquished. Near the end, Shin placed 5 million uncontested, and for his forth ability he chose a skill. Immediately useful in its own right, but Shin had a deeper plan for it. [Acquired epic tier skill Mana Absorption.] And with that plan for himself, Shin thought of the others. [Acquired epic tier trait Summoner.] ¡®All monsters summoned or called receive a 50% boost to all stats.¡¯ It was something he would have chosen for Onmyoji had he not needed Soul Fusion. In regards to that, Inari wasn¡¯t like other monsters. She couldn¡¯t be fused in the same way, which meant he needed to try a different path. Shin had scanned through the list before choosing Mana Absorption, and found two that caught his eye. He placed his bids twice and sought them out. [Acquired epic tier skill Yin.] ¡®Deny an ability from passing through.¡¯ Acquired epic tier skill Yang.] ¡®Pass through an ability without being denied.¡¯ Yen steeled herself again. There was one more trait she wanted, needed, and took the plunge, pushing herself to her limits to claim the victory. Jean went next once again, repeating his previous strategy to similar hard won success. As he stood with heavy breath, Dante and Karla effortlessly won two more challenges, bringing a lull in activity to the room. Each one of them had gained 4 or 5 abilities, save for Basem with 3, Jean who only managed two and Ashley who to some surprise acquired 6, almost rivalling Shin. ¡°It¡¯s alright~¡± Ashley wrapped her arms around Jean from behind again, teasing his cheek. ¡°The rest of us can protect you~¡± Yen looked to Dante now that they had all seemed to finish this round. She hadn¡¯t thought much of him before, but he had shown no sign of struggle at any point in the challenges, something that put him in the same category as Shin, Karla, and Kamala, as well as Ashley though she¡¯d rather not talk to her much. ¡°What¡¯s your status? You¡¯re not the next rank up, right?¡± Yen asked bluntly. ¡°It¡¯s a skill.¡± Dante smiled, and deactivated something. [Human Runic Charlatan (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Two-faced rogue type with viking magic?¡± Yen guessed, glancing over his attire befitting an ancient martial artist. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a charlatan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± The final bid interrupted them with Leon putting down 12 million and none taking the challenge. With that, the third round of the auction came to an end, and Nem once more took center stage. ¡°Was that as fun for you as it was for me? Did you plunder enough tokens? For your sake, I hope you did, because it¡¯s time for the final round! Have you guessed what it is yet?¡± Nem raised both arms into the air as fireworks exploded around the stage, signaling the changing sign.¡°Great! Attributes! A trait that increases your real numbers by half a fold.¡± ¡°¡®What¡¯, I hear you ask, ¡®why are you making that sound so important¡¯, the foolish among you question. It matters a great deal later on.¡± Nem¡¯s mocking tone became heavier for those last few words. ¡°But there¡¯s no need for the weak and worthless to fret. This doesn¡¯t concern you. Because for each attribute, there¡¯s only ten items each. That¡¯s right! No more coasting by so comfortably as you did before. Every bid is a battlefield! Since this is so important, and I such a great host, I¡¯ll give you some time between each category. Half a minute for half a fold. Starting now~ First up, Control!¡± ¡°So this is why we had to keep the total low¡­¡± Donny spoke but his eyes were glued to the stage with quiet resolve. ¡°For the next round as well.¡± Kamala reminded. ¡°Stop wasting time.¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°How are we coordinating on this?¡± ¡°Make it known which ones you want, and sort out the order.¡± Donny suggested. ¡°Okay, who wants Control?¡± Shin raised his hand in answer, and Dante and Jean followed suit. ¡°Eh, sure you can handle it?¡± Ashley asked Jean. ¡°I¡¯ll try if it¡¯s possible¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go after you.¡± Dante offered. Shin smiled at Jean to mean the same. ¡°Begin!¡± Nem shouted and a silver ticket showed instantly following a low bid. Karla¡¯s grandfather took the stage opposite a known ranker and once again dominated. The second turn started to an immediate silver ticket by the Hua Abbess Wumei who won with significant effort against a worthy opponent. A staggering 20 million bid kicked off the third turn and a silver ticket brought Sereth to battle only to fall dead instantly, as if his existence up until this point had meant nothing. Jean watched them all patiently with jaded eyes, and on the fourth turn, he put up a relatively paltry sum of 7.3 million, and the stage called. The puppeteer inspected his opponent. A middle aged man with graying hair and a hardened face like stone, cold as the winter. Imposing, threatening even, but not a name. Jean allowed himself to enter the plane of wills and weathered the cold. The stone faced man fell dead and Jean returned to the booth, exhausted. ¡°Good job.¡± Dante complimented as he used a silver ticket to challenge the next turn before anyone else, and won effortlessly. Jean sent over his remaining tokens to Shin, 4.9 million bringing his total to a shade below 20 million. Shin watch the bidding patiently. He did nothing when Yuna took the frontrunning bid and won her challenge, nor the next. A woman bearing strong resemblance to his older sister Mai, though with black hair and scarlet eyes, took the stage. Their mother won as effortlessly as Yuna had, her elegant subdued expression unchanged. The eighth and the ninth matches of Control ended anticlimactically, the winners a flamboyant man named Amadeus playing to the crowd and the old spirit Yasunori, both in dominant fashion. Still, he did nothing. But on the 10th turn, he used his golden ticket, and brought one of the two champions of the Pandavas to the stage, Rama. The Pandavas were numerous and without a doubt employed the same tactics that the others clans did, extortion and consolidation. Though no clan, not even the Atreus, could match the Pandavas in numbers. A worthy target to amass tokens, though Shin would have preferred Chandra who likely held the higher figure. The heroic archer glared at Shin in frustration before surrendering from the fight. Shin returned with a trait named Great Control and 30 million tokens. To the party¡¯s slight surprise, he invoked Inari for only a moment. His Great Attribute didn¡¯t enhanced his invoked stats, but that was a minor issue. He thus maintained his list of three targets, and nothing would stand in his way. Chapter 73 ¡°The next round¡­ Perception!¡± Nem announced. ¡°30 seconds~¡± No one within the party raised their hands, not for several moments until Basem did so reluctantly. ¡°Easy order then. Go whenever you want.¡± Donny encouraged. ¡°Do you have a ticket?¡± Shin asked. ¡°...yeah¡­¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Recognizable figures appeared in victory one after the other. Lu Kang, the enigmatic madman Xerxes, Cairo, the blind swordsman of the Saba, Wumei, and Suyin. A boy not much older than Basem named Jima Taejo sparked a reaction in Mujin¡¯s expression, as did an old man bearing the same surname. Kanda Igarashi won the 8th and the party¡¯s eyes started to turn to Basem, who seemed to be struggling in his mind. But on the 9th, he used his lone silver ticket immediately and came face to face with a prideful fellow archer, one of legendary tier and murim name Bai Lu. Basem struggled and the Lu archer¡¯s prideful expression started to drop and tense. Like a wild beast, Basem thrashed for survival, his legs started to buckle but at the last, the other gave out first and Basem returned. ¡°Nicely done, younger.¡± Donny complimented as the last of the category came to a battle. Rama Pandava facing off against a known participant from the previous rounds, one that didn¡¯t make that much of an impact. ¡°You could run away again.¡± Miguel taunted the Pandavas archer. ¡°It¡¯s okay to doubt yourself. Maybe you¡¯re not enough.¡± Rage filled Rama¡¯s face as the battle began. Both of their expressions tensed in equal but opposite fierceness. Static burst in the air around them as both started to feel the weight of defeat. Closer and closer they sank to it, equally matched. But doubt crept into Rama¡¯s mind. Doubt turned to fear and fear turned to weakness, and Miguel prevailed. Donny glanced over to Kamala though by her indifference it didn¡¯t seem he needed to worry. ¡°Dexterity!¡± Karla, Mujin, and Ashley raised their hands. ¡°We can just go whenever, right?¡± Ashley mischievously asked Karla. ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°Is that fine, Mujee? You¡¯re not scared, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Mujin shifted away from Ashley, somewhat flustered underneath the outburst and determination. ¡°Kay, then~¡± ¡°Begin!¡± Ashley beat Karla to the punch, appearing on the stage before a boulder of a man who sneered at his lesser known opponent. The pale girl returned an ecstatic welcoming smile and the man was no more. She returned to the booth and Karla took her place, killing her own opponent in an instant. A string of intimidating figures took the stage one after the other. Leon Moore, Titon Saba, Lu Kang, Genjiro Igarashi. A herculean figure with long red hair followed, the fourth rank Attila Atreus, his performance just as dominant as those before but an air lingered around him of something greater. Mujin watched with hesitation, preservation waging war against his resolve. But the appearance of a Gunjin Taejo forced his doubts away, and he put in everything he had. An elder of the Narmer stood calm and unwavering. Mujin steeled himself and it was almost not enough. A long tense battle waged before the proclaimant of the Cheon name stood victorious. He returned with labored breath as the final winner Suyin Hua ended the section. ¡°Agility!¡± Karla, Ashley, and after a brief pause, Mujin showed their desire once again. A repeat of the previous round began with minor changes. The winners joining the two dangerous women being Leon, Attila, Suyin, Genjiro, Bando, Renzo, and Xerxes. Mujin fared no easier than before but he prevailed all the same. ¡°Big up.¡± Donny encouraged the exhausted spearman. ¡°Constitution!¡± Karla and Donny signalled their participation this time. ¡°Just go whenever.¡± The grand knight offered. Leon and Bando beat her to the punch, equally as willing to match with anyone, but she got her chance on the third, coming face to face with the champion of the Pandavas, the gallant crusader Chandra. ¡°I give.¡± Tension faded in an instant as the paladin yielded leisurely, only to return the next turn and dominant his battle. Following them were Eskender, his son Titon, and Shin¡¯s second eldest brother Yugo, all dominant in victory. Donny like Mujin, put all he had down and came face to face with a scion of the Pendragons, arrogant and grand. Donny pulled him down from an honorable duel to a lowborn dogfight and beat him to death. ¡°That was the crown prince.¡± Kamala informed. ¡°He fought like one.¡± The final two turns ended as they spoke, the winners two relatively unknowns. One man towering over six feet tall with dark skin, clean shaven with a bald fade, and a boisterous personality within the armor of a knight. The other a badly scarred man with black hair and heavy armor, who Shin had long forgotten. Both won without issue. ¡°Vitality!¡± Only Donny and Karla signalled again, both winning with greater ease this time. Joining them among the victors were Leon, Attila, Genjiro, Bando, Renzo, Ruin, Richard and another baring the Pendragon name called Darius, with golden eyes instead of the typically blue or gray, and as laidback and sleazy as he was dominant. ¡°Spirit!¡± Shin, Dante, and for the first time Kamala made their participation known. Sereth was the fastest yet again and once more claimed her prize without contest. Dante and Kamala each found their way through the sea of titans, though Shin simply waited. Zerah, Yasunori, Amadeus, a young red haired man from the Rhun, and Leon for the fifth time in a row. Yuna appeared 9th and won her battle and Shin finally acted, his opponent retiring for the final turn. ¡°Strength!¡± Donny and Karla teamed up once again. Though, the first to move hinted at the level of competition to come. Leon Moore took the stage, calm and casual, as though nothing could or has ever fazed him. ¡°Fucking protagonist¡­¡± Yen cursed as the Spellsword won his sixth straight Great Attribute. Karla won next with as much ease as ever and Donny seemed to be hitting a stride as he broke through a powerhouse from the Minamoto. Familiar names accompanied them as seemed to be the trend. Genjiro, Bando, Titon, Chandra, Yugo, and Richard. ¡°Force!¡± Yen took a breath, the anxiety having building steadily since the final round began. Kamala signalled and she followed suit, a messy cluster of nerves and resolve. Sereth moved first once again, and the priestess after, their dominant victories doing little to set her mind at ease. Yasunori, Rhun Prince, and Chandra made appearances once again, but new faces entered the fray. Raina, princess of the Rhun who Shin met in the second stage. Micah, ever foreboding. And a young man who looked to be around Shin¡¯s age, Nagi Kamo. Leon emerged in the 10th to claim his seventh attribute against an unwilling opponent. ¡°Willpower!¡± The last and final round of the Attributes. Only Shin motioned to enter, and everyone else sent him their remaining tokens. But as he had done with Spirit, he only waited. Sereth faced off against Zerah Saba, who reluctantly retired and returned the next turn as if to prove herself. Yasunori, Amadeus, his mother Kurenai Igarashi, Ruin, Micah. All winners passed by but still he waited. Nagi Kamo entered and won the 8th and finally Yuna claimed the 9th. Shin did not tense nor prepare himself. He simply challenged faster than anyone. Though with greatest bid of the auction so far at 157 million tokens, there were few who could even try. The two faced off against each other in silence, casual and unbending in their own ways. And the crowd held their breath. ¡°I guess I quit.¡± An utterly nonchalant sentence from Leon cut all the tension away and he vanished back to his booth. Grace, Suyin, and Thief Girl among his party, accompanied by new faces in Larper and Nagi. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Why did you do that? You would¡¯ve won.¡± Nagi¡¯s words were laced with disappointment, having known Leon for a short time but long enough to know what he could do. His words parroted by a less mature Ti in the background. ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Leon¡¯s tone was unbothered but that did not dampen the shock of his teammates. ¡°I didn¡¯t like either end.¡± In the silence of this booth, Shin returned to his own comrades, though none had time to speak. ¡°So anticlimactic¡­¡± Nem sighed. ¡°It was the perfect finale to end with a bang, too. What is Ate doing¡­? Well, no matter. Worthless as you are, you¡¯ve served your purpose. I guess I can grant you a small gift. There is no limit to the people invited to a booth. Enjoy~¡± Shin was immediately flooded with tens of thousands of notifications and dismissed them all without a glance. Everyone in the party seemed to have invites of their own, Kamala most of all, but no one responded to any. A single invite reclaimed Shin¡¯s attention, from none other than Sereth. He tilted his head in thought for a few moments, then dismissed, deciding to postpone their reunion. Elsewhere in another booth, Sereth smiled knowingly, for the mere few seconds Shin took to consider her. Jean, Mujin, and Basem looked in front of themselves for longer, with a consideration that seemed to surpass mere invitations. ¡°You guys get offers from gods?¡± Yen deduced. ¡°Seems so¡­¡± ¡°You only get one chance with each batch and there¡¯s a lot of trash, so make sure you pick a good one. Get a Greater Blessing, nothing less.¡± Each three considered Yen¡¯s words and made their decisions on their own time, Mujin the last, but all briefly paused and came back with a different air about them. ¡°So, who are they?¡± ¡°Serpent of False Mysteries.¡± Jean was the first to answer. Yen looked over to Kamala. ¡°I am unfamiliar.¡± ¡°Third Lotus Prince.¡± Mujin¡¯s tone was not one particularly happy, rather slightly annoyed about something. ¡°Oh, I know that one!¡± Yen exclaimed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Mujin refrained from answering so attention fell on the young hunter, who very much was reluctant to answer. ¡°Come on, out with it.¡± ¡°...the out¡­law, of¡­ serwood, forest¡­¡± He spoke uncomfortable, with building frustration. ¡°Sherwood?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°Yeah!¡± Basem seemed to want to end the conversation more than actually being certain of the accuracy. ¡°...leader of the merry men?¡± Jean supposed to the others. Kamala opened her mouth but no words came out. ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°How is he a god? That¡¯s not even mythology¡­¡± ¡°Folklore.¡± Kamala stipulated. ¡°As we have two within the party, it seems they are largely relevant as well.¡± "Just so we''re all on the same page, Lord of Slaughter, Master of the Great Land, Falcon of Two Horizons, Maiden of the Midsummer Lake, Mercenary Queen, King of Stories, complete fucking mystery." Donny spoke up as he pointed to himself, Shin, Yen, Kamala, Karla, Dante, and finally Ashley. "Reveal yours." Mujin demanded of the pine green haired girl. "No~" As they spoke another invite came for Shin, this one from Yuna. Shin dismissed it immediately, knowing full well it was at the behest of the clan, and sent her one instead. Yuna appeared in the center of the room in an elegant modest dress adorned with a few items and trinkets. She glanced across the room gracefully and naturally enough that it sparked no offense. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well.¡± She greeted Kamala. ¡°Likewise.¡± She turned to Shin. ¡°Have you found what you want?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be much longer.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Another invite appeared before him, this one from a certain Daphne Rhun. Shin thought for a moment and remembered the little blue haired girl from the first stage. Without warning, he moved from his booth to one filled with several hundred, most of similar complexion, arranged formation as though awaiting his arrival. He spotted Daphne a bit to the side at the front of the group and waved. A bit nervous and worried, her face brightened a little at Shin¡¯s slight smile and acknowledgment. A good thing, Shin thought. He hadn¡¯t really cared to answer the invitation but she might have been sad if he didn¡¯t. Just behind the girl, he noticed someone else from the past. A steely woman with light brown skin and short dark brown hair with orange eyes. ¡°Garrison leader.¡± ¡°Chavez.¡± ¡°I know.¡± There was no offense in her tone, simply stating her name for him bluntly, though it wouldn¡¯t have had an effect on him even it there had been. Raina, seated at the front as the center of importance, cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you for answering our invitation. I will avoid wasting your time. Will you consider joining the Rhun?¡± ¡°No.¡± A simple and immediate response. ¡°Such disrespect!¡± A fat middle aged man shouted at her side, the same from the town in the second stage and who Shin had taken his Greater Spirit trait from. ¡°Uncle.¡± Raina admonished. But the veins in his balding head bulged as he continued red in the face. ¡°Not even a shred of courtesy-!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Raina snapped and the aging man was forced to swallow the rest of his words. She gathered herself, unable to hide her agitation as she faced Shin. ¡°I apologize for my uncle¡¯s rudeness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Raina almost sighed with relief. ¡°...how about an alliance of sorts? We could help each other out in some capacity.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin guessed that was fine. ¡°Then, we are allies.¡± Her tone was one of rising excitement and celebration. ¡°Yeah. Bye.¡± Shin left as abruptly as he arrived. ¡°He certainly is interesting¡­¡± Grifflet, the prince of the Rhun who made his appearance in the Great Attribute bids, broke the silence, his mood relaxed. ¡°He is a lowborn wretch!¡± Meirchion roared. ¡°A fiend! Our noble house should not associate with the likes of such things!¡± ¡°He is the top ranked player, a friendly relation is to our benefit!¡± Raina shouted back fiery words as her temper flared. ¡°Uncle, you will listen to my commands until my parents are found.¡± ¡°...of course, princess.¡± The old man controlled himself without appearing weak suspiciously easily. A thorn in the back of her mind, and worse still aggravation that caused ripples within their house. Raina sent out another invitation to her mother and father, not knowing whether they were received or not, and hoped silently they would be found soon, before it was too late. For her house¡¯s and her sister¡¯s sake, she hoped at least one of them still lived. Back in the party¡¯s booth, a brief silence took hold as Shin disappeared, but that lasted no time at all. ¡°I am not sure if Shin has already mentioned it, so allow me to introduce myself. Yuna Igarashi. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± ¡°Talks about you a lot actually.¡± Donny said. A warm smile took Yuna¡¯s face. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Probably because you don¡¯t treat him like shit all the time.¡± Yen butted in with a somewhat hostile tone, not even attempting to put on her persona. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your family? Everyone keeps calling him a demon.¡± Yuna¡¯s expression mellowed. ¡°It¡¯s not literal.¡± ¡°Yeah, no shit, I¡¯m almost entirely sure he¡¯s just a normal psycho. But they act like dicks even when he¡¯s being nice.¡± ¡°Shin is hard to understand¡­ Most in the clan don¡¯t spend enough time with him to know better. But I see he¡¯s found people who will stay with him.¡± Yuna smiled. Yen was a bit taken back by the directness, slightly embarrassed even. ¡°Well, yeah, we¡¯re pretty great.¡± ¡°Basically saints.¡± Donny jabbed. ¡°Shin said not to fight you.¡± Karla spoke up, staring with a cheery smile. ¡°Are you strong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± ¡°Other two?¡± ¡°Shoko and Fuyumi, I presume?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Not especially.¡± The amazon seemed to lose interest. ¡°Who are they?¡± Yen asked. ¡°His nurses.¡± ¡°Was he actually sick?¡± ¡°Not conventionally.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought it was only you, but I guess he has three people other there he loves.¡± Yuna went silent for a brief moment, her expression unchanged. ¡°My brother doesn¡¯t love or hate anyone.¡± ¡°...huh?¡± Shin popped back into his chair unceremoniously. ¡°Sereth?¡± Yuna asked. ¡°Rhun.¡± ¡°...are you still interested in them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see¡­ It¡¯s about time I return. Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Yuna smiled and teleported away. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Shin¡¯s face made Yen change her mind about what she was going to say. ¡°...heard a little about your past. You spend a lot of time with your hot nurses?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Something about the casual way Shin answered annoyed Yen. ¡°It¡¯s been fun chatting and all, but we should start talking about the team.¡± Donny brought the topic to the forefront. ¡°This is the party, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright. Ten is a lot, so we should practice how to fight all together soon.¡± ¡°We need a name first.¡± Yen interrupted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t say that¡¯s the first priority.¡± ¡°Shut up. We finally have a real party, it¡¯s time for a real name.¡± ¡°Guessing you¡¯ve got a suggestion.¡± Yen smiled, eagerness and pride obvious in the seconds she waited for the build up. ¡°Chimera.¡± Silence greeted her. ¡°Fuck you!¡± She yelled, indignant and a bit embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, this party¡¯s a bunch of psychos and weirdos all mixed into one monster that¡¯s mostly evil. Chimera!¡± ¡°Yeah, I hear you. Any other ideas?¡± Donny asked the others. ¡°There¡¯s no other fucking ideas!¡± ¡°Monster~¡± ¡°Evil~¡± Karla and Ashley chimed in, one less sincerely than the other. ¡°Psychos and Weirdos¡­¡± Jean casually leaned his head away from the piece of armor Yen threw at him. ¡°Scouts don¡¯t get a fucking opinion!¡± Karla was being mostly genuine, Yen was confident in, and Ashley was mostly crazy, but Jean was purely fucking with her. ¡°Oi, this is an equal organization, Scout can say whatever he wants.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Yen was truly frustrated, enough to consider throwing fireballs. She was completely serious about the name. That it not only wasn¡¯t praised, but they were making fun of her just got under skin. ¡°Chariot.¡± Yen looked over to source of the single casual word, the party¡¯s frontman himself, who seemed to be casually scrolling through his status. The sound of the word lingered in her mind, and she sat with it. The more she considered, the more she liked it. ¡°That¡¯s pretty good¡­¡± ¡°All in favor.¡± Donny took the opportunity presented. Everyone raised their hands or voiced approval, Yen included. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re Chariot now. Introductions first then. I know we saw everybody¡¯s name already, but formalities and such.¡± Shin looked up at the mention of names. ¡°Shin.¡± [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Karla~¡± [Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Donny Knox.¡± [Human Grand Knight (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Ashley Gray~¡± [Human Reaper (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Dante Williams.¡± [Human Runic Charlatan (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Cheon Mujin!¡± [Human Sohei (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°Kamala¡­¡± [Human Pagan (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Jean-Jacques Dumas.¡± [Human Puppeteer (epic) - Greater Lord] ¡°...Basem.¡± [Human Hunter (epic) - Greater Lord] Yen postured grandly and more enthusiastically than anyone, deliberately waiting to be last. ¡°Yenny Phoenix.¡± [Human Pyromancer (epic) - Greater Lord] A chime flowed through the stage followed by Nem¡¯s voice. ¡°That¡¯s the end of the show~ Did you get stronger? Did you find good parties and guilds? Remember, you¡¯re all still worthless. Don¡¯t get conceited, you upstarts~ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore. But do still try to make it entertaining.¡± The theater rumbled as Nem¡¯s expression sharpened, like a monster who found a new toy. ¡°See you on the other side~¡± Space collapsed around them and the newly minted party of ten found themselves before a dungeon in the middle of a forest. The past day had been rife with danger and thrills but none among them showed any wear or a desire to stop. ¡°So what¡¯s our next move?¡± Yen looked to Shin. ¡°You need more souls right?¡± ¡°Later.¡± Shin glanced around with prismatic eyes. ¡°We need items.¡± Chapter 74 ¡°Kill them!¡± A brutish player roared as Karla shattered his head with a single kick, blitzing past the dozen others between them. Not a second of time was given to the underlings as a similar fate of death was handed out to all. Arrows from Basem found their mark dead center with ease. Mujin shifted fiercely through the enemies to impale each with a single deft strike. Throwing knives from Dante that curved impossibly through the chaos to hit the right targets. Laughter came from empty air as nameless players had their throats slit one by one. Behind the fighting, Shin hopped between each body to loot, unconcerned with the carnage taking place. Half of the party wasn¡¯t participating either. Even if they wanted to, their was little opportunity to get involved, the difference in ability between them and their latest targets simply too great. Shin glanced through several bags and tossed them aside. They had next to no need for rare tier items and that was the extent that any of the fallen had. Such had been the prevalent case these past seven days of raiding. Shin knelt next to another dead body, his stats available for all to see, and it breathed fire at him. An intense stream of flames crashed against Shin long enough to turn any person to ash. The flames surged and drained away as if consumed. The man jumped to his feet alert but had time only for his face to start to fall in shock as Shin¡¯s arm flickered to take his head. He calmly pulled the spatial bag form his belt as the man now truly dead fell to the floor, glancing through it before throwing it too at the floor of the body. [Mana Absorption has reached lvl. 3] Training outside of the stages was truly slow, Shin felt as he checked his status. [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365) Control - 150 [225] (292) Willpower - 100 [150] (195) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 3, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 2, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 1, Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 5, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3, Yin lvl. 2, Yang lvl. 2, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Survival State, Regeneration, Hawkeye, Blindsight, Summoner, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, A shade under 2750 but he needed that space for the third stage, the party having come to a shared deduction that a Great Attribute would be rewarded at the end, hence why their patrons had told them to keep their totals as low as possible even after the festival. Looking at his status, the biggest change, besides the seven new traits and skill, were of course his stats. Force was next to irrelevant unless he was invoking and Control and Willpower had a noticeable but moderate improvement. The most important was his Spirit, now close to 1400 more factoring in his blessing. He wasn¡¯t the only with impressive numbers. Ashley had a similar Agility to his Spirit. He was still faster while invoking Inari but that was largely because of his legendary tier greater swiftness item. Once she upgraded the skills he suspected her to have, she¡¯d be the fastest in the party, but for now that title laid with Karla. Yen boasted a peak of 1560 Force and beyond even that, Kamala held a staggering 1755 Spirit. With their enhanced builds and greater blessings, non apostles had become irrelevant against them, let alone non rankers. Even as the standard for ¡®goons¡¯ as Yen called them raised to Monarch rank with greater stats. Donny slammed the lone remaining player into the wall and circled near, his shield side facing towards the man who seemed to be the leader, fat, olive skinned with a thick beard. ¡°Look, we don¡¯t have to kill you, so don¡¯t give us a reason. Just open the safe, yeah?¡± The man said nothing, which was something of a problem as the party had encountered something they hadn¡¯t before, a legendary tier safe. Too small for anyone to blink into, too durable for anyone to break, at least in short time, and too high tier for Jean to unlock. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this anyway?¡± The man remained silent but for a brief moment, he glanced in Jean¡¯s direction. Donny stared at him for a minute, then glanced between him and Jean. ¡°Oi, why¡¯re you looking at Scout? Something about him interest you?¡± Silence returned yet again, and then a yell of pain as Donny chopped off the leader¡¯s arm. The man clutched his bleeding severed forearm with suppressed groans. ¡°I ain¡¯t asking again.¡± ¡°...the puppeteer killed Viktor.¡± ¡°Oh, Viktor.¡± Donny knocked out half the man¡¯s teeth with the edge of his shield, dropping him to the floor. ¡°I need a little more information than that, mate.¡± ¡°My opponent for Great Control.¡± Jean informed. ¡°Your old boss?¡± Donny knelt down as he questioned. ¡°He was the big man around here, then?¡± Groans and labored breath turned to slight laughter, and a defiantly accepting smile. ¡°You will kill me anyway. So I give you nothing.¡± Ashley appeared before him without warning, her invisibility dispersing to reveal a hooded cloak over her rogue¡¯s attire, and captured the man¡¯s gaze, his proud expression slumping into a trance, lost in her swirling polychrome eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s Viktor?¡± ¡°...the boss of Behemoth¡­¡± ¡°This is Behemoth?¡± ¡°A branch¡­¡± ¡°Then where¡¯s the main one?¡± The man pointed right, towards the orange hue of dusk. ¡°Ask him where he got the safe.¡± Donny told Ashley. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Viktor¡­¡± The man answered directly, and Ashley just smiled at Donny. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± Donny asked, now knowing he¡¯d be answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Open it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t¡­ Only Viktor can¡­¡± Donny glanced at the safe. ¡°How many in the main base?¡± ¡°Hundreds¡­¡± ¡°Any apostles?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Thanks~¡± The reaper put a dagger through the man¡¯s skull. ¡°I had a few more questions.¡± Donny directed at Ashley, though he was hardly too bothered. ¡°My bad~¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Donny turned to the others. ¡°Everyone agree to head over?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°Maybe we can actually get something useful this time.¡± Yen said. ¡°We could have got whatever we wanted.¡± Basem glared at Shin, who was utterly unoffended. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. Would¡¯ve shown our hand too early and had a harder time in the later rounds.¡± Donny explained to the kid. That wasn¡¯t Shin¡¯s reason, he knew, but the end result was the same. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then.¡± ¡°What about the safe?¡± Yen asked. ¡°We can¡¯t open it so it don¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t trust it anyway.¡± Donny smashed a hole in the wall of the building and started in the direction pointed out to them. The rest of Chariot followed after, with Shin pausing to glance at the safe before continuing on. --- Chariot stood in the early hours of the morning overlooking the main base of Behemoth from a cliff in the distance. Large stone walls, taller than the wooden ones they were used to, encircled a wide medley of buildings and people. A glance revealed several thousand people at least, two or three villages¡¯ worth, but rather than a place of commerce and residence it appeared more like the headquarters of a criminal organization, a mess of security and idle hands with little to do. ¡°Another city¡­¡± Mujin gazed out upon the settlement. ¡°No, it¡¯s a small medieval town at best¡­¡± ¡°It has great walls and lots of people. This is clearly a city, you fool.¡± Yen was speechless, half out of annoyance, half trying the process the nonsense she just heard. ¡°Donkey.¡± Basem cursed him lightly without a shred of respect. ¡°Huh?!¡± A spear appeared in Mujin¡¯s hand and Basem nocked an arrow without hesitation. ¡°Knock it off!¡± Yen snapped at the two aggressive fools, before looking back at the others with half a sigh. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? Looks like just enemies down there, so I could just blow some stuff up. Everyone storms in and sweeps them in the chaos.¡± ¡°That is reckless.¡± Kamala objected. ¡°It¡¯s realistic.¡± Yen stressed. ¡°How many people are even a threat to us at this point?¡± ¡°Many.¡± ¡°Have to agree. Let¡¯s be smart about this, yeah?¡± Donny brought everyone¡¯s attention to him with ease, having the bearing of someone with something to say. ¡°Let¡¯s scout out the place first, see what we¡¯re dealing with. We¡¯re all famous so we can¡¯t just walk in. You got invisibility?¡± He asked Dante. ¡°Illusions and disguises.¡± ¡°Even better. Shin knows how to do this, so put a disguise on him-¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin¡¯s tone was as casual as always but something about it seemed adamant. ¡°...alright, then Dante, Jean and Ashley-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel like it~¡± ¡°Monk and Scout then, fucksake. You two sneak around, find out what we¡¯re dealing with. Any problems we take them out first then run off the rest.¡± ¡°Boring.¡± Dante objected, his expression reflecting his words. ¡°Got something in mind?¡± Dante smiled. --- Jean and Dante walked through the streets of the enemy base, plain as day, Jean¡¯s passively sullen face contrasting Dante¡¯s wide smile. The puppeteer subtly glanced around at the people they passed by. Some didn¡¯t seem to recognize or care, but most did, doing a poor job of watching the two discreetly with guarded eyes or slinking away. ¡°Look. Every place has a character. Doesn¡¯t take long to feel it.¡± Jean glanced at the charlatan. His proposal had been to just walk around undisguised and see how the Behemoth reacts, to get a sense for how they operate and just how capable they are. A crude plan to say the least but one that had some reason behind it. Though if Jean had any complaints he cared enough to voice, it would be that they were moving targets just waiting to be attacked. ¡°Why you look so down? This is what life is all about.¡± ¡°Being bait?¡± ¡°Truth.¡± Dante opened his arms, speaking with upbeat conviction. ¡°Living in the moment. It¡¯s only times like this that reveal exactly who you are.¡± Jean glanced at him. [Human Scout (rare) - Greater Lord] A thoroughly enigmatic person. That was about all Jean could surmise of Dante from the week spent in Chariot. The remainder was that he had some screws loose underneath the bouts of strange intelligence. Although ¡®crazy¡¯ applied to just about everyone else in the party. ¡°Living in the moment¡­¡± Jean mused. He could say with some certainty that he had never done such a thing in his entire life. He glanced to the left at growing rustles of suspicion activity. ¡°They¡¯ll try something soo-¡± A swordsman¡¯s lunge impaled Jean through the chest, driving him back at the speed of the wind. A cruel smile spread across the attacker¡¯s face that quickly faded to shock as a wooden featureless face took the place of his victim¡¯s. Two pairs of arms snapped around the man locking him against the puppet tight enough that he could barely breathe. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move.¡± Jean told the struggling man as a squared mouth opened up in the puppet¡¯s face, revealing a bolt dripping with poison. Up on a rooftop above the commotion, an invisible woman turned to flee at the sight of the attacker¡¯s failure, and three kunai struck her limbs, a paralyzing force instantly affecting her body as she slumped down in a spasm. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t ever underestimate a scout. They lead dangerous lives.¡± Dante stepped towards the poisoned woman and knelt down with a deep glint in his eyes. ¡°So¡­ why does this town feel like demons?¡± The woman started to open her mouth, but stopped just as quickly. Her eyes went wide, rolling to the back of her head, and she self destructed, the entire building of wood and stone blasted to pieces. The man trapped by Jean fell into a panicked frenzy at the sight, struggling against his constraints. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything! I won¡¯t-¡± Light flashed from his body and a powerful explosion followed. Among the smoke and debris, Jean stood out behind a puppet with shield hands, unharmed. Dante dropped down next to him. ¡°Yours too?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jean glanced at the burnt hole in the stone street and dirt below, not a trace of his puppet remaining, and then at the damaged hands of the shield puppet he recently repaired, slightly annoyed. Yells from the wall erupted, followed by a calamitous explosion turning the gate and its guards into nothing but ash and rubble. In moments, the rest of Chariot reunited with the two. ¡°Learn anything?¡± ¡°They explode.¡± ¡°Someone here has demonic magic.¡± Dante added. ¡°Good, more of those.¡± Donny quipped. ¡°Jean up front with me, Dante and Baz watch our backs, let¡¯s go kill these people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Basem, you dog.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Donny sped off and the party followed as directed. Players and groups sprang up from the town all around them as they moved and were cut down just as fast. Spells shattered and dispelled. Arrows dodged or blocked away. Shin decapitated a man the moment he burst through the wall near him. Basem sunk an arrow right between the eyes of an invisible archer. Chariot cut a path of carnage and entered the town square before the giant manor, immediately beset by a horde of players at either side. Karla blitzes off left and Ashley looked left, slipping away invisible with a short giggle. ¡°Oi!¡± Donny yelled but his attention was demanded at the third horde rushing at them from the front, this one of players with maddened faces and black veins. ¡°Shin left, Dante right. Mujin up with me, Jean watch the casters¡¯ backs.¡± Yen floated up, a firebolt of immense heat concentrating in the palm of her hand. It shot out, sundering the wind faster than most could react, a massive explosion of flames decimated the demonic horde. The wave of aftershock powerful enough to knock her back a step, rubble rattling against her Greater Armament. Donny blocked his share by shield and Mujin twirled his spear rapidly. The little that came through were blocked by thick wings hard as armor and shaped like steel feathered kite shields and Jean¡¯s giant hand puppet. A demonic human burst out of the ground beneath them, reaching straight for Yen, and was locked in air. Basem put two arrows in its head and a dagger from the shadows reach for him, severed by a puppet with blades for arms. Donny darted in front of Kamala, and a large metal ball crashed against his shield, force ripping the out the stone tiles beneath him. ¡°Kill the giant!¡± Donny yelled at Mujin as a massive demonic human in the back of the surviving horde raised another ball. Mujin sprinted forward, cutting down several demonic humans in his path before a dozen sharp roots shot out of the ground and speared through the ones in his way. With blocking his path, he flashed forward like lightning, aura surging over his spear as he thrust it clean through the armored giant¡¯s skull. The player staggered and shrunk down to normal size in an instant as he slumped to the ground. Mujin took a measured glance around before dashing back to the party along with the others leaving behind a mass of corpses in their direction. ¡°Stick with the same teams. Get the boss before he decides to run.¡± Donny wasted no time rushing towards the manor at the vanguard and none had any hesitation in following after. --- Amir watched the illusory projection with a sour look. The town in ruins, hundreds of his best soldiers dead, and the attackers charging into his estate this very second, ripping through the guards and golems like paper. A mere party of ten, not even so much as wounded, though he could only expect as much given the faces among them he recognized. A beautiful woman with rose red hair in an elegant silk dress wrapped her arms around him from the side. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. You can¡¯t lose.¡± Amir¡¯s face steeled. With Viktor¡¯s death, it was by her help that he managed to take control of Behemoth above all other rivals. Rivals that now served him one way or the other. He rose out of her soft embrace, black scythe appearing in his hand as he walked to the stairs, two dozen oni following behind. Chapter 75 Karla smashed the last of the golems to pieces with a single kick, stomping a red crystal among the rubble so it wouldn¡¯t reform. She glanced over to the party with a questioning look as they stopped in place with Donny at the helm. ¡°Open space is good. Blow the house up if they don¡¯t show in a few seconds.¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± The house destroyer in question asked Shin. ¡°Can¡¯t tell.¡± A veil of foul energy coated the manor, preventing even his prismatic eyes from seeing through. ¡°Wha-?¡± A horned red skinned demon blurred right behind Karla. She spun underneath its giant cleaver into a backhand to its wide open side. Blood spurted from its fanged mouth from the rupturing force of Ravage, but immediately he grasped her arm with a clawed hand. Karla lunged forward, deflecting a second swing before it could reach its full extension and carved in its skull with a vicious headbutt. A kick to the knee broke its leg and a stomp reduced the oni to ash and fleeting smoke. A second oni¡¯s spiked club stopped on Donny¡¯s Greater Bastion as a hold locked it in place for him to cleave through its neck. Three others blurred next to Kamala with particular aggression and were skewered in tandem by giant roots, blooming thorns piercing them all to ash. Basem nocked two arrows and fired, the two arrows swerving around Donny as he bashed a demon away, one scraping his pauldrons, the other nicking his ear as they curved into the heads of two lunging oni. Chameleon blended the hunter¡¯s body with his surroundings as his presence vanished, and he jumped away. Jean summoned a new puppet, one with a wide body and large barrel for a mouth, which shot a buckshot of needles from above at the same time Yen cast a barrage of dense balls of mana, denting the bones of some demons and blasting away most of the needles, which peppered Donny and Karla at the frontlines. Mujin blitzed through the chaos towards a lone oni and thrust at the demon¡¯s head, only for it to dodge. He shifted around the blade and struck again, this time with a flicker. The oni sneered as he let the spear pass through his torso to send Mujin crashing through the estate walls with a mighty swing of its arm, the sparks of static electricity left on his arm a mere annoyance. Mujin burst back, draconic scales covering part of his body. His spear spun rapidly in his hand like a drill and he raised the other, a wave of watery lightning surging over the demon and passed in Donny¡¯s direction. Shin flickered to his side, and blinked them both out of range. Shin off to demon and Donny to another, suppressing anything he had to say. Mujin¡¯s target barely twitched from the attack and swung its fist at the charging spearman. But Mujin was faster and Greater Impale reinforced with the piercing power of the rotation bore through half its chest and face. Another oni blurred beside him, catching him off guard. His eyes followed and his body snapped around, but before he could respond, something decapitated the demon. Three more followed in its wake until a black scythe cut through empty space, undoing Ashley¡¯s invisibility. ¡°Too bad~¡± She turned around completely unharmed as blood splattered from a deep gash in Amir¡¯s throat, one that quickly healed. Amir¡¯s arm flickered, catching an arrow with his bare hand. He gripped his scythe and slashed a massive blade of wind that carved through the wall Basem stood on, almost too fast for him to react and blink away from. Two more slashes hurled at the young hunter as he fled across the walls, before Dante appeared behind. Amir slashed in an instant but hit nothing as Dante blinked away as suddenly as appeared. The slayer¡¯s eyes darted around before jolting up just in time to avoid a thundering crash as a giant cannonball crater the ground like a comet from above, far heavier than it seemed. He glanced up at Dante standing in midair but Mujin, Karla, and Shin forced his attention. A massive infernal fireball appeared in the sky, channelled by the red haired mage and Amir teleported away as it shot towards them. Yen focused her mind, but dispel vanished in failure. A giant mystic shield spread over the party just in time as it crashed down, the sheer power starting to crack the shield immediately. Shin took on his masked kitsune form and Overshadow grew his power threefold, casting golden holy fire at the infernal flames. The dark fireball was more potent, but the holy fire snuffed out enough of it for Kamala¡¯s mystic shield to bare the damage. The mage channelled another attack, and an arrow sunk into her head. Amir watched in stoic disbelief as his lover fell lifelessly, shock which quickly turned to rage. A roar of pure hatred thundered the estate, infernal energy surged over his body, and he flickered next to Basem. Basem startled back at the speed. Mana shattered around him as his blink failed and the black scythe flashed. A sharp clang sounded as the pole of the scythe struck the metal bracers Shin donned, the walls shattered beneath them from the impact. Shin grabbed the handle and flipped it around, so the blade no longer faced himself and Basem. A Quake clad foot struck Amir¡¯s chest before he could react, sending him crashing along the ground. His body hit a bump and skipped up into a rupturing kick from Karla right on his face, sending him crashing another direction. His scythe slipped from his hand as he soared, finding the hands of a smiling reaper who took his head. As Amir¡¯s head fell to the ground, slowly it seemed, his last hazy thoughts were of his lover. And as they were, her name failed to come to mind. Confusion took hold but then the darkness came, and he had no more time to think. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Everyone good?¡± Donny asked as the party rejoined in the center, save for Ashley who remained where she was twirling the scythe in her hands with an innocent smile, quite enamored with the weapon. He pulled out a needle from his neck, letting regeneration heal him and glanced around. No major injuries, Mujin a little worse for wear but Kamala was healing him in no time. But that wasn¡¯t his concern at the moment. ¡°We suck right now.¡± ¡°I did my part~¡± Ashley argued as she played with her new toy. ¡°The enemy is dead, we¡¯re not. Stop whining.¡± Basem snapped. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mujin voiced, though he seemed more to be in opposition with Donny¡¯s assessment than agreement with Basem. ¡°Oi, listen yeah.¡± Donny¡¯s words took a sharper tone. ¡°These man only got done in so easy because they¡¯re weak, and you lot are out here acting like big fish.¡± ¡°I am no fish!¡± Mujin strangely taking offense to that part specifically. ¡°Booooo, gangster innit, bruv.¡± Yen heckled for no particular reason. ¡°Alright¡­ We¡¯re the type that needs to feel.¡± Donny rubbed his head briefly as he walked towards the leader¡¯s body, and pointed at Yen as he passed. ¡°Setting a bad example for the younger. Fucking irresponsible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already the 8th day. We should rest up and prepare for the third stage.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen agreed wholeheartedly. ¡°It¡¯s definitely going to be the most bullshit so far.¡± Shin glanced off to the distance silently, as the party decided their course of action, thinking he should probably check on Flutter. --- Flutter sat on her flower throne, more than thoroughly uncontent. It had been nine wretched days since the evil human made her big and she felt nothing but disdain every minute of it. She had filled her tree trunk palace room with all the pleasant and little things she could find but it had given her no happiness. Rather it only served to remind her of her bigness. Her own room mocked her. The sidhe queen took a large swing of her cup of honeydew and scoured at her pixie maids playing in the distance, blessed with the righteous gift of small. Her face flushed slightly beneath her frown, watching the little idiots frolic around without a care in the world, no idea what it¡¯s like to be big. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be better?!¡± She snapped at them. The pixies stared over and at each other with innocent confused faces, and their bodies burst with light, shattering to reveal new forms. [Fairy Handmaiden (uncommon) - Greater Lord] The three fairies took to the air in celebration, letting out cheers and giggles of joy as Flutter looked on in frayed disbelief. ¡°Tulip!¡± ¡°Lavender.¡± ¡°Daisy~¡± The fairies greeted her in turn, an energetic orange short haired one, a long purple haired one, and a curly blonde one. Disdain welled inside Flutter at the sight of her idiots enjoying what was taken from her. What¡¯s worse, they all had nice names, nicer than hers even. ¡°You are now Pumpkin, Mash, and Beans.¡± She ordered for no other reason than spite. They looked at each other. ¡°Beans!¡± The orange haired one exclaimed, pulling the other two into a dance. ¡°Mash.¡± ¡°Pumpkin~¡± Flutter watched the pleasant fairies circling in the air, hand in hand, on the verge of losing her mind. Not only did the little idiots get the order she named them wrong, but they were actually happy with those ugly names. What little kindness remained in her started to die, as she considered ¡®releasing¡¯ them and getting new servants. But after that brief thought, she merely slumped back into her throne with a scowl. There was no point. Every fairy besides her were all idiots, the new servants would just be the same. Flutter downed the rest of her honeydew and her annoyed expression became a bit sloppier, her thoughts turning to the evil master of hers. She had made sure to keep track of the days this time, so that creepy human wouldn¡¯t sneak up on her again. Nine her minions assured her. That was at least half what it took the last time he left, she was sure of it. ¡°Honeydew!¡± She demanded with slightly slurred words. The handmaidens stopped their circle dance and rushed off to fill her cup which she downed in large gulps all at once. Her body started to sway with tiny hiccup. ¡°Shtupid big human¡­ I hope he-¡± She cut herself off with a gasp and looked around, the eerie human in question nowhere to be seen. She managed to trick him when he sneakily snuck up on her before but that might not work again. She reminded herself not to let down her guard again. That¡¯s what smart people do, and she was smart, the dungeon master thought to herself as she drank yet another cup. ¡°Ugh¡­ it¡¯s even worse now¡­¡± Flutter looked across to the wicked words of the she-witch glancing around her palace. Even more big people than before followed her, including her eerie eyed master. She burst off towards him unleashing a hail of pitter patter fists upon him. ¡°Shtupid mashter, change me back!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± Flutter fell still, tears welling up in her eyes and she broke into a crying fit. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be big anymore¡­ I wanna be small again!¡± She wailed, more annoying that sympathetic to any normal observer. ¡°I¡¯ll find a monster that can shapeshift. You can look how you want.¡± ¡°...really?¡± Flutter sniffled. ¡°Yeah.¡± Emotion welled in her face again and she slammed face first into a hug as she cried again, this time in relief. ¡°Sank yooouu¡­ I¡¯m shorry for calling you names. You¡¯re a good mashter even if you¡¯re big. And you¡¯re not that creepy or scary. Better than ugly gnolls and lizardmen¡­¡± Flutter wailed, tacting on more insult than compliment as she blew her nose on his clothes. ¡°No, seriously, get a new dungeon boss¡­¡± Yen said. ¡°Shutup, dumb ugly!¡± Flutter snapped back. ¡°Fixsh more trapsh, shtupid shervant!¡± Yen¡¯s passive disapproval turned to direct contempt. ¡°Fix them yourself, you useless idiot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not shtupid, I¡¯m shmart!¡± Flutter countered. ¡°I don¡¯t need you! I¡¯ll make better trapsh! Nashty trapsh that kill ugly gnolls and she-witches!¡± A notification appeared in front of Yen far more important than her annoyance with the idiot dungeon master. [Blood Island] ¡®Enter the third and final trial (optional).¡¯ ¡®Accept / Decline¡¯ ¡®23:59¡¯ Yen let out a casual groan, her annoyance turned to wary disdain. She had prepared herself for what hardships she imagined the tutorial would throw at them next, but if it was outright optional, that meant it would be even worse than she expected. The name certainly didn¡¯t help. ¡°Is the countdown when it starts or the limit we got to enter?¡± Donny asked. ¡°The former, most likely.¡± Kamala reasoned. ¡°Each break has been ten days exactly so far.¡± ¡°That could just be a trap.¡± Yen held absolutely no trust in the system or tower¡¯s benevolence. A talisman flashed in Shin¡¯s hand, shimmering his clothes clean, and he chose accept without hesitation. ¡°When it starts.¡± He informed the others. ¡°Even canaries have to be dragged into the mines, you know¡­¡± Yen lightly criticized as she too accepted. The rest of the party all accepted in quick succession to no event. Yen glanced around. ¡°Alright, guess we have another day to prepare for deadly death island...¡± Chapter 76 Chariot stood outside their dungeon awaiting the third trial as the final seconds of the countdown reached the end. A cool salty breeze replaced the mellow air of the forest, brushing against Shin¡¯s face under a sweltering sun, soft white sand giving way slightly beneath his feet. Before him an ocean stretched out to the horizon and behind lay a thick tropical jungle. ¡°I don¡¯t see what makes it a ¡®blood¡¯ island¡­¡± Yen scanned around. ¡°They took our food.¡± Jean commented bluntly. Shin checked his bag along with the others. Any and all sustenance he held inside was gone, replaced with two flat loaves of manna and a single water pouch. ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Mujin said dismissively. ¡°For you physical types.¡± Yen shot back. ¡°Some of us don¡¯t have enough vitality to last the whole month.¡± ¡°Food and water¡¯s the priority right now, then. Best find other parties before they use up theirs.¡± Donny scanned either direction of the coast. Shin used a hand sign and three talismans burst into floating eyes, hovering up and away in the three directions with the sea at his back, closing one eye. Miles and miles the island stretched, the dense jungle and sandy beach both, as far as he eyes could see. Prismatic swirls replaced his pitch black iris and the souls within range revealed themselves to him. His floating eyes all ripped to shreds at no discernible cause and he opened his eye. ¡°Big.¡± He reported. ¡°More than the old continents combined, maybe. Players and monsters close. Don¡¯t fly too high.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Orcs, probably.¡± That was what they most looked like to Shin. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± A red blur burst out of the jungle. Karla leant back from a mauling clawed hand vicious enough to rip through armor, the monster a feral orc with blood red skin. Rupture pulsed through her foot that rested on the orc¡¯s torso and ravaged its internals, blood gushed from its mouth. The orc staggered and its other hand speared through the afterimage of her face. A jumping knee tilted its head up just slightly as the chaotic aura exploded the inside of its head. Karla stepped on its shoulder and kicked a second lunging red orc, sending it crashing back into more of its kind, the whole of its face caved in. [Blood Orc (epic) - Lesser Monarch] Strength - 1299 Agility - 908 Constitution - 1043 Vitality - 1561 Dexterity - 1052 Perception - 856 Force - 512 Spirit - 575 Control - 511 Willpower - 609 Skills: Maim, Charge, Superior Unarmed Combat, Greater Flex, Traits: Cannibal (epic), Feral Mind (epic), Regeneration (epic), Nightvision (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Shin inspected the status of the first fallen orc with a glance, the raw stats of the lesser monarch foe not far behind that of the prismatic dragon. He glanced over at the dozens of unidentifiable red skinned orcs charging from the forest as one of them slammed both fists on the ground, causing an explosion of sand. Shin balanced on the blood orc by one arm, the swift wind of greater haste swirling around his body. Jagged ripples pulsed into the orc¡¯s head shattering it from the inside. He gave it a quick identify and flickered away. Wisping green mana coated his hands and struck a second orc four times before it could even react, its body falling limp with the destruction of its soul. Too costly, Shin thought, Quake and Lambast both. An estoc appeared in his hand and he put it right through the eye of bloodlusted orc. It faltered for a moment but sharpness returned to its healed gaze and lunged again. Shin stepped to the side and thrust twice, piercing both eyes this time. The orc stumbled, but this time slumping over, death claiming the creature before its brain could regenerate. A powerful explosion stole Shin¡¯s attention for a moment, Yen¡¯s firebolt destroying a cluster of blood orcs. Blood streaked the sky as Ashley darted around with neither rhyme nor reason, claiming life and limb at random. Long throwing knives curved around the hooded reaper, sinking into the thick skulls of the orcs she left behind. Mujin burst forward with her, his honed spear piercing the hearts and throats of his enemies. Enemies that paused for only a moment and continued their assault before their wounds had even healed. Mujin darted back from the two monstrous orcs, spear pulled back at the ready, and an arrow each sunk through one of their eyes and out the back of their skulls, dropping them dead. Jean struggled against the attack of a lone blood orc, too fast and too tough for his puppet to handle. The blood orc bashed his improved sword puppet away and Donny crashed shield first into it. The blood orc skipped across the sand, springing to its feet just in time to see the grand knight cleave through its neck. A large blood orc a head taller the rest wearing a skull helm pulled up two corpses of its kind as it emerged from the jungle and devoured their flesh and blood. The skull helmed orc¡¯s veins bulged and its muscles strained against its skin as it let out a booming roar. Karla lunged through the air covered in blood with a bright smile and piercing eyes. A vicious right hand cracked the bones in its jaw. A kick to the knee broke its leg at the joint and a headbutt shattered its skull helm to pieces. The amazon stood over her powerful opponent with an expression of joy as she pummeled it to death. Shin pulled an estoc from his latest kill and glanced over the finished battlefield, but only for an instant before turning back to the jungle. ¡°Wolf.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Basem snapped back, an arrow already drawn. An orc deeper in the jungle sped away on the back of a saber toothed black wolf the moment the chief fell. Basem loosed his arrow, curving through brush and branch, tremendous piercing power emanating in silence. And the wolf rider deflected it with a rapid burst of speed to the hunter¡¯s shock. He nocked another but it was too late, the rider disappearing past the thick of the jungle. A spiteful noise left Basem¡¯s lips. Shin hopped around the beach to harvest the souls of the blood orcs, including the now identifiable variant. [Blood Orc Tribe Chief (epic) - Lesser Monarch] Strength - 1948 Agility - 1362 Constitution - 1564 Vitality - 2341 Dexterity - 1578 Perception - 1284 This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Force - 768 Spirit - 862 Control - 766 Willpower - 913 Skills: Greater Maim, Charge, Superior Unarmed Combat, Greater Flex, Traits: Iron Body (epic), Iron Mind (epic), Iron Soul (epic), Cannibal (epic), Feral Mind (epic), Regeneration (epic), Nightvision (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), The epic tier elite boasted incredible base stats but Shin more focused on three abilities that stood out to him. The Iron traits increased the durability of their aspects threefold. He thought back to the high orc arena champion of the festival games. He had transmitted the impact of his Quake but even still, that boss¡¯ skull had felt more durable than normal despite there being no trace of a skill. The other two new traits were of some note but nothing he needed to mind too strongly. Feral Mind gave the blood orcs resistance against hypnotism and mental control at the cost of reduced intelligence and heightened aggression, and Cannibal increased their stats half a fold if they ate enough of their own kind. Donny drew a flask from his bag, they same they used for their questing in the second stage, and absorbed blood from the fallen orcs. But rather than store it, he took large gulps. ¡°Disgusting¡­¡± Yen¡¯s expression matched her words. ¡°Yeah.¡± Donny drained the flask and rinsed his mouth with water from his pouch, spitting it out. Yen glanced around at the bodies. ¡°Monarchs after all¡­ And we can¡¯t rank up this time. Is this going to be a problem?¡± ¡°Depends how often this happens.¡± Yen didn¡¯t miss the implication of the threat before them, but something more pressing was on her mind. ¡°Still, something on this island improves traits and I doubt we¡¯ll find it here. We need to go into the jungle asap.¡± ¡°Monarchs are risky.¡± Jean voiced. ¡°We won¡¯t know what¡¯s lesser or greater or normal or elite until it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Yen worried about that too. ¡°Anyway¡­ let¡¯s get more supplies fast before the other rankers get ahead of us.¡± ¡°More.¡± Shin interrupted them and lunging red blurs soon followed. --- ¡°You¡¯re killing us!¡± The thin middle aged man leading the party Chariot surrounded yelled, desperation and bitterness in his eyes held back only by fear. ¡°We don¡¯t really have the capacity to worry about other people right now, mate.¡± Donny faced them with a casual tone and demeanor though the look in his eye was cold. Yen, Kamala and Jean search through the spatial bags and took out whatever they needed as the rest stood watch over their latest victims. The island was truly massive, perhaps even larger than Shin initially guessed as this was only the third party they came across in a few hours of travelling. Although they had lost some time from the five additional attacks from blood orc tribes since the second. They had learned from their small sample that they would be found and attacked quickly if they remained by the corpses of blood orcs for too long, otherwise they seemed to appear at a rate of roughly once every half hour. Though it was too soon to be sure. What they had made certain of was to eliminate all the Blood Orc Riders that accompanied each and every tribe, though what exactly their role was remained a mystery. The bag checkers tossed them back to the other party and Donny signalled them to head back the way Chariot came. Hesitation lasted only a brief moment before they held their tongues and did as told, knowing full well Chariot could kill them all if they wanted. ¡°That should be enough now.¡± Yen said after the party disappeared in the distance. They had taken more than the minimum they needed in preparation for the trouble that may lie ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go in now.¡± ¡°Could use a rest first.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just lose more mana fighting the waves out here than we save up.¡± Yen countered. ¡°Besides-¡± ¡°More.¡± Shin warned. The party fell into formation immediately, well conditioned now. ¡°Lots.¡± A dozen blood orcs burst through the jungle and Chariot moved, killing half instantly and the rest in a second attack. But more and more orcs poured out of the jungle, breaking branch and root in a murderous frenzy. Shin took a feathered form and let out a concussive sonic scream, blasting the orcs back where they came. Mana surged from Kamala and the jungle surged with it. The plants and trees exploded in growth attacking the horde within as though the red creatures were their own mortal enemies. Branch and root wrought havoc, tearing flesh and ripping bone, but the blood orcs regenerated nearly as fast and more broke out of the jungle towards them. Chariot killed as fast as they could but for every orc that fell two more took their place. Arrows and projectiles flew, axes and swords and spears reaped but it wasn¡¯t enough. Through the hectic slaughter, Ashley slashed her scythe with a certain lack of grace, sometimes unskilled enough for the blood orcs to dodge and block or escape with less than mortal wounds. ¡°Use your daggers!¡± Yen yelled, the spontaneous explosion of Combustion killing several bunched together. ¡°No~¡± Ashley beheaded an orc and continued as she was. Elsewhere Mujin punctured an orc clean through its skull and shifted around to his next target, but his face jolted with realization of some kind. He spun back around just in time to block another blood orc¡¯s claws by the staff of his spear but the blow knocked him back, and a hole opened in their formation. Shin flickered in Mujin¡¯s place, darting back and forth with his estoc killing several before the sohei burst back to impale one through the head once more. ¡°Prepare.¡± Kamala spoke, louder than normal as the violent jungle grew still and the blood orcs trapped within swarmed. Donny let out a taunting roar and some of the eyes and claws of the blood orcs turned to him. The others jumped back as Donny stomped on the sand, sending a shockwave in all directions, knocking the blood orcs closest back into their kin. Yen soared forth and cast a stream of fire over the crowd of orcs, burning them alive under the potency of her magic. Yet more still rushed around the flames and even through them. They leapt at her, slower than she could fly but in such numbers that it overwhelmed her senses and thoughts. One by one they bashed against her Greater Armament as she struggled to stay within range of the fight until it broke. Several lunged with feral faces and burned to ash as they passed through her body turned to fire. Yen scorched through the air in the form of flames, burning with even greater abandon. Spiraling green orbs swerved around her shaving through the heads of those who escaped. Karla blocked the mighty strike of a chief clean, sliding back on her feet across the sand. The chief moved first but she moved faster, landing a flying knee to its jaw with a stream of pressure. Consciousness faded from the chief¡¯s eyes as Knockout slumped the monster to its knees. A heavy kick cracked its skull and a second shattered it open before it could fully reawaken. Donny darted back and forth, bashing and knocking orcs away as Dante and Basem behind him took their lives with the opening. With the horde thinning, Shin blinked above another chief, Quake turning the inside of its head to mush before it could grab him and the remaining two met the same fate. ¡°Riders.¡± Shin burst into the jungle in overshadowed kitsune form and Ashley, Basem, and Mujin following in other directions. He caught up with the swift blood orc rider, ghostly blue flame grasping it from the wolf mount and a gladius beheading it clean. Basem stalked his target at high speed, aiming his bow on the move and loosing with certainty. The arrow cut through the air straight towards the fleeing rider. The orc¡¯s head snapped around and a blur of his sword slashed the arrow apart, just as a second sunk into the side of his skull, felling him from his mount. Mujin pursued his target fiercely, keeping on its trail as the wolf darted and cut erratically as it tried to shake him. Gradually he gained and finally within distance, Mujin burst forward. The rider¡¯s sword blurred but Mujin parried it off his spear, a flurry of strikes piercing its throat and shoulder. Mujin clicked his teeth as the rider slashed back, forcing him to slow his stride, but in a blur, Ashley¡¯s scythe passed straight through the rider¡¯s sword and took its head. ¡°You need to be faster than that~¡± She smiled teasingly as she took off again. Mujin scowled but followed behind. Shin headed back to the others just as Donny wrenched his axe from the last blood orc, the ones who went after the other riders joining him shortly after. What relatively minor injuries they had were quickly healed by Kamala. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Yen asked. ¡°The first rider.¡± Jean spoke. ¡°If they aren¡¯t killed, they probably gather other tribes to chase after whoever killed theirs.¡± ¡°Wow~¡± Ashley interrupted as she wrapped around him from behind. ¡°You¡¯re talking even though you didn¡¯t help at all. I might die of shame if I was you~¡± ¡°Poison doesn¡¯t work on them. And my puppets would just get destroyed.¡± Jean answered through the prodding and teasing, unbothered. ¡°None of them had a skill to track us though. Not even the wolf.¡± Yen pointed out. ¡°Could just be its sense of smell.¡± ¡°...that makes sense.¡± Yen conceded. ¡°We make sure we kill all the riders then.¡± Donny spoke up. ¡°But fatigue is gonna get us anyway. Can¡¯t keep up the buffs even with the normal attacks. We need to do this in shifts. Shin, Ashley, Yen, Dante team one. Karla, Mujin, Basem, and me in team two. Kamala and Jean sit out to save their mana for healing and scouting. They can watch each other¡¯s backs.¡± ¡°Why those teams?¡± Yen asked, more curious than dismissive. ¡°Two powerhouses, two fastest, two ranged, two support. I¡¯m better for crowd control in team two and Dante can adapt to whatever nonsense team one gets up to.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± Ashley was the only one to voice her agreement though no one disagreed with the logic. ¡°Let¡¯s go before another tribe catches us. Talk on the run.¡± Donny sped off at a decent clip and the others followed. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to win. We¡¯ll just get worn down like this. We need to win using as little as possible. Ideally we need to kill them without skills.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t be killed without using skills.¡± Mujin argued. ¡°Find a way to make it work. Ain¡¯t got much choice.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just use henchmen again.¡± Yen suggested. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous now. Robbing is one thing but having people around with better stats and new skills is risky. I don¡¯t trust just one party to handle it and two or more around us is just asking for them to try something.¡± ¡°Ashley can just hypnotize them. Make them work like the mindless.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t~¡± ¡°It would be fucking easier to plan if you told us what you can do.¡± ¡°I bet~¡± ¡°We work in shifts and recover energy, then head into the jungle. Yeah?¡± Donny brought the conversation back to focus. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin agreed. Chariot continued down the beach front with a plan in motion. Chapter 77 Karla slipped past a blood orc¡¯s clawed hand with perfect timing and burst open apart its eye with a punch. As the orc turned a slicing elbow claimed the other. The monster lunged blind, without even a pause to let its eyes heal. Hands pulled its head down to crash a flying knee in its forehead, fracturing bone just slightly. The amazon raised her arm and struck her elbow at the same spot until the orc¡¯s skull broke completely. Two more lunged before she even returned to the ground. Karla deflected the arm of one through sheer martial technique and blocked the wide mauling claw of the other. She slid across the sandy beach, undamaged bone visible through the nasty gashed on her arm. Golden light enveloped her, weaving flesh together as she sprinted back into the fray. Donny buckled under the weight of his opponent¡¯s strikes, sly movements and grit the only things keeping him standing. Claws scraped against his angled shield and he sunk his orichalcum axe into the feral beast¡¯s neck, just shy of half way in but the legendary tier weapon¡¯s passive mutilated the flesh around it. He bashed the orc¡¯s face and swung again, beheading it clean this time. Donny spun just in time to block the next but a third orc leapt from the side. An arrow sunk clean through its eye, and Donny turned his focus back to the second orc. Basem and Dante aimed their projectiles carefully. Without the use of a skill, anything less than nigh perfect would be wasted effort and added danger to the vanguard. Basem¡¯s eyes darted to the side and nailed another orc as it clawed the sand where Mujin just barely managed to roll to his feet. Without an effective passive like Donny¡¯s axe, Mujin found great difficulty landing a killing blow on the feral regenerating orcs. But still he darted back into the fray without hesitation. Ashley beheaded the next one facing him, clearly using a skill. Mujin clicked his tongue and moved on, knowing full well by now it was pointless to tell her what to do. Shin blurred through the orcs with the fierce wind of greater swiftness. None but him could afford to use their mana as freely as he did, with his immense twelvefold recovery rate. But as such, the burden of ending this fights quickly laid most heavily with him, a burden Shin didn¡¯t think twice about taking nor did he even truly consider it a burden. Shin pulled his estoc from his latest slain foe and burst into the forest, the form of a kitsune warrior flashing for a brief instant as he slashed through rider and wolf alike. Without pause he darted back straight for the chief, dodging two wild swings before tapping a surge of Quake to explode out the side of its head. As Shin landed on the sand, so did the rest of the battle come to an end. He hopped around, harvesting the blood orc souls before sprinting off along with the others. ¡°Everyone should be ready now, right?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good enough.¡± Donny glanced up at the sun directly overhead, the day already half over. ¡°We should head in soon. Don¡¯t feel too keen fucking around the jungle in the dark.¡± ¡°That place is foreboding.¡± Mujin complained. ¡°What about you?¡± Donny looked back at Jean, the only other one with the danger sensing trait Hunch. ¡°Well¡­ it gives me a bad feeling when I look at it. The ocean too.¡± ¡°I bet.¡± Yen scoffed, though she didn¡¯t elaborate. ¡°This is far enough.¡± ¡°Alright, just like we planned.¡± Jean headed into the jungle first and the rest followed close behind. Donny up front just behind. Yen, Dante, and Kamala in the middle with Ashley and Mujin at the sides, and Shin and Basem bringing up the rear, watching everyone¡¯s backs. The jungle was truly thick. Plants and trees and grass and vines of all kinds in every direction, just enough space to run through without issue but not enough to fight in unobstructed. Jean noticed something and threw a common stone, breaking the false covering on the ground to reveal a spiked trap. He ran around it and the party followed. The puppeteer threw another rock causing a flexible spiked branch to pierce into the tree opposite at rapid speed, and then a cheap throwing knife to sever a vine that unleashed a giant log that slammed several trees in half. Jean jumped over the loosely swing log and again the party followed. Only the path he walked was safe, that was the underlying rule they decided, one that seemed to be working just fine. They moved unceasingly at a decent speed. Primitive as the traps may be, they were still deadly and abundant, but Jean detected and neutralized each and every one without fail. ¡°You see how much this would suck without a scout?¡± Yen directed back at Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen sighed, more annoyed at herself in the face of his genuinity. ¡°See anything that stands out y-¡± Yen fell limp from the air, purple patches spreading across her skin. A jolt ran through the faces of the others as they snapped into action, forming a defensive line around the center. ¡°Poison.¡± Kamala said with some tension as she cast Detox on the motionless mage. ¡°Fuck! No one saw anything?¡± Donny yelled, trying to spot anything of note himself. ¡°No one.¡± Shin answered with prismatic eyes. ¡°Long range? Traps? You two didn¡¯t feel anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Mujin and Jean answered, vigilant in their own way. ¡°She¡¯s healing.¡± Kamala reported. ¡°Epic tier poison.¡± ¡°What the fuck. Something can get past all of us but only uses purple shit? Don¡¯t make sense.¡± Yen stirred awake and slowly sat up, her head still a bit cloudy. ¡°Oi, Yen, what happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± As Shin scanned the jungle intensely switching between spirit and normal eyes, something caught his notice. A small insignificant bug hovering down to his hand, unidentifiable and almost unnoticeable. It landed and his hand started to rot and shrivel. Shin cut off his arm without hesitation, donning the form of Inari. He made an ember of foxfire, burning the insect to nothing and then spread it into a sphere that swept over the group killing all like it without harming anything else, maintaining a dome around them. ¡°Mosquitoes.¡± Shin said, as his arm regenerated. ¡°Mine was disease.¡± ¡°How¡­?¡± Yen stood up, the last of poison melting away under Kamala¡¯s skill but some lingering effects remaining. ¡°I had Armor up.¡± ¡°Monster mosquitoes? What tier?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Identify didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°...they might be a feature of the island rather than real.¡± Jean suggested, though with less than absolute certainty. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any creature or feel anything.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Donny sorted things out in his head. ¡°Hunch don¡¯t work, detection don¡¯t work, identify don¡¯t work, defenses don¡¯t work. They give epic tier poisons and diseases¡­ What if we keep this sphere up and move like this. Jean can still sense traps and Shin watch out for enemies. How long can you keep this up?¡± ¡°About 8 minutes.¡± ¡°Just have the fox do it.¡± Yen said. Shin paused for a moment. ¡°She said no.¡± ¡°Fucking make her!¡± Donny stopped to think. That probably wouldn¡¯t be long enough. Rather he felt it definitely wasn¡¯t long enough. Plus their ace having no mana if something kicked off was almost as bad. ¡°We gotta keep moving how we were.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Yen understandable disapproved most of all. ¡°Wrap up, see if that helps.¡± Donny took off his helm and wrapped a cloth around his head, exposing only his eyes before putting it back on. ¡°Keep moving around, swat if you have to. Kamala cures anyone that gets sick.¡± ¡°What if our fucking healer gets sick?¡± A thin coating of bark spread over Kamala like armor, covering every inch of her as she stored her usual attire. ¡°Use your talismans to set this on fire. This bark will burn for a while. Hopefully that will work.¡± Shin remembered something and did as she asked. ¡°Can you breathe like that?¡± Yen asked. ¡°If we move fast enough.¡± Donny looked around as the others took their precautions in their own ways. ¡°Alright, no time for a better plan. Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin released his invocation and the dome of ghostly fire disappeared. Chariot moved immediately, faster and more alert than before. They pushed through the dense jungle and its traps but not two minutes passed before Mujin stumbled. Kamala tested her skill immediately, finding it to be poison once more, curing as Mujin forced himself to continue. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Basem was next and then Jean. Donny signalled and Ashley afterwards. Dark mist rose from a pondering Karla and Kamala exorcized the curse. Not only poison and disease, but the jungle mosquitoes cursed as well. Beset by affliction at every turn, the party rushed ahead. Poison took Yen again though Shin caught her midair this time as she healed. Nearly an hour they rushed, nothing but speed and sheer luck seemed effective in avoiding the afflictions, their only saving grace Kamala¡¯s ability to cure it all. Light appeared up ahead through the gaps between the trees, half the party taking notice at the same time, the rest not needing to be informed. Chariot broke out of the jungle edge onto a hard rocky ground, on the other side a massive cliff hundreds of feet tall, stretching past the length of their vision. The beige and brown of the new terrain contrasting sharply with the green jungle they just left behind. The party headed wordlessly to the middle of the flat land between the cliff and the jungle and waited for sign of any more afflictions. Long moments passed before Donny broke the silence. ¡°Probably fine now¡­¡± Shin cast a small wall of foxfire around Kamala. Moments later the burning wood armor was cast aside and Shin withdrew the blue fire, Kamala having returned to her main equipment. Yen opened her mouth but decided against comments on aristocratic prissiness given the circumstances. ¡°Dungeon.¡± Basem reported. ¡°Where?¡± Traces of enthusiasm and urgency rose in Yen¡¯s voice. Basem pointed left and the party darted over immediately, appearing before a portal in the cliffs. [Lair - Lesser Monarch] ¡°Lair?¡± Donny looked over at Yen. ¡°...if there are different kinds of dungeons, I guess Instances? Lairs are probably below dungeons. Easier and shorter.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Mujin asked, genuinely rather than dismissively despite his expression. ¡°It¡¯s, like, the standard pattern. Usually how things are.¡± Karla walked through without a word and Shin followed behind. Ashley followed him, her amused laugh cut off as she passed through. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± Donny led the rest of them through, rushing down the large rocky tunnel they found themselves in quickly catching up with the initial trio and the short trail of blood orc corpses they already created, all of them variants, Blood Orc Barbarians. The others joined in but they was little to do as the trio didn¡¯t hold back using their skills, slaughtering the lesser monarch creatures with moderate ease, soon reaching the end. [Blood Orc Lair Chief (epic) - Lesser Monarch] Larger and even more imposing than the tribe chiefs, The lair chief shot forth with a tremendous roar. It cleaved its huge bloody bone weapon and the empty air passed over Shin as Ashley took its arm. A lunging kick from Karla sent it crashing into the cliff walls and a single Quake ended it for good. The party looked around but nothing appeared and the end of the lair was barren save for a set of plants clustered at the very back bearing small fruits that looked like cherry tomatoes. [Small Blood Fruit] ¡®Upgrade a rare trait to epic tier.¡¯ ¡°Shit, this doesn¡¯t help.¡± Dante plucked the three red fruits, pressing two together and then all three. The fruits shone and turned into a larger version. [Medium Blood Fruit] ¡®Upgrade an epic trait to legendary tier.¡¯ Dante spun it on the tip of his finger with a look of smug advice to Yen¡¯s annoyance. Shin hopped around picking the other fruit alongside them. Six in total, he brought back to show the others. A purple, green, and black one each, and three golden ones with a white square, circle, or triangle marking. [Poison Resistance Fruit] ¡®Grants Lesser Poison Resistance.¡¯ [Disease Resistance Fruit] ¡®Grants Lesser Disease Resistance.¡¯ [Curse Resistance Fruit] ¡®Grants Lesser Curse Resistance.¡¯ [Body Fruit] ¡®Grants Strong Body - Increases the durability of the body twofold.¡¯ [Soul Fruit] ¡®Grants Strong Soul - Increases the durability of the soul twofold.¡¯ [Mind Fruit] ¡®Grants Strong Mind - Increases the durability of the mind twofold.¡¯ ¡°Oh!¡± Yen had expected something like the blood fruit, but additional traits on top of that was a welcome bonus. ¡°This is perfect. Kamala can get the resistances up to epic tier and that¡¯s our healer sorted. Ah but, Kamala¡¯s Greater Caretaker trait should be the priority before anything else, Jean¡¯s Hunch too. However many it takes to get them up to mythic. Everyone else focus on buffing the strong traits so the blood orc waves won¡¯t be a problem anymore, just get resistances if you have the space.¡± ¡°No.¡± Dante voiced firmly, tossing the blood fruit over to Kamala. ¡°Everyone should get the resistances up to Greater first.¡± ¡°What, no, we don¡¯t know how much fruit is out there. Buffing our traits is the priority. Resistances are growth traits, it¡¯s stupid to waste anymore than we need on them. We made it through with nothing, we can rough it out with the base rares.¡± Dante gestured poignantly. ¡°Who said this is as bad as it gets?¡± Yen wanted to argue back but the words stuck in her throat, the grand prize of the trials within her reach battling her own wariness of the trials. Donny looked around. ¡°Everyone agree we focus on Kamala and Jean first?¡± Everyone did, or at least none voiced opposition. ¡°Alright, we do that and everyone makes their own choice about what they get. Lowest vitalities get first pick for the resistances.¡± ¡°I want body~¡± Karla declared, and Shin handed over the square marked fruit. ¡°Ah, give me mind.¡± Yen stated next and received her fruit as well. Ashley took the remaining soul fruit with a smile before anyone else could, while Kamala quietly ate the resistance fruit and individual blood fruit, her silence telling them all it had worked without issue. The lair began to rumble suddenly, dust and gravel breaking off the walls around them. Chariot rushed out of the crumbling tunnel without a word, the portal behind vanishing the moment the last of them exited. ¡°First come first serve, let¡¯s go.¡± The party headed out trailing the cliff side at Yen¡¯s urging, searching for the next lair. --- The Lair Chief roared and Ashley sliced clean through the top of its head, the blood pouring out on the hard ground marking the twelfth lair they had cleared so far. Kamala floated over calmly to the plants and fused the small blood fruit into a medium. She took out two just like it and fused them all again into a large blood fruit. The breaking light as she ate it signaling the first successful mythic tier upgrade among them. ¡°What is it now?¡± Yen inquired. ¡°Savior.¡± ¡°Grand.¡± ¡°It improves the efficiency of curing and healing skills more, and allows them to have a slight effect on affliction tiers above the skill used.¡± Kamala ignored Donny¡¯s comment. ¡°Oh, look at that.¡± Yen jabbed at Dante, though the charlatan only responded with a knowing shrug. The remaining fruit was simply stored, everyone who wanted one either already had the trait now or they lacked enough space for them, though that was a problem mostly unique to the epic tier classholders. Some had all three and most had at least one or two, all upgraded to their epic tier variants. With Kamala¡¯s improved curing abilities, the threat of the plagued jungle had been greatly diminished. Shin ate the blood fruits he had been saving just in case someone else needed them. [Lesser Poison Resistance has advanced to epic tier trait Poison Resistance.] [Lesser Disease Resistance has advanced to epic tier trait Disease Resistance.] [Lesser Curse Resistance has advanced to epic tier trait Curse Resistance.] [Strong Mind has advanced to epic tier trait Iron Mind.] [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365) Control - 150 [225] (292) Willpower - 100 [150] (195) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 5, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 7, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 4, Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 6, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3, Yin lvl. 2, Yang lvl. 2, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper, Survival State, Regeneration, Hawkeye, Blindsight, Summoner, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Resistance, Disease Resistance, Curse Resistance, Strong Body, Iron Mind, Strong Soul, As the one able to tolerate afflictions the longest, he had taken it upon himself to hold his in reserve until the others were set. But still, he upgraded them to take more of the burden off of Kamala¡¯s mana so she could make use of hers more freely. Of the golden fruit, he had chosen Mind. None were of pressing importance but he found that Strong Mind had relieved some of the strain of overusing his skills he was able to power through with the sheer resolve he now knew to be Will. And now with Iron Mind, the dull ache of constant Greater Mana Meditation barely registered at all. The lair began to crumble, exactly one minute after the death of its boss, same as all the others. As such they were no help in allowing Chariot to rest and recover, which was an issue as the roaming blood orc tribes ventured into this side of the jungle as well, slowing their progress. The party exited the lair quickly to the dim haze of dusk. ¡°Might as well keep going, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Donny answered Yen. If blood orcs attacked no matter which side they were on, then it was best to stick to the side that actually rewarded their efforts. He took a step as the last traces of the sun left the island, and a pale wiry orc burst out of the cliff wall towards him. He shifted around and beheaded it clean on instinct. [Sickly Blood Orc (epic) - Lesser Monarch] Strength - 1299 Agility - 1108 Constitution - 943 Vitality - 861 Dexterity - 1152 Perception - 956 Force - 512 Spirit - 675 Control - 711 Willpower - 709 Skills: Maim, Burst, Superior Unarmed Combat, Swiftness, Traits: Cannibal (epic), Feral Mind (epic), Nightvision (epic), Sickly (epic), Sunlight Aversion (epic), Weakness (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), No one had time before several more pale orcs rushed out of the same hole. Clawed hands and vicious faces burst out all over the cliff face. They dropped and lunged down like a swarm of ants, charging straight towards the nearest prey in the party. Yen charged two firebolts at the same time and fired in both directions, fire and blast killing dozens. But they numbered in the hundreds and the swarm did not slow. ¡°The jungle.¡± Jean raised his voice, though his apathetic expression remained. Chariot burst into the jungle, the endless horde right on their tail. Basem turned around again and again as he ran, sniping the nearest orcs and Dante threw a handful of knives without looking back that curved unnaturally into their targets. With some distance made, Kamala spared a glance back to send the trees into a frenzy. They thrashed and speared but to little avail as the rest of the horde ran around or broke through on the backs on their fallen kin. ¡°Curse!¡± Donny yelled as his pace started to slow, and Kamala exorcized it. ¡°Disease!¡± The skin on Mujin¡¯s face started to peel away, and Kamala cured and healed him. Resistance was not immunity and the others were hit with their own but could manage without needing immediate care. Through the afflictions and traps, the party fled but the distance slowly closed. A pale orc raised its hand for a lunge, and fell frothing at the mouth, dead within seconds. One by one the horde behind them collapsed until none were left. ¡°They live up to their name¡­¡± Donny commented, but his vigilance did not wane. A quiet took the jungle and the party continued on, shifting their focus to the traps and potential enemies lying await ahead. A little less than an hour passed this time before they returned to the beach beneath the stars. ¡°Repelling tribe attacks at night, lair hopping during the day. Nowhere to rest¡­¡± Yen mused at the future that lay ahead of them. ¡°It¡¯s manageable.¡± ¡°For now.¡± Kamala answered the knight. ¡°There¡¯s no time to train¡­¡± Mujin complained. ¡°Tribe.¡± Shin alerted. ¡°Team 2.¡± Donny flourished his axe. ¡°Gotta train on the job then.¡± Chapter 78 Jean fused three medium blood fruit together and ate it whole, the product of their fourth lair after an entire night of repelling orc tribes. The shift system was working fine, even more so now with the extra boost to performance some of them enjoyed and none among them had Vitality so low they were suffering fatigue on merely their second day. Still, it was only the second day. ¡°What is it now?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Sixth Sense. Instinctively sense any type of danger-¡± Jean¡¯s face twitched as he blurred away just barely avoiding the edge of Ashley¡¯s scythe. ¡°Oh, it works~¡± The reaper seemed amused and not entirely unsurprised. ¡°That¡¯s the two priorities sorted.¡± Donny moved on, none among the party overly concerned with the playful murder attempt. ¡°How do we divide up the fruit now?¡± ¡°Three at a time gives the most efficient increase¡­¡± Jean posited. ¡°In what order?¡± Yen followed up. ¡°Rock Paper Scissors.¡± Shin gave a pleasant suggestion. ¡°So you fast eye speed fucks can cheat? Not a chance.¡± The mage shot that down immediately. ¡°Same goes for flipping coins, dice, and any other dexterity exploits.¡± ¡°Fights~¡± Karla offered her idea. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Poker.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°We can do rock paper scissors.¡± Dante said as three illusory cards appeared before him, red, yellow, and blue with the symbols of each. The charlatan sat atop a boulder far heavier than it should be pinning down the Lair Chief bereft of its four limbs. ¡°Round robin! Order is based on number of wins, tie breakers for people with the same amount.¡± ¡°Works well enough, let¡¯s go with that.¡± Several among them could see through illusions but not yet the legendary tier ones Dante¡¯s Greater Major Illusion could produce. A set of three cards appeared before pairs at random, each selecting a card at the same time for it to turn around to reveal the result. Pairings continued until a winner emerged, and they found new opponents. The charlatan himself knew where his opponent¡¯s cards were ordered, but that was easily circumvented by having him choose first. The games continued for a short while but with Karla¡¯s tie breaker victory over Jean, the order was set. Ashley, Shin, Karla, Jean, Donny, Kamala, Dante, Mujin, Basem, Yen. Yen stood deeply irritated, the only one to have lost all nine times, even more so that she racked her brain trying to predict her opponent while the undefeated pine green psycho hadn¡¯t shown a single care in the world. Ashley noticed Yen¡¯s glare and returned a slightly smug look of comfortable superiority to the mage¡¯s further annoyance. With that settled, Basem put the lair boss out of its misery with a single arrow and the party headed out. Shin passed through the portal and ducked under the rapid thrust of a sword. White robes draped his body as he raised an arm at the same time and blasted the attacker away with quake. A wall of greater ward blocked the hail of arrows from the jungle but it shattered as a bolt of lightning streaked through and crashed on their priestess¡¯ mystic shield. Chariot burst into action. Ashley crossed attacks with another assassin, both weapons passing through their intangible forms. They turned and the enemy met Ashley¡¯s opalescence eyes. The reaper¡¯s hypnotism dulling his mind for only a split second, but that was enough to take his head. The jungle raged and the mage and archer hiding within ceased with wretched screams. Out of it burst a heavily armored man with rageful golden eyes aimed directed at Shin. [Human Sacred Shielder (legendary) - Greater Lord] This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Shin spat a grasping hand of foxfire but a burst of golden aura dispelled it away. The Atreus paladin raised his flanged mace, but a blast of chaotic noise struck his mind and paralysis gripped his limbs through the invoker¡¯s fox eyed star. Shin blinked behind, green mana wrapping around his hand and struck, but Shin felt no feedback from the attack on his enemies soul. Shin kicked off the armored paladin, dodging the heavy swing of his mace. Shin glanced to the right and the paladin charged without falling for the cheap feint. And Karla appeared on the left side. Her kick shattered the paladin¡¯s fortress and sent him crashing away across the ground. The amazon sped after the opponent she deemed the strongest, so Shin turned his attention to the rest of the fight. However, there wasn¡¯t much of a fight to be found. Basem blinked to the side of a duel wielding swordsman and fired, his arrow exploding into countless buckshot that shredded through the man. Terrible screams erupted from a player as Yen in full fire form burned him alive. Donny and Mujin dismantled their opponents with conflicting brutality and grace while Dante stood by watching over the others, his opponent crushed beneath him next to a headless woman, Karla¡¯s initially foe. Only Jean¡¯s opponent remained, locked in a tense struggle. The halberdier burst forward, his weapon clashing against the epic tier shields of a densely built puppet. The axe blade slid up and hooked the edge of shield, pulling the puppet away. But the man darted back from sword arms of a puppet made for speed and leant back from he rapid lash of a blade tipped tail. Jean narrowed his eyes at the failed sneak attack, his opponent¡¯s demeanor changed as he glanced at the state of the fight. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you said!¡± The halberdier roared at the paladin in the distance and fled into the jungle. He blitzed through the dense brush, not even sensing an silent arrow curved through every obstacle and nail him through the back of the head. Chariot rushed over to the thunderous crashes of the final remaining fight. Karla landed vicious blow after vicious blow, blocking, feinting, deflecting, disrupting. The paladin struggled with all his might to fight back but it was useful before their sheer gap in skill. That none of her strikes damaged the man at all did nothing to slow her assault, and her enthusiasm only grew. Fortress covered his shield as she reached her hand only to grab hold and pull it away as she landed another punch to his face. Frustration racked the paladin¡¯s face as he stomped a wave of holy energy around him. Karla held her arms up in a guard and tanked the surge, half off it eaten away and her lightly damaged flesh healing. A flying knee rocketed him into the air and Karla blurred before him, a spinning kick sending him crashing back down into the hard base of the cliff. A force locked the paladin in place as vines broke through the ground to wrap around his throat, Chariot standing around patiently for the man to die. But with an expression veering now into crazed, the paladin¡¯s body turned into light and vanished into the distance in the blink of an eye. ¡°Dogs.¡± Basem cursed him and his slain comrades all. ¡°Why did they even try~?¡± Ashley asked with a trace of casual mockery. ¡°We go way back.¡± Donny answered. ¡°Gold fucker and his brother attacked us in the second stage. We killed the brother, so he¡¯s probably being a sore loser about that.¡± Shin noticed Karla thinking to herself silently amidst the talking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Karla looked back with the same cheerful smile and eyes somewhere between normal and the glint she gets in a fight. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chariot already started looting, Jean and Basem heading back from the plunder within the jungle. Mujin lifted the spear from his opponent, comparing it with his before storing the old weapon away. ¡°They got some fruit. Six total, might as well start the order now.¡± Three small blood fruits each were thrown to Ashley and Shin. The reaper fused and ate her immediately but Shin stored his. ¡°Tribe.¡± Donny caught a lunging blood orc on his shield, sliding back a few yards. He raised his axe and Mujin thrust his new spear through the orc¡¯s skull clean. Donny smiled and pushed the orc off, rushing to meet the swarming orcs at the vanguard. --- Chariot stepped back onto the beach, not an hour before nightfall. Twenty lairs in total they had managed to find and clear, the only thing slowly them down was the occasional rest needed between the constant fighting. Still, they had made great gains. Shin himself had six fruit in his bag and his turn was next. Only one more lair needed to upgrade a legendary tier trait. ¡°Hey.¡± Mujin directed their attention to the left, out in the ocean. Half a party of players rowing a crudely build raft as fast as they could away from the island. ¡°Idiots¡­¡± Yen muttered. Chariot watched the party row in silence. Suddenly a massive creature burst up from the water swallowing the party and raft whole. A monstrous serpent towering above lingered for only a moment before descending back into the depths of the sea. There was no safety to be found on this cursed island and no way to escape, but none among Chariot showed much concern if any at all. Shin walked to a spot near the tide and took out two blood orc souls, resuming his training. [Soul Fusion has reached level lvl. 7.] It wouldn¡¯t be long now until he could evolve Mara and Kong. Chapter 79 Shin popped a large blood fruit into his mouth and directed its power to the trait in mind without delay. [Survival State has become the mythic tier trait Unfettered.] ¡®Immunity from lethal wounds.¡¯ Shin glanced over at Yen who seemed to be waiting on an explanation. ¡°Can¡¯t die.¡± A flash sliced off half his head without warning to the shock of most. ¡°See.¡± Shin spoke as nonchalantly as ever while he slowly regenerated. Kamala added on her Greater Heal to speed things along, and Ashley hugged her unkillable target from behind with more fondness than usual. ¡°Creepy.¡± Yen held nothing back in her commentary. ¡°How can you still talk without your brain?¡± ¡°Body Supremacy?¡± Shin wasn¡¯t too sure himself but he felt that was right. ¡°Mmm¡­ I guess it¡¯s pretty broken when you pair it with other traits.¡± Yen glanced at severed skull on the ground with some disgust and burned it to ash, noticing some of the looks when she turned back. ¡°What? It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s an arm or something but having chunks of his head lying around is weird.¡± Rumbling cut the conversation short and Chariot rushed out of lair, heading back along the trail in search of another. A search that lasted only a few moments before several burst forward into action, surrounding an unfamiliar party at Donny¡¯s example. Unidentifiable all of them, but caution draped their expressions at the sight of who they faced. ¡°You clear out the lairs back that way?¡± Wary silenced returned but Donny didn¡¯t change his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t have to be more than a quick bag check. Be smart, yeah?¡± Reluctantly, the other party threw over their bags for Chariot to inspect. Shin, Jean and Mujin held out some blood fruit for the rest to see, seven in total. ¡°How far back did you come from?¡± ¡°...Half an hour.¡± A black haired woman in her late twenties answered. Donny eyed down them all then nodded his head at them, signaling the others to return the bags. ¡°You can go.¡± They hesitated then moved slowly at first past the two rows at their flanks before speeding off at a measured pace. Donny waited until they left entirely before speaking. ¡°Things might start drying up sooner than we thought.¡± ¡°Kinda early to call that, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize any of them. And they sure as fuck weren¡¯t one clan. There¡¯s bound to be a ton of others just like them and fruit gets used up quickly. We should switch priorities from training at night to robbing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make a lot of enemies that can reach this far.¡± Jean mentioned. ¡°That¡¯s just the game, innit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we just kill them~?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°No point wasting energy we don¡¯t need to.¡± The blood fruit were handed over to Karla and Jean as the next ones in the order, with one remaining. ¡°Who¡¯s still got rare traits?¡± Donny asked. Karla, Basem, and Kamala raised their hands. ¡°Strong Body?¡± He asked the amazon. ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s yours then.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Basem snapped. ¡°Better for the shift. Unless you wanna increase your workload?¡± The hunter sucked his teeth in a sulk but his silence yielded to Donny¡¯s reasoning. ¡°Alright, no point waiting around.¡± The party headed off once again. True to the other party¡¯s words, they found nothing in the way of lairs for a while, but soon afterwards they came across something new. A chasm in a cliff straight down from the top all the way to the ground and stretching several miles to the other end. Through it, they could just make out a green forested area. ¡°It looks different than the jungle¡­¡± Basem commented. Donny stared down the same way, thinking for a little. ¡°Leave it for now. Keep the focus on raid and robbery before we go exploring.¡± ¡°People.¡± Everyone shifted their attention to the direction Shin looked just as another party emerged from the jungle. ¡°Speaking of¡­¡± --- The party returned to the beach front once again early into the night, another long successful day under their belts. They had managed to raid 23 lairs this time and gained additional fruit from the other parties they encountered, most of whom didn¡¯t fight back. Shin himself managed to upgrade Regeneration, Hawkeye, and Blindsight to Rapid Regeneration, Greater Hawkeye and Greater Blindsight. His sphere of vision now spanned almost 200 yards with even greater clarity and its speed enhanced tenfold. Chariot didn¡¯t rest, but instead immediately headed down the sandy path in search of more parties as they previously decided. Shin drew two orcs souls and started fusing them together, though his focus was mainly held in his lookout duties. It was harder to fuse successfully without devoting his full attention but wasting a few extra souls wasn¡¯t an issue when he had an infinitely replenishing supply. The process had also become much easier with his skill steadily improving. The two souls sheened together forming a wisping soul of a blood orc warrior which Shin stored within himself. Unlike spirits, normal monsters remained souls even in success, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about fighting and capturing them again. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Shin drew out two tribe chief souls and focused, both tearing to nothingness in failure. Undeterred, he drew two more and fused again, this time to a successful elite Blood Orc High Chief. He paused for a moment, letting the lingering feeling sit with him for a moment and drew two lair chiefs. He pulled in his focus a little, focusing more attentively as he ran, the swirling souls straining against each other until finally¡­ [Soul Fusion has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] ¡°Wait.¡± Shin said and the rest stopped. Shin summoned Mara, excitement and eagerness apparent, and drew the Centaur soul from his own. Without delay, the two were drawn into a meld of spiritual energy. The ferocity of the centaur had not waned in the long days spent stored away but gradually Mara overwhelmed it with emotion and desire devouring its resolve. Light shone from the soul and shattered revealing a new monster. The lower half of a bird with beautiful green and blue feathers and long legs, and the upper half of a gorgeous woman with flowing red hair and wings for arms with feathers than matched her other plumage. A golden stepped crown rested on her head a woven silk mantle of intricate design draped her shoulders just barely covering her breasts with a matching cloth over her feathered waist. [Befriend Spirit has upgraded to epic tier Spirit Communion.] Shin willed it and his skill advanced allowing him to request a bond with the now epic tier spirit, one she accepted immediately. [Kinnara Barrierconsort (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 408 Agility - 734 Constitution - 456 Vitality - 463 Dexterity - 439 Perception - 842 Force - 2101 Spirit - 1592 Control - 1024 Willpower - 981 Skills: Greater Ward lvl. 1, Greater Mana Shield lvl. 1, High Pitch lvl. 10, Mindfray lvl. 10, Feather Rain lvl. 1, Enchanting Song lvl. 1, Fly lvl. 1, Traits: Greater Protector (legendary), Songbound Plumage (legendary), Sound Amplification (epic), Nightvision (epic), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Sonic Wave had vanished, which was a notable loss, but one more than made up for with what was gained. The Ward and Mana Shield skills upgraded to a substantially more useful tier and her trait enhancing both improved, fitting for her status as a Barrierconsort, and she had gained Fly. Songbound Plumage was the most unique of the additions, a trait that connected each and every one of her feathers to her through sound based abilities, something for which Shin already imagined several applications. ¡°Does my new form please you?¡± Mara asked, a passionate expression spreading across her face in reaction to Shin¡¯s attention. ¡°Yeah.¡± Mara¡¯s face flushed slightly in amorous fashion as she sauntered over proudly behind and wrapped her wings around him. ¡°...hey, you¡¯re not going to fuck your monsters, are you?¡± Yen asked, her tone full of judgement and not entirely rhetorical. ¡°Little girls should stay out of the affairs of kings.¡± Mara¡¯s eyes glazed up to the mage, a graceful coldness taking over. ¡°I need to fuse Kong now.¡± Shin looked back at her. Mara returned her attention to him, hostility vanishing in an instant as she regained her coquettish gaze, lowering her face closer to his ears. ¡°Use me more.¡± The kinnara¡¯s body turned to light and returned to Shin. Shin called out Kong and pulled the soul of an orc brawler but before he could do anything more, the gray shug let out a frenzied howl, terrible and desperate. Light cloaked Kong¡¯s body and grew before shattering to reveal a new form. A huge gorilla like creature stood before Shin, short legs and massive long arms as thick as trees, easily standing 8 feet tall despite the hunch. Dark purple fur covered it apart from its leathery rust colored face, chest, and hands. It¡¯s face held manlike features though the pronounced brow, large skull and fanged jaw marked it firmly primate. Kong stood silently and stern, his head bent down slightly avoiding direct eye contact, and simply waited. Shin tilted his head. It wasn¡¯t his plan but Kong was an epic tier elite so there was no need to fuse him. He stored back the orc soul and requested a bond of the giant gorilla. Kong continued to hold still in deferral, accepting the bond at once and returning to Shin¡¯s soul without a word. [Mangani Magebreaker (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1608 Agility - 950 Constitution - 1196 Vitality - 1074 Dexterity - 877 Perception - 952 Force - 365 Spirit - 740 Control - 592 Willpower - 628 Skills: Greater Spellbreak lvl. 1, Greater Haymaker lvl. 1, Blink lvl. 10, Shift lvl. 10, Barbarism lvl. 1, Thunderclap lvl. 1, Traits: Greater Mana Eater (legendary), Leather Hide (epic), Weakness Resistance (epic), Nightvision (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), A manangi¡¯s stats were far more specialized to strength and constitution than the more balanced physical build of a shug, fitting its appearance. Greater Spellbreak and Greater Haymaker were welcome improvements though he would have liked Blink to be among them as well. Great Dart had become Shift which Shin was told is the product of Dart and Slide, several members in the party having fused that particular epic tier skill and Kong had lost dodge, though the two skills he gained were superior by far. Thunderclap emitted tremendous blunt pressure from the palms in a variety of ways and more importantly, from the current result it seemed Barbarism would triple the potency of all martial skills when active at the cost of halving the potency and efficiency of magic skills and increasing the damage received from mana based abilities. Kong had only one magic skill and Greater Mana Eater would offset much of the latter disadvantage so the actual cost seemed negligible. Leather Hide was a straightforward bonus of making his skin as tough as epic tier leather armor. All in all, Shin was pleased with the result. Both his bonded spirits had become much stronger and more specialized down the paths Shin desired. Though there was one certain kitsune warrior making her foul mood strongly apparent. ¡°I¡¯ll make you stronger soon too.¡± ¡°Tamer builds are so busted¡­¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°What¡¯s even the downside?¡± ¡°Costs a lot of mana. And I can only have four right now.¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do with your build, don¡¯t act like mana means anything. And ¡®only four¡¯ is only ¡®only¡¯ until the next tier. Only four legendaries is fucking armageddon.¡± ¡°We need training.¡± Mujin interrupted, his mood more serious seeing Shin create two new epic tier monsters for himself. ¡°Holding back against the blood orcs is too slow.¡± ¡°We can train whenever we want after this, upgrading traits is something we can only do here.¡± Yen countered, before paying a bit more focus to brooding spearman. ¡°How many traits do you have anyway? Besides great attributes, resistances and toughnesses.¡± ¡°...five.¡± ¡°Seriously? Well, make sure you still pick a trait for your legendary option. You know¡­ I¡¯ve never seen you do anything special. What are your legendary skills right now?¡± ¡°Supreme Spear Combat. Greater Impale. Greater Haste. Greater Flicker.¡± ¡°Certified goon build¡­¡± Yen gave a pitying groan. ¡°What about that lightning attack? Fixed damage? No? What stat is it based on?¡± ¡°Force.¡± ¡°Are you are idiot?¡± ¡°It uses aura!¡± Mujin snapped back sharply. ¡°But it¡¯s still based on Force. And you can¡¯t have much of that with your physical abilities¡­ Listen, you need to specialize. Jack of all Trades is nameless henchman tier. Unless you have a trait that boosts Lightning type attacks or compensates for Force or something, that skill is worthless against anything that matters.¡± Yen calmed herself and though for a moment. ¡°That snake scale ability, is that a trait or a skill?¡± ¡°Skill. And it is dragon scales.¡± Mujin stressed that last point. ¡°See, there you go.¡± Yen perked up. ¡°Focus on that one, make sure it¡¯s one of your six so you can get a half decent class option at least.¡± ¡°Tribe.¡± Shin alerted. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about this later.¡± Yen told Mujin as she, Ashley and Dante joined Shin at the frontlines. Shin called Mara and Kong out as the blood orcs lunged, white and black mana coating his hands. They needed training too, and so did he. Chapter 80 Chariot held a tense standoff against another party, this one full of monarchs with a single greater lord who seemed to be the leader, possessing the legendary tier class Lightningcaster. Beads of sweat rolled down the thin man¡¯s face, none of the party responding property to Chariot¡¯s demands. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡± Donny advised. The man¡¯s face twitched with jitters, fear and defiance in equal measure. A cage of lightning erupted around the enemy party with the man¡¯s expression jolting into a heightened fierceness. Yellow lightning surged around his palms and he fired a chain of several bolts towards Kamala. The Lightning Chain would first kill their healer and then jump to the nearest target. It could work, he was sure of it, they could win a battle of attrition. But the clusters of lightning stopped short on the mystic shield Kamala formed, holding strong until the last sparks fizzled out. The thin man¡¯s face fell, but he had no time to fully despair before Ashley severed his head and the cage of lightning vanished. Two monarchs moved immediately, straight into the invisible mines planted by Dante as if he knew exactly what they would do. A one sided slaughter broke out. Even if the monarchs often had double the stats of the party, the depth and power of their skills paled in comparison, and they lasted mere moments. Eleven blood fruit were recovered from their bags, a significant haul but Donny showed no sign of looking pleased. It was now the eighth day on the island, and the first day they had found no lairs. Shin used his share of the gains to upgrade the last of his main priorities while they talked. He had already upgraded Rapid Regeneration to Instant Regeneration which was certainly true to its name. Greater Hawkeye had become Martial Eye, same as Hua clan bloodline, granted twentyfold speed and intuitive reading of the trajectory of all motion, living and inanimate alike. Greater Blindsight had become Third Eye, which not only expanded the radius of perception to approximately 400 yards, but granted crystal clear and exact images of everything within, including seeing through obstacles like walls or into the contents of closed crates, although magic items like spatial bags remained elusive and even the most basic of illusions could fool it. Shin might not have had the Truesight that half of the party also now possessed to counter illusions but his Eyes of the Spirit King were sufficient. Summoner had upgraded twice to Summon Master, improving the passive buff to his spirits threefold whenever he called them. In that vein, his epic elite spirits were now twice as strong as any epic tier elite lesser monarch monsters they encountered and if the pattern of stats held, they would rival legendary elite lesser monarchs. [Spiritkeeper has upgraded to the mythic tier trait Vessel of Spirits.] ¡®Hold up to 5 spirit bonds.¡¯ Shin could now bond with three more spirits, Inari counting as a skill rather than a traditional bond. There seemed to be no spirits in the island, not even in his ethereal vision so such spots couldn¡¯t be filled at this time. But even when he had an open spot before, Shin found none that fit his standards. He would not settle for any that felt half right or mostly right. They must feel exact. [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365) Control - 150 [225] (292) Willpower - 100 [150] (195) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 5, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 1, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Channelling lvl. 10, Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 6, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3, Yin lvl. 5, Yang lvl. 5, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Resistance, Disease Resistance, Curse Resistance, Strong Body, Iron Mind, Strong Soul, Most had at least almost finished their primary traits as well, with Karla being the large exception possessing the most of them all, though whether Ashley had more or less herself was unknown. Jean elected to give his fruit to others, being that he currently had nothing more to upgrade. After a short round of debate, it was decided they would best be served bolstering Kamala¡¯s resistances, along with the Mind and Soul toughnesses she possessed. Some like Jean and Basem had few traits to start with and had begun upgrading their resistances, the final mythic tier version being Immunity. It seemed Great Attributes could not be improved by the blood fruits, but in terms of what the party had gained, it was a small matter. ¡°Probably time to see what¡¯s past the cliffs¡­¡± Donny glanced around. ¡°Trial¡¯s basically telling us to go there.¡± Yen agreed. The first opening they found wasn¡¯t the only one, though they were all identical. ¡°Steal more first.¡± Basem suggested, or more accurately argued. ¡°If the inner island is like here, then blood fruit is probably limited too. If we wait too long, someone else will take them. Besides¡­¡± Yen explained, her expression one of resting solid confidence. ¡°Nothing can beat us now.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Not all shared her unbridled confidence but none among the party voiced any disagreement. They had all acquired at least a few mythic tier traits now and the difference could be felt as clearly as the ground beneath their feet. ¡°Well¡­¡± Blood from the dead players rose up in writhing tendrils into Donny, absorbed through his very skin. ¡°Probably.¡± --- Chariot stood before the wide chasm, shooting a few silent glances amongst themselves before heading in. They moved carefully and guarded with Jean at the front, vigilant for any danger they could imagine. But nothing happened despite all their preparations and in moments they entered what seemed like a new world. A massive valley lay before them, filled with giant flora of ancient mystique, rolling mountain ranges in the distances and large rivers and lakes. Giant leather bird like creatures flew in the sky far in the distance and monstrous reptiles and mammals roamed the earth. A prehistoric land in all its wonder. A jolt shot through Mujin¡¯s face and he slashed his spear at his side with lightning reflexes. A huge mosquito the size of a palm fell to the ground in two parts, unidentifiable and lacking any presence at all. A swarm of dozens rushed from the same direction but a quick spray of fire reduced them to nothing. ¡°Even the bugs are worse¡­¡± Jean remarked, imagining the difficulties ahead. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be legendary tier afflictions, we can deal with that.¡± Yen firmly stated, then looked over at Basem. ¡°Could you see them?¡± ¡°...no.¡± ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no way they have stealth that mythic can¡¯t detect. Looks like you were right about them.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Jean found no joy in that. ¡°Monsters.¡± A pack of red scaled raptors rushed across the ground towards them at blistering speed, letting out piercing screeches. Basem fired a quick shot but his target darted to the side avoiding the arrow completely to his shock. All at once they burst towards the party, sharp fangs and claws shining in the sun. Shin focused and a wave of vibration tore the ground as it spread over the pack, crashing them all away. Blood burst from the foremost ones as their scales fractured and their bones broke but most escaped with their lives. The raptors sprung to their feet, but a vortex swirled with intensity dead center of the tight formation they kept, the sheer pulling force slowing them to a crawl and then drawing them in. Fire erupted without warning, setting them all ablaze, the pack reduced to charred corpses in moments. [Blood Raptor (epic) - Intermediate Monarch] Strength - 1123 Agility - 1935 Constitution - 903 Vitality - 1351 Dexterity - 1410 Perception - 1675 Force - 620 Spirit - 738 Control - 716 Willpower - 639 Skills: Maul, Chomp, Sprint, Hunting Call, Greater Dart, Traits: Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Hawkeye (epic), Nightvision (epic), A second pack rushed over from the brush in the distance, and then another, and another. Several packs numbering near a hundred total closed the distance all screeching horrible. Suddenly their heads snapped to the right and the raptor horde changed direction is pursuit of the fleeing party, bleeding profusely. The raptors disappeared in the distance and Dante undid the veil of Shawl around them that rendered all underneath invisible and hidden. ¡°Let¡¯s find out how much worse it is.¡± The charlatan said with a composed eagerness. --- Chariot pushed through the valley at a measured pace, observant and carefully. Weapons drawn at the ready for a fight at any time. Just out in front, Jean moved through the dense foliage, his dull eyes working more than anyone¡¯s. The puppeteer darted back as a padded trap plant snapped up like a mouth. Ashley sliced through it at the base and Shin flickered behind, cutting away a vine lunging towards Donny. Basem snapped up and sniped a strange big eyed rodent watching from a tree and a stealthed saber toothed tiger pounced from the grass at Kamala, only for Karla to shatter its skull in a burst of speed. The party moved on immediately, any and all blood liable to attract more monsters. It wasn¡¯t just the monsters, all of which had been epic tier intermediate monarch thus far, but even the trees and plants around them that threatened their lives at every passing moment. And despite the half hour they had spent searching and surviving this valley of death, they had yet to come across their desired prize. ¡°This is a place of death. It is stupid to be here.¡± Basem urged, on edge the moment they had entered the valley. ¡°We need to be here. Just deal with it.¡± Yen shot down any sentiments of ending their search. ¡°Stupid wh-¡± ¡°What, can¡¯t finish you sentences?¡± ¡°I said you are a greedy whore!¡± The reluctance Basem had before disappeared with the provocation. ¡°Oi, stop it, yeah?¡± Donny ordered calmly. ¡°Focus on not dying.¡± ¡°We need to focus on finding fruit.¡± Yen argued back. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on the outskirts, we should try deeper in.¡± ¡°How does further in feel?¡± Donny asked the two danger sensors. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really work like that.¡± Jean replied. ¡°Everything feels the same. It¡¯s all dangerous.¡± Mujin elaborated. ¡°The open meadow between is risky¡­¡± Kamala glanced up at the flying monsters in the sky. ¡°Through the forest then.¡± Yen looked up ahead. Around the wide sprawling meadows were forests of immense trees, their height apparent even at their distance. ¡°That also feels like a tr-¡± ¡°Ward!¡± Shin erected a greater ward around the party at Dante¡¯s sudden warning. Jean and Mujin¡¯s faces jolted as strange budded plants spewed a yellow murky gas at a speed most of them wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. The gas filled a wide area in moments, driving away or even killing lurking monsters, and showed no sign of dispersing. Yen conjured another vortex off to the side, sucking in all the yellow gas while a spiraling green orb bored through the budded plants. Shin made an opening in the ward for them to pass through quickly before the gas spread again once Yen cancelled her spell. ¡°What do you have, future sight?¡± Yen stared back at Dante, who knew what was coming before even the two of them with Sixth Sense. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...seriously?¡± ¡°For a few seconds ahead in my immediate vicinity.¡± Dante elaborated less grandly than his initial word. The charlatan¡¯s demeanor turned a bit more eerily solemn as he faced her. ¡°Would you like me to predict your future?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Yen vehemently rejected his unsettling nonsense. A quiet held for a few moments. ¡°Our first trip will end badly.¡± ¡°I said fuck off!¡± Yen found herself more irritated at his casual, almost mocking tone than the actual words Dante spoke. Worse still, she couldn¡¯t tell how much he was messing with her, or if he even was at all. ¡°Listen up. Some of you don¡¯t seem to understand that these trials determine who stands at the top as rulers of the new world and who ends up as disposable goons. Fix your fucking peasant attitudes.¡± ¡°Inspiring speech, Yen.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Mon-¡± A pulse of unnatural weakness rippled through Shin¡¯s core, strange cold yellow eyes returning his gaze in the world of colors, eyes that did not belong. Knives slid inbetween Dante¡¯s fingers and he flung them curving into ten fanged rodents that leapt at the party from grass all at once. Mujin and Ashley darted left and right slicing and piercing the ones that remained. A wooly rhinoceros charged from the front with a booming roar amidst the chaos. Basem nocked two arrows and fired, both bouncing off the aura cloaking the monster. That aura surged and the rhinoceros shot forth, slamming against Donny¡¯s shield with enough force to knock the others back. Greater Fortress shattered in an instant but Donny didn¡¯t budge. Anchor kept him locked in place, preventing the charge from reaching the other. Blood splurt from his mouth and eyes as his body weathered the impact alone. But he held. A single punch from Karla to the side of the beast¡¯s head shattered its skull to crumbling parts and the threat fell dead. The party looked around in the quiet, ready to move at once, but something stopped them all in their tracks. Shin stood calmly when he had been, a vile black marking etched over his eyes. He shifted around in place a little, trying something, before tilting his head in composure. ¡°My eyes don¡¯t work.¡± Chapter 81 ¡°What do you mean they don¡¯t work, what happened?!¡± Yen asked, more than a little concerned. ¡°Can¡¯t see. Or use spirit eyes. But Third Eye works.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Shin tilted his head, wondering the same thing. Kamala raised her hand rotating through a few skills before one activated. The black splotch coating Shin¡¯s eyes expanded in an instant, stopping just short of her own face as she cancelled the skill, and slowly receding back to normal. ¡°A curse¡­ At least legendary tier. But likely higher.¡± ¡°What did it? Is it still out here?¡± Yen glanced around, some of the others following suit. ¡°Don¡¯t think so.¡± Shin answered. ¡°Saw it in the world of colors¡­ but it wasn¡¯t here? A demon. Or spirit.¡± ¡°Perhaps it targeted you because of your eyes.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°That¡¯d be the best case¡­¡± Yen replied. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. We should leave.¡± Basem seemed even more tense than before. ¡°We did just lose our best security system.¡± Donny somewhat agreed. ¡°No, now we have even more reason to stay.¡± Yen objected. ¡°We need more fruit to give him immunity.¡± ¡°I wanna fight more~¡± ¡°Vote then.¡± Donny spoke up. ¡°Who wants to stay?¡± Yen, Ashley, Karla, and Mujin raised their hands. ¡°Who wants to leave?¡± Basem, Kamala, Jean, and Donny raised theirs. Donny looked over to Dante, one of the two who didn¡¯t pick either side. ¡°Abstain.¡± Dante smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the tie breaker then.¡± Donny looked at Shin. ¡°Stay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s that then. Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°No!¡± Basem objected. ¡°Party voted, mate, no arguing.¡± Basem grit his teeth at the knight but held his mouth shut. ¡°Scared~¡± Ashley leaned over close to his face with a teasing smile. ¡°Shut up!¡± Basem flushed red as he flickered over next to Jean in a fluster. The puppeteer took the signal and headed off as the party¡¯s scout once more. They ran through the tall grass and spares cluster of trees lining the outskirts, dealing with plants and monsters as they went. Without Shin to warn them, the burden on the scouts increased higher than ever but they managed, soon finding themselves at the edge of the forest. Grand trees lay before them, wide as a building and towering above such that the canopy became the sky beneath them. Thick clusters of roots at the base of each, covered in moss and smaller plants, the forest bed a layer of thin grass and dirt. The dormant and untouched majesty of an ancient forest impossible to deny. They party heading in one by one, carefully, with only the earthy scent of nature to accompany the slight rustling of leaves in the wind and echoing sounds of birds in the distance. Broad space lay between each giant tree but the smaller trees and plants among them gave ample cover for any monsters within and ample reason to remain vigilant. Mujin lunged forward and skewered a skrat as it pounced towards Jean. Ashley and Mujin darted around as more of the stealthy saber toothed rodents leapt from all directions. Two arrows nailed two of the creatures to a tree and while knives swerved through the party piercing anything the three of them missed. The rodents died in droves one after the other, but still more appeared, starting to wait amongst the brush and over the sides of trees until hundreds surrounded them, slowly crawling and swaying their tails, eyes focused on the prey of the pack with glinting sharp fangs. A cluster of skrats lunged from the ground and the giant maw of a beast snapped them up. A wolf like monster as large as a giant direwolf with a head too large for its body and a long snout. Several more emerged alongside the first in long slow steps and the skrats scampered away in fear. Saliva dripped down the large fangs of the giant headed wolf as the party prepared for a fight, and then it vanished. A sharp gust of wind followed a blur some of them just barely managed to catch. The wolves looked up first and the party followed. Lazing on a giant branch up high was a monstrous creature, easily 30 feet tall covered in thick fur with long gangly limps, its face a meld between an ape and a sloth. The wolf monster from before spasmed on the end of one of its unnaturally long arms, impaled by thick claws the length of lances. The creature¡¯s arms reclined as it leisurely brought its hand closer to its face and bit off the giant wolf¡¯s head, an epic tier intermediate monarch now identifiable as a Mawr. The massive sloth finished off its meal in several more bites, the sickening crunch of bone and squelching flesh the only sound among the forest. As it ate the last, blood and entails draining down its claws, the sloth turned its gaze to them, a cold intelligent glint in its eyes giving them chills. A lightning fast whip shredded the other mawrs before they could barely move, faster than most in the party could follow. Karla burst forward and crashed into a tree in the blink of an eye, her bloody body ricocheting as it dented and splintered the trunk as study as metal. Bastion shrouded Donny¡¯s shield instinctively, blocking the third blow. Mujin and Ashley flanked the arm from the side but it withdrew in an instant before their weapons could find their mark. A dense firebolt soared towards the lazing monster but another lash detonated the explosion before it could reach. A second arm blocked an arrow cutting through the air towards its eyes, bouncing off harmlessly from the iron coating spread across its palm. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Wood tendrils rose up from the branch it lay on, ensnaring it in an instant. Roots and branches split off from the tree reaching to add to its bindings. Mana surged around Yen as she channelled and a great explosion detonated on the beast, Force enough to turn the ancient branch to smoldering ash. But Basem turned, the only one who could track a hint of its speed. The giant sloth hung above from a branch behind by one arm, its expression methodical and unbothered. Dante blinked Kamala away as the claws tore through the air she stood and into the orange haired mage, skewering her against a tree. The hand withdrew, leaving two holes, one through her chest and the other her face, Yen¡¯s lifeless body slumping to the ground. The giant sloth tilted its head away from another snipe from Basem to his frustration. But just on a tree beside, Mujin coiled into a stance and shot forth, spear aiming straight for the creature¡¯s head. And the sloth swung around him, effortlessly. Mujin¡¯s foot stepped on the air but his sixth sense told him he was too slow to move. A cataclysmic shockwave burst him vaulting back from the ground as a purple furred Shin with muscular arms blinked between, meeting the sloth¡¯s lash at the same time with a thunderous quake. Shin blinked again reaching with Quake towards its skull and caught only air, blinking away again to avoid its retaliating claws. A loud monstrous roar turned the beast¡¯s head but there was nothing behind. Ashley emerged from the shadows of a tree at its blindside and lunged. A flickering flash passed harmlessly through her to the sloth¡¯s shock as she sliced out one of its eyes. Angered for the first time, the beast pierced its claws through the smiling reaper, only for her form to disperse in the air and the puppet left behind violently explode. The giant sloth pulled back its hand, two of its three claws broken and snapped its gaze to a sprinting Dante. The charlatan smirked and five giant balls of iron fell from above like comets, their sheer weight crashing the beast into the ground. Wounded and distracted, Basem finally found an opening in his target. A piercing aura swirled around his arrow as he took aim of the killing blow, and a giant mosquito stabbed his arm from behind. Shocked, the hunter swatted it to death but near instantly his arm started to rot, his vision blurred, and he fell from his perch. Kamala caught the boy with her vines and cast a curing spell but her expression was less than reassuring. The beast flickered to its feet and howled in pure rage as its two arms unleashed a storm of lashes all around. Jean severed in parts, just barely replaced with a puppet of the same fate and Ashley melded into the shadows of the ground but others were less fortunate. A lash broke Mujin¡¯s spear and disemboweled him through draconic scales as he darted away. Dante¡¯s right arm severed clean off. And parts of Shin shaved and ripped away, faster than his regeneration could keep up as he fought off all lashes against the vulnerable hunter and priestess healing him. A blinding flash and thundering boom from Dante¡¯s Flashbang paused the beast¡¯s rampage for a moment, allowing the two to move to further safety and Donny slammed into the creature, aura surging over his body and eyes blood red. With a barbarous roar the knight burst after the beast relentlessly, a lash cutting deep into his flesh and slamming him back into a tree doing nothing to stop his mad rampage. As that animalistic battle raged, Yen¡¯s body crumbled to ash where it lay. One by one embers sprouted from the smoldering remains until it bloomed into a blazing inferno, a grand bird of fire. Out of the flames, Yen took form and stepped out reborn with the soulbound gear that remained. Without hesitation, she ignited in flames and scorched through the air. Greater Hold locked the distracted sloth in place as Donny¡¯s axe cleaved down. The orichalcum blade deflected off the beast¡¯s ironclad skin but that did nothing for the stream of fire Yen unleashed as she circled the howling creature. With a roar of desperation, the giant sloth broke free of Hold through sheer strength and lashed at the mage. Its claws passed through her Greater Fire Mimicry inflicting damage only on itself as its paws burned red, but several more forced Yen to retreat, each lash consuming a chunk of her mana to replenish the flames. Donny cleaved his axe again, rend drawing a wave of blood that flowed straight into his veins, fueling his rage further. A calculated lash sending Donny soaring away deeper into the forest but Shin took center stage ready to act fully, the circumstances he¡¯d been waiting on finally arrived. Mara and Kong appeared in all their splendor and brutality as Shin took kitsune form, buffing them by half with his armbands and overshadowing himself. A screeching Mindfray assaulted the sloth¡¯s mind as Kong blinked behind, heavy palm of thundering impact missing as the beast flickered away. The two spirits repeated the strategy again but the beast was wise to the ploy, lashing towards Shin as he sprint through the air, a concentrated Quake pulsing in his palm. Shin reached his hand out and let the beast¡¯s claws sever through his shoulder as he Glared directly into its eyes as Mara assaulted its mind once more. Karla shot down from above, too fast for the beast to react in time with the burden on its mind. She spun a kick down, Sunder cracking away the iron colored coating and a second slamming a wrecking kick down with all her might, cratering the beast into the ground. Hazy and injured, but not yet dead, the sloth for the first time in its fight decided to flee, but a white masked boy met its eyes just before its face, and Shin planted the enhanced Quake deep into its skull, shattering everything within. The giant sloth twitched on the ground but soon feel still and its status laid bare. [Mylorang (legendary) - Intermediate Monarch] Strength - 2646 Agility - 3470 Constitution - 2006 Vitality - 2102 Dexterity - 2820 Perception - 2350 Force - 1240 Spirit - 2476 Control - 1432 Willpower - 1678 Skills: Greater Lash, Greater Ironclad, Body Flicker, Haste, Stealth, Traits: Unnoticeable (mythic), Rapid Reflexes (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Elastic Arms (epic), Nightvision (epic), Shin harvested its soul with the limited mana he had left but before the party could fully regroup, Donny charged back in a mad craze, blinded and impaired by the Greater Rage he relied on. With the beast he imprinted his hostility on now dead, he lunged at Shin nearest in his sights but a force locked him in place. ¡°Bind him till he runs out!¡± Yen yelled with some urgency. Roots shot out of the ground and hardened around the raging knight and more added. Donny thrashed and stomped, the plants ripping and tearing but Ashley appeared in front with a sweet smile and enthralling eyes. ¡°Wake up~¡± Soon the knight¡¯s movements turned sluggish and the empowering aura around him vanished. His head nodded and jolted as he slipped in and out of consciousness but in short time regained his senses fully, seeing the reaper¡¯s face first. ¡°Thanks¡­ Everyone still alive?¡± He asked immediately. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Basem is not doing well.¡± Kamala informed them, doing everything she could but the young hunter wreathed in pain on the ground as disease racked his body. ¡°A curse. Exorcism is too slow. He needs greater resistance.¡± Dante flickered in front of the party now fully gathered, holding a plant bearing three blood fruit. He fused them into a medium fruit and tossed it over to Kamala who fed it to Basem at once. ¡°Improve your Curse Resistance.¡± Basem didn¡¯t respond but he swallowed it whole and soon the rot began the subside from his body, slowly but surely. ¡°All this for three fruit¡­¡± Donny rubbed his still aching head. He looked around at the party, damaged and worn. Dante¡¯s arm only just starting to regrow and Mujin¡¯s severed torso not fully healed. ¡°Time to call it a day, yeah. We¡¯re not ready for this area yet.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Yen couldn¡¯t deny that at all, not after this fight. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re heading back to the beach soon as everyone¡¯s fixed up.¡± Blood wreathed from the giant sloth into the grand knight. ¡°Time for some training.¡± Chapter 82 Black energy coated Shin¡¯s dark purple arms as the skull helmed tribe chief mauled him back a step. A hail of clawed strikes followed but Shin weathered them all unarmed. The strange and all encompassing power of Yin nullifying, consuming almost, the aura enveloping the blood orc¡¯s arms and the Constitution and Leather Hide of a mangani enduring the raw power of the blow. [Yin has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] Shin slipped around the next strike, white mana coating his fist as he slammed it into the chief¡¯s body, cracking a few ribs. Yang was the opposite. It did not nullify, but ignore. Ignored not only skills but traits as well, the chief¡¯s Iron Body trait helpless as the heavy strike fractured and dented all over. Shin had maintained this exact pattern the last two days in pursuit of an immediate goal, one Inari was growing increasingly restless in wait of. The skills he had chosen for that goal were, if he was blunt, transcendental. There was nothing else that reached this extent that he had encountered or even seen as options. To nullify or bypass any and all mana was universally applicable and effective as all traits, skills, and abilities used mana as a basis. Even aura was merely an altered form of mana. [Yang has reached lvl 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] Shin hopped back and dismissed the form of Kong. The tribe chief charged and two arrows punctured its skull, a third barely sinking arrowhead deep into its neck. Basem click his teeth at the rear from the failed upgrade once again. The hunter had been fully cured soon after they reached back to the outer edge of the cliffs, his dilapidated arm cut off and restored to full health. The party had all been cured of their wounds and afflictions since their venture into the valley, save for the curse that still lined Shin¡¯s eyes. A blood orc lunged from the jungle but its head shattered at the end of Karla¡¯s foot immediately. The amazon had by far been the most eager in the constant training Chariot had imposed on themselves, not entirely uninfluenced by her Tireless trait giving her infinite stamina, and effortlessly keeping her in the peak of physical and mental performance. A trait shared by the grand knight that charged forth to meet the orcs bounding from the other side. Shin jumped over to back near Kamala and Jean with the rest of his shift team, and focused all his attention on the skills imagined within his palms. The two contrasting forces clashed against each other, refusing to mix. But Shin¡¯s will was overpowering and he made them meld into one. [Yin and Yang have fused into the legendary tier skill Yin Yang.] But Shin did not stop there. He took hold of the new skill and will it into another. Inari¡¯s will resonated in turn, proudly and selfishly. However, even then with the two in unison, something refused them. Blocked them as if the skills lay opposite sides of a boundary. A trance fell over Shin, as he rested a hand on that boundary, and erased it. Sparks of red lightning flickered over his body, weakening, suppressing him, but the light shone over him still, and his will fulfilled. [Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian has become Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Throneguard.] It was not a tier upgrade, but an improvement from variant to elite. Shin wasted no time answering the voice urging within his soul. Inari¡¯s silk clothes had become even more illustrious, now an equal mix of white and black, embroidered with elegant red designs. A taijitu symbol now appeared on the hilt of each of her swords. [Sorcerous Kitsune Throneguard (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 900 Agility - 1201 Constitution - 536 Vitality - 723 Dexterity - 952 Perception - 786 Force - 1199 Spirit - 996 Control - 735 Willpower - 970 Skills: Yin Yang lvl. 1, Foxfire lvl. 1, Slash lvl. 1, Glare lvl. 1, Holy Fire lvl. 1, Grand Sword Combat lvl. 1, Burst lvl. 1, Swift lvl. 1, Traits: Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Impious (legendary), Greater Balanced (epic), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Foxtail (epic), Nightvision (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Charming Resistance (epic), The 20% increase to all stats was welcome and much needed, but more importantly were the abilities gained. Yin Yang went without saying, but Inari now sported two additional traits. Greater Impious gave her greater resistance against celestial forces, just as hallowed did for infernal and undeath. And Greater Balanced gave her not only affinity for both but an ability to consolidate them as one. Inari didn¡¯t smile as she normally did with each boon she received, but instead flashed off into the fray relentless wielding her skills to slaughter any and all orcs within her reach. The latest tribe fell to the last in no time, but her mood did not improve as she glanced briefly at Kamala before returning to Shin¡¯s side in wait of her next prey. Surrounded by corpses, Karla silently looked at her fist yet again while light shattered around Donny. ¡°What¡¯s the trait that keeps you from dying?¡± The knight asked Shin. ¡°Survival State.¡± Donny made his selection immediately, the first among the epic tiers to upgrade their class, and ate three golden fruit as walked over to Basem to talk about something. At the same time, Shin headed off into the jungle alone. [Human Blood Knight (legendary) - Greater Lord] Her attention momentarily stolen for a moment by the new blood knight, Yen looked back to Mujin, draconic scales receding from his body. He had been following her advise, prioritizing that above all other skills, though he did need two more legendary tiers in order to advance. Same as herself. On that thought, she glanced over at Dante, who had been right about everything he said on the island. Self deprecation swept over her once more at the thought. Greed and desperation had blinded her with the lure of power that dangled just within reach, blinded her that she had ignored the danger lurking beneath and forgotten herself. ¡°What¡¯s up with your illusions? It still looks like the mana of real people even with Greater Clearsight. Is that a trait?¡± She started a topic to dispel the thoughts that continued the haunt her. ¡°A skill.¡± Dante gestured and raw mana took the shape of a bird besides him. ¡°Mana Projection. Use it on its own or enhance the quality of other skills. Supplementary. By the way, you can acquire it naturally starting with Mana Emission.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yen had seen mana controlling skills in her choices from the start but there had always been something more pressing. If she could gain it naturally, that changed a few things. Though she would have to wait until she upgraded her class, having no free space at the moment. Shin returned, blemished and affliction abound, and stood calmly by Kamala as she once again tried to upgrade her curing skills. She was to be the backbone of the party. Even if everyone gained Greater Resistances, that was no immunity. They stood no chance in the valley without the ability to cure legendary tier afflictions. The monsters available made for poor practice tools, blood orcs possessing Greater Resistances and sickly blood orcs dying far too quickly. Shin had taken the role himself as the one most able to suppress the affliction and endure their torment. ¡°I am sorry¡­¡± Kamala spoke as she healed, though Shin only tilted his head in slight confusion. ¡°For having to bare with this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He smiled. ¡°...is that so.¡± ¡°The moon keeps getting bigger~¡± Ashley held her scythe behind in a casual stance, gazing at the moon. A third full, matching the duration of the stage, and a glowing blood red, enchanting and ominous. ¡°Definitely has something to do with the main boss.¡± The party''s resident expert on all things fantasy chimed in with her thoughts. ¡°Anything come to mind?¡± Yen was somewhat taken back by Kamala¡¯s genuine inquiry for her thoughts, though composed herself quickly. ¡°No idea. There¡¯s not much connection between jungle orcs, dinosaurs, and the moon. Obviously blood is the main theme, but doesn¡¯t seem based on anything. Nothing in folklore or mythology?¡± ¡°Not that I am aware.¡± ¡°A red star~¡± Ashley smiled in the moonlight. ¡°When it falls, everything will be gone~¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Yen¡¯s expression shifted a bit, slightly unnerved at how she couldn¡¯t tell exactly how much the pale lunatic was joking about everyone dying. ¡°...you got a vampire trait, don¡¯t you?¡± Yen asked something that had been on her mind for a while. ¡°Busted~¡± Yen blushed as Ashley stared over with enchanting beauty. Another trait, she knew, something she gained from the auction that made herself naturally alluring to all who laid eyes on her. A constant issue they all had to deal with as she found it more amusing to keep it unsuppressed most of the time, one that would have been much harder had Yen not had the Diamond Mind trait. ¡°...what does it do?¡± Yen did her best to suppress the harassment. ¡°I wonder~¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yen looked over at the moon, deep in thought. ¡°We just need to be stronger so we can handle whatever comes. --- Inari darted around, ghostly blue flame shining within her swords sharply as she beheaded any foul orc that dared draw near. Shin had prioritized her along with Kong and Mara to allow their new skills to improve and importantly Inari¡¯s summon time to return to the two hours it formerly was. An important aspect considering she now cost 750 mana. But he had not neglected himself. [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365) Control - 150 [225] (292) Willpower - 100 [150] (195) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 9, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Greater Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Resistance, Disease Resistance, Curse Resistance, Strong Body, Iron Mind, Strong Soul, He had upgraded Spirit Gyro and Channelling in concert. Channelling was perhaps the most important of the two, despite the sheering power of Greater Spirit Gyro, now able to enhance a spell fivefold. With Quake he could rupture a blood orc to a puddle of blood and gore, or blast such force to break half a tribe beyond repair. Fusing and handing over Yin and Yang to Inari also opened two skill slots for him but for now he decided to leave those free. Greater Lambast had seen a marked improvement, now able to break a blood orc¡¯s soul in two strikes, or just one if he channelled it. Claws scraped across a scaled shirtless Mujin with friction as he allowed himself to be battered repeatedly. An ungraceful way to train, but an effective one. The blood orc roared with rage as it rained down deadly blows on the prey that refused to fall but nothing it did could do much more than scratch the draconic scales. A frustrated bash sent Mujin sliding across the sand and it charged again, but this time met a the honed stance of a warrior. Mujin shifted his body ready to attack, and a flaming sword pierced through the orc¡¯s skull just out of his range, the blue fires setting it ablaze for nothing but derision. Inari looked at Mujin for only a moment to let him know his place as she returned to Shin¡¯s side. Mujin himself checked his surroundings before focusing on the space before his eyes, light shattering off his body as he soon came to a contested decision. [Human Dragoon (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°What did you pick?¡± Yen was the first to ask, and the most interested. ¡°Dragon Veins. Force of magic skills is added by half of Vitality.¡± ¡°Oh, good choice.¡± Her expression brighten up, genuinely impressed. ¡°I like the lightning dragon theme too. It¡¯s a good concept.¡± Mujin found himself slightly flustered which didn¡¯t escape her notice. ¡°What, embarrassed?¡± A mischievous smirk replaced her former expression as his uncharacteristic bashfulness made her want to tease him more. Donny looked to the horizon, dim light just starting to return to the island. ¡°Don¡¯t have much time left. Might as well start today.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A more serious demeanor took over Yen, resolved and mindful. [Human Firestarter (legendary) - Greater Lord] [Human Strider (legendary) - Greater Lord] Mujin was not the only other to have improved, Yen and Basem having done so days before. More importantly, Kamala had upgraded and maxed all of her curing spells. It was the twentieth day now and they knew that to wait much longer would be throwing away the opportunity before them. Donny looked over to Jean, the question did not need to be spoken out loud. ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°So confident~¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s try this again.¡± The puppeteer headed off first, leading the party through the jungle once again. The traps and afflictions and even the blood orc tribes they now occasionally encountered an easy chore. Shin¡¯s curse still hadn¡¯t been removed, even by Kamala¡¯s Greater Exorcize, which could only mean they were dealing with a mythic tier curse. A problem that could be fixed with time but time was the thing they lacked most of all, and Shin had a goal. ¡°Person.¡± Basem alerted, detecting them first, with Shin soon after. ¡°Warm up.¡± Chariot moved at Donny¡¯s words confronting the lone man in an instant. Bare chested donning fur hide pants, a leather belt and shoes with a single gladiator¡¯s pauldron strapped over, he stood seven feet tall of solid muscle as if power had been sculpted into form, surrounded by corpses of players. Long red hair swaying lightly in the breeze he turned silently, golden eyes meeting them unconcerned with all around him. [Human Ravager (legendary) - Greater Lord] Kamala¡¯s face fell just slightly for the first time since the trial began, and Attila burst forward, breaking through the ward Shin made as though it were paper. His fist crumpled in the shield shaped wing Kamala just managed to cover between them, the impact blasting her away through the air, shockwaves rippling through the jungle. Karla slammed a thunderous Haymaker into the side of his head but it didn¡¯t even move him. She parried a heavy palm and kicked his torso, Ravage doing nothing either. A flying knee through his grasping arms struck with the stunning power of Concuss and her elbow followed with the breaking force of Smash but Attila didn¡¯t so much as blink an eye. Smiling wide with piercing eyes Karla blitzed around the red haired hercules raining down viscous blows. Attila fought back but her sheer ability overwhelmed him, and eventually, he started to move, each blow rocking him back a step. But aura surged and he swung his arm so mightily it broke through Karla¡¯s greater bastion and sent her crashing away through the trees. An arrow bounced harmlessly off his eye to Basem¡¯s shock. Ashley¡¯s scythe clanged against his neck as Mujin¡¯s spear stopped short on chest. He reached for both and they darted away as Donny crashed into him shield first. But that didn¡¯t budge him either. Dante blinked Donny away before the ravager¡¯s hand crushed the air where his head had been, as glinting cinder dust stuck to Attila¡¯s body. A blazing bolt of fire followed, exploding violently and blazed into an eruption of even hotter flames. The smoke and dust clear as Chariot returned to the smoldering ashes of the blast zone, and found Attila waiting, still unharmed. Shin in kitsune form planted a strike of wisping green aura but felt no feedback. He blinked away from the retaliating strike, appearing behind as Mara sang Mindfrays at Attila¡¯s mind. Green wisps formed around his fist once more and surged as he channelled them fully, slamming Greater Lambast into his back. And felt nothing. Shin kicked away as the red haired titan swung around and a segmented snake puppet coiled through the air, spewing musty yellow smoke, a paralytic poison created from the legendary tier skrat fang glands. The mist drifted down into the earth leaving Attila behind, his gaze unchanged as he stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s pointless.¡± Kamala raised her voice at her return, a hint of tension in her tone. ¡°He is indestructible, body, mind and soul. Immune to all things.¡± A force locked Attila in place. ¡°Bind him!¡± Yen yelled at the hovering priestess. Kamala pause only an instant before roots shot up and hardened around the man, vines and branches surging forth to lock him in place. Shin threw a ball of ghostly blue flames that blazed around the man¡¯s head, burning all the air it touched. Like this they held, waiting for the suffocation to take effect. But the flames died out and Attila remained. He ripped his way out of the hardened plants with his bare hands, holding them out to his side like wings. ¡°Inferiors.¡± He clapped his hands together, the shockwave tearing the ground and air around him in an instant, blasting away everyone who couldn¡¯t avoid the impact. He burst again towards Kamala with the aim to kill but his blow stopped short on Donny¡¯s fortress, and the blood knight grinned. A giant metal ball cratered Attila into the ground from above. Cracks shot through the ball and broke it to pieces as the ravager lifted to his feet, right into Ashley¡¯s hypnotic eyes. He swiped at her head but caught only shadows and a fist slammed into his face as Karla resumed her relentless barrage of peerless skill. She fought without care of Attila¡¯s invincibility, a crushing blow sending him reeling off balance. And Shin appeared behind, quake trembling in his palm, and struck up. Attila¡¯s face tensed for the first time as he realized eyeless invoker¡¯s aim. His body stood unmoving from the thunderous quake but a vicious elbow knocked him into the ground. Karla pursued, doing everything in her power to destroy the indestructible, and Shin haunted around in the purple furred form of a beast, smashing a giant palm up at every single opening. Attila took the strikes from Karla clean, rendering himself immovable against Shin¡¯s strikes as he tried to kill the true threat. But slowly he whittled down. A perfect kick sent him crashing across the ground and Shin blinked behind at the perfect timing, raising a leathery palm. And Attila burst around with a surge of aura, blasting Shin¡¯s head to pieces with a swing of his arm. Attila stared coldly at his inferior victim. But Shin¡¯s palm slammed into him all the same, crashing him up into the air. Before he could gather his thoughts, Shin flickered at his blindside, Quake channelled deeply in his palm, and thrust Attila away. A ripple of sonic booms burst around Shin as the red haired immortal blurred through the air, far across the ocean. And a giant serpent snapped the scion of Atreus in its jaw, swallowing him whole in the blink of an eye, submerging back into the forbidden depths. Shin dropped back down where the rest of Chariot regathered and dismissed his invoke. ¡°Fuck!¡± Yen cursed with deep frustration. ¡°Complete invulnerability to everything?! That¡¯s fucking bullshit, how is that allowed?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone now.¡± Donny reasoned, substantially less bothered. ¡°No¡­¡± The knight paused for a moment in response to Kamala, but the situation was a bit too serious to be entirely reserved. ¡°You know a lot about him.¡± ¡°...he is the crown prince of Atreus. For three thousand years their goal was to bring into their bloodline the perfect being, and they finally succeeded with him¡­ I was to be wed to him¡­¡± ¡°Is that what your brother and that old king kept talking about? Why are they so obsessed with you if they have him?¡± Yen asked less tactfully. ¡°Lay off a bit, Yen. Can¡¯t be asking too many personal questions just cause the world ended.¡± Yen stuttered a little in silence, feeling a bit guilty. Kamala kept her silence as she tried to urge the words she thought she needed to say from her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She looked up to Shin standing calmly in front with a slight smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be anything. You can be anything.¡± Kamala¡¯s eyes widened slightly, tension in her face calming and a trace of warmth slipping into her stoic expression. ¡°That''s right!¡± Dante slapped a hand on Shin¡¯s shoulder with a wide smile. ¡°We should all live how we want, no matter what!¡± Donny glanced around with the mood lightening up. ¡°Anyone use up too much just now? No? Let¡¯s get back on track then.¡± ¡°I wanted to fight more.¡± Karla complained to Shin, though her expression remained the same. It was less of a complaint that simply stating a matter of fact. ¡°After we get all the blood fruit.¡± Shin answered, understanding the subtext between what she said. ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Jean read the room and led the way through the jungle, continuing their path back to the valley of death. Chapter 83 The screeching raptor horde curved away after the fleeing illusions as the real Chariot snuck away from under a veiled cover, wasting no time on them. They travelled carefully in tight formation, dealing with every lunging threat as efficiently as possible. It was not the forest they headed to this second time, but the wide open meadow of flowing grass. They crouched under the cover of some trees just away from the field and Dante conjured two sets of illusions, just three nondescript players each and veiled one group. The illusions sprinted out over the field as fast A the party itself could move, and creatures from the sky struck down like lightning, their beaks spearing the unveiled illusions at a speed far too dangerous to risk. Massive birds with long necks and huge narrow beaks, standing taller than a troll as they walked on their clawed wings like bats. They glanced around with beady eyes before taking back to the air again, the veiled illusions left untouched. The party gave each other silent looks of approval, and Dante cast shawl over them this time. Carefully and swiftly they crossed over the grassland, Dante taking measures to hide even the ruffles of grass, and soon they reached the other side without issue. Through the shrubbery and smaller trees they snuck, coming to the large river that flowed through the whole of the valley. A mile across the river stretched, a chain of large stones flat enough to jump across lining before them, same as two other sets off in the distance to their sides. ¡°Fish in the water.¡± Basem reported. ¡°Are the rocks the trap or is it a double bluff?¡± Yen wondered out loud. ¡°Flying over feels too easy¡­¡± Dante conjured two more people one burst over the rock path and the other taking the sky. In the blink of an eye a giant piranha shredding the running illusion and faster still a pelican like bird with huge fanged beak snapped through the flying one. ¡°I hate this place¡­¡± Yen grumbled, danger abundant at every opportunity on the sadistic island. Shin cast a ward over the path and flickered across. A piranha shattered the barrier in an instant but Shin burst to the next rock in time and again and again, just barely avoiding the lunging fish. He stepped on the next stone and a longer, slicker piranha stretched its jaws around him. Shin blinked away from the prehistoric fish too fast to avoid, and the jaws of another snapped around him midway from his destination, propelling him off the stone path. He tried to blink again but the skill failed between creatures jaw. His hair reddened and regal green and blue feathers adorned his body as he flew himself as the fish higher in the air. A snapping flash tore the fish out of the sky along with most of his body, and he blinked back consecutively to the party. Instant regeneration restoring his body whole in a moment, at a substantial mana cost. ¡°Too fast to dodge, can¡¯t teleport¡­ They don¡¯t jump high but the birds are worse. What¡¯s the move here?¡± Donny asked. Basem darted across the stones without a word, slower than Shin but not a single piranha appeared. He stepped on the bank of the other side and inspected the area before turning around. ¡°They only come from the right.¡± Basem pointed to his left. ¡°Sometimes there¡¯s nothing there. Only for a moment. I¡¯ll tell you when.¡± ¡°Me, Jean, Kamala, and Dante aren¡¯t fast enough.¡± Donny argued. Shin hopped next to Kamala with a smile and Ashley hugged Jean from behind. ¡°You carry Donny, I can¡¯t lift all that armor.¡± Yen told Karla as she walked over to Dante, but the charlatan wagged his finger with three clicks of his tongue as he walked to the stone path, orange glowing runic symbols spreading across his body. Basem understood the implication and turned his focus completely to the river, waiting patiently. ¡°Now.¡± Dante flickered across the stones as quickly as Basem had, reaching the other side safely. Mujin stepped up next, waiting on the signal and sped across even faster. Ashley dragged Jean over and even carrying him outpaced all the others. Yen glanced around and steeled her nerves with a sigh, soaring over low the moment Basem gave the clear, her relief apparent upon her success. ¡°So how-¡± Karla slung Donny over her shoulders like a sack and burst over the stone setting him down on bank to Yen¡¯s snickers. Shin picked Kamala up upon her silent permission and stepped to the starting line. ¡°N-¡± Shin stepped on the first stone the moment sound left Basem¡¯s mouth and the river rushed more violently. He darted back immediately just barely avoiding a lunging piranha. ¡°Fish everywhere!¡± He informed the remaining duo. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Should we just wait it out?¡± Yen suggested. ¡°How long will this last though?¡± ¡°Raptors!¡± Basem shouted at them, and charging behind were a horde of the red scaled reptiles, bounding straight for Shin and Kamala. Shin took only an instant to decide, invoking Inari and overshadowing with the swirl of greater haste. He held Kamala perfectly still, and stepped on the bank of the other side, leaving behind a stream of leaping piranhas in his wake. Some of the raptors tried to follow and were snatched away, devoured beneath the bloodied waters. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any time.¡± The party carried on, sneaking through the sparse tropical forest on the other side of the valley, clusters of large fern leaved trees the most common scattered haphazardly among patches of empty grassland, the towering mountain range still in the distance. It didn¡¯t take long for them to come across a large lake within a clearing, and more importantly a thin small tree bearing three red fruit. ¡°Looks real.¡± Donny mused. ¡°Then it¡¯s bait. You can¡¯t see what¡¯s in the lake?¡± Yen asked Basem and silence was his answer. Shin crept around the lake at an angle, overshadowed kitsune form blitzes straight towards the fruit, and the massive jaws of a giant crocodile snapped up from the lake. Shin appeared by the party out of his blink, instantly regeneration replacing his missing arm. ¡°Make a shadow over there~¡± Ashley told Dante. Dante walked over to a stone and rested his hand on it, the stone teleporting just to the side of the plant, casting a short shadow. Ashley sank between her own and a hand reached out from the dark beside the fruit. A lash of a claw of some sort struck out and Ashley re-emerged behind the party with a bleeding hand. ¡°Ha ha~ What even is that~?¡± The blood draining down her hand reabsorbed back into her and her hand regenerated. ¡°If it¡¯s not a speed thing, it has to be a stealth check.¡± Yen said. ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jean withdrew a simple puppet, almost like a training dummy, and dumping it on the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t die~¡± Jean¡¯s presence disappeared and he turned invisible to all but four of the party. Carefully he crept over to the blood fruit, closer and closer, with no sign of the monster lurking beneath the water. Jean plucked the plant and the green scaled jaws snapped over him. The party glanced over to Jean crouching where his puppet had been. The apathetic puppeteer rose to his feet and handed Shin the plant. ¡°Wow, that was actually cool.¡± Yen half teased. ¡°Just need to do that three more times now.¡± Donny said as Shin ate a medium blood fruit. Three vicious snaps rang throughout the valley in quick succession as the party found three more lakes, each with a single plant and each stolen by Jean employing the same method to the same success. Shin fused them into a large fruit and finally upgraded. [Greater Curse Resistance has become Curse Immunity.] Shin waited for a few moments, the black splotch across his eyes shifting just slightly but quickly settled to nothing further. ¡°Didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°What? This doesn¡¯t make any sense, it¡¯s mythic immunity.¡± ¡°Just means the curse is above mythic, innit.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Yen glanced over at invoker. ¡°Did you piss off a god or something? I thought they couldn¡¯t interfere with us here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Fairy kind are often ascribed incomprehensible powers in mythology. That only Shin has been affected and in this way lends credence to some sort of spirit god behind it.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°Oi, didn¡¯t you say something about demons too?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Yeah. Not sure. Felt weird.¡± ¡°Well.. fuck, we have to keep playing on hard mode¡­¡± Yen moaned. ¡°No point complaining. Made it this far, just gotta keep going.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know¡­¡± The party moved on, as Shin thought silently about the cold yellow eyes he had seen in the world of colors. --- In the late stages of dusk, Chariot crossed the grassy meadows under the cover of Shawl. It had been a mildly productive day. There weren¡¯t too many lakes to be found but blood fruit seemed to bloom in random places as well, although most harbored some sort of danger. Each had managed to gain three more fruit each, aside from Shin who had already monopolized twelve from before. ¡°Not worth the risk.¡± Yen grumbled as they crossed through the cliff chasm. ¡°What kind of asshole stage design is this¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, not looking good at this pace.¡± Donny agreed. ¡°Should we try the mountains?¡± ¡°Probably best to stick-¡± The rumbling of an avalanche jolted their sights up to massive stones and boulders falling all over from above. Shin channeled a quake in his palm and sent a rippling wave up, shattering all to pieces. Mara appeared at his side and erected a ward over them as they ran. A hail of rocks peppered the ward and then arrows and spells, breaking through only to find a second and third layer beneath. Ashley slipped away and Dante blinked Karla up the cliff side with him, both soon appearing amongst the mob of players for a slaughter. Basem shot an arrow ahead exploding some sort of invisible explosive and Jean dismantled the traps remaining, allowing the rest of the party to escape the chasm. Yen turned to fire and soared up above the sky, two bolts of fire swirling in her hands the intense flames concentrated even further, and fired. The massive explosions wiped out large swathes of the the enemy players furthest from the two women wrecking havoc among their ranks. Soon the rest scattered, by fear or prudence, one of the latter a tanned man with black hair and a thin beard, unbothered by the carnage. The man recognizable from his Great Perception victory over Rama gave only an look of interest as he slipped away with a group that seemed more capable than the rank and file. Karla lost interest at the quality of her opponents, while Ashley singled out one of the fleeing players at random to kill for no particular reason. ¡°Fucking bandits now¡­¡± Donny commented as Chariot regrouped and headed into the jungle. ¡°You did not just say that¡­¡± ¡°Nah, nah, we¡¯re self employed mercenaries. There¡¯s a professionalism to it, yeah.¡± Basem glanced over at something the knight said but kept silent. ¡°Either way, we can handle the valley like this. Just need to keep raiding in until we get lucky.¡± ¡°Fuck luck. We need to find where they¡¯re hiding the fruit and find some clues about the boss so we can win this thing.¡± ¡°That works too.¡± --- Attila emerged from the deep waters onto the island, dragging a giant serpent¡¯s head behind out of nothing but spite for the hours he spent captive within, his arrogant detached expression replaced with simmering rage. Rage he would inflict on all who dared deny him. Chapter 84 A stream of pressure followed the blare of an elephant¡¯s trumpet surging against the mana shield Mara formed in front of the party. Karla burst across it, jumping and twisting over the surge of air as the giant woolly mammoth aimed its trunk at her, landing a crushing blow to the monster¡¯s skull, blood bursting out of its eyes and ears. A second charged from the side with thundering steps and a stream of fire burnt it to char effortlessly. Yen paid it not a moment¡¯s more thought. Her class upgrade had brought her flames to a whole new level. Cinder was the fundamental skill, a highly volatile and combustible dust that stuck to her target and enhanced any fire that struck it. But she hardly needed to use it due to the trait she chose. Greater Fire Amplification, recently upgraded to mythic tier Fire Overwhelming, granting a tenfold potency to all fire element abilities. A level of power she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle with her Control if not for the Loved by Magic trait, upgraded from Magic Affinity she had acquired from the auction. The two had made her amulet and mantle obsolete, switching them out for an epic tier belt they looted giving her the much needed Hawkeye trait and a bracelet that triple the power of immobilizing skills. She had briefly considered taking Kamala¡¯s head necklace which tripled abjuration skills, as the priestess hadn¡¯t need for it any longer, but the party had an abundant of magical defenses and no crowd control as direct as her¡¯s, so the bracelet she chose. [Mastodon (epic) - Intermediate Monarch] Strength - 2279 Agility - 735 Constitution - 1951 Vitality - 1702 Dexterity - 655 Perception - 938 Force - 520 Spirit - 725 Control - 739 Willpower - 816 Skills: Bash, Stomp, Trumpet, Charge, Traits: Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Cold Resistance (epic), Leather Hide (epic), Nightvision (epic), Shin harvested the two mastodon souls and the party started to leave, loud noises tending to attract more monsters for them to waste mana on, but a herd of mastodon charged over led by large variant covered in rock like armor. [Rockhide Mastodon (epic) - Intermediate Monarch] Suddenly a massive reptile with a huge head and hardened jaw charged through the pack and chomped on its leader. The rockhide mastodon bellowed in pain but dermal armor kept the tyrannosaur¡¯s fangs from sinking further. Enraged, it lifted the mastodon whole and thrashed its head until a massive chunk of the beast¡¯s hard body ripped out and its corpse crashed on the ground. The herd scattered in fear and the towering monster turned its sights on the party. Yen intensified a bolt of fire in her hand and the the tyrannosaur charged forth with thundering power, its snarling blaring roar sending a chill of fear down her back. Mujin roared back, any traces of fear or hesitation purged from his body and he let loose a wave of lightning, stunning the monster for a brief moment. Yen snapped out of her state and fired. The explosion knocked the monster into thick trees, gravely injured and burned but it rose still. Ashley slipped between the shadows of the forest slicing through parts of the monster as it chomped back, ripping through an iron barked tree with each bite. Karla ruptured part of its organs at the side but it wasn¡¯t enough. The beast turned and chomped madly at the amazon as she dodged just enough to stay in range, slamming the monster with hard strikes. The tyrannosaur roared again and charged past. It spun, the swing of its tail shattered a forming ward and slammed into Donny¡¯s shield, the sheer impact of the diminished blow knocking some back. Shin blinked over the monster, pushing a storm of vibration in its skull, ending the giant reptile for good. [Tyrannosaur (legendary) - Intermediate Monarch] Strength - 4559 Agility - 2470 Constitution - 2903 Vitality - 2402 Dexterity - 1510 Perception - 2076 Force - 1240 Spirit - 1450 Control - 1478 Willpower - 2232 Skills: Greater Chomp, Greater Lash, Greater Roar, Greater Charge, Traits: Greater Razor Fangs (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Tough Scales (epic), Nightvision (epic), ¡°Hey, we could have handled that.¡± Yen lectured. ¡°Strength is a lot easier than speed.¡± ¡°Waste too much time.¡± Shin explained as Dante threw him the fruit they were here for in the first place. It wasn¡¯t the time it would take to defeat the legendary tier creature, but the time they¡¯d need to recover the energy expended. It was by far their biggest limitation. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. [Disease Resistance has become the legendary tier trait Greater Disease Resistance.] Progress had been slow this last few days. For Shin he still needed to upgrade the remaining two greater resistances to immunities, as well as the durabilities Iron Mind, Strong Body and Strong Soul. A total of 56 small blood fruits required. And he was not the only one. Even Basem with the fewest traits of any of them wasn¡¯t done yet. They had only eight days remaining and at their current rate, they wouldn¡¯t find enough. Basem noticed first, aiming an arrow at the forest but others detected the same soon after. A few dozen players dressed in identical black garbs of an assassin waiting calmly and purposely among the shadows of the forest, each and every one of them registering as greater lord epic tier Spies. On the ground emerged a man in unassuming gear, short brown hair combed neatly to the side and donning round medieval spectacles. [Human Spymaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] A deliberate mind game to all encountered, half of the party realized. It was obvious the brown haired man was altering the status of his subordinates. A simple but effective trick. Along with their identical attire, it was impossible to assess just how strong these ¡®spies¡¯ were or even glean a hint of what skills they possessed. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Jinrou greeted Shin, and Shin alone. ¡°Yeah.¡± The man paused briefly and gave a slight smile. ¡°I imagine you aren¡¯t finding enough fruit. It¡¯s difficult for us even with our foraging teams¡­ Deep in the mountain range, past the borders you see is a region more abundant. Go through the mountains, not over, and do not shed your blood on the way. But it is dangerous, the path and the other side.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Well then¡­ Take care.¡± Jinrou melded back into the forest and his spies with him. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°My father.¡± The answer took Yen a bit by surprise. ¡°I thought since¡­ Nevermind. Can we trust what he said?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°The monsters will get stronger¡­¡± Jean spoke, less fact and more pattern observation. ¡°Yeah, but things are drying up here¡­¡± Donny favored the risk this time, looking at the mountains. ¡°Just try not to die.¡± --- Chariot stood before a damp tunnel. Tiny streams of blood trickled out endlessly but more concerning was the immovable darkness that filled the path. ¡°If truesight doesn¡¯t work, it has to be just genuine darkness then¡­¡± Yen mused. Neither of the several among them able to see more than a few yards in. ¡°Don¡¯t work like genuine darkness.¡± ¡°Feature of the environment. Just how the stage is.¡± Yen glanced over the rocky mountain half covered in a mossy green, and up to the sky. ¡°Which one¡¯s the trap?¡± ¡°The surface.¡± Dante answered confidently. ¡°Any evidence behind that theory?¡± ¡°No.¡± He said, equally confident. ¡°Cool, thanks for your input, professor.¡± Basem skipped at rock through the tunnel, each clack echoing returning increasingly quietly until the sound faded away. Yen turned to him. Ever since the young strider had upgraded Inconspicuous to the same Unnoticeable that monstrous Mylorang possessed it was hard to keep track of him. It wasn¡¯t stealth or a disguise. Unless he made himself apparent in some form, his ¡®presence¡¯, or perhaps more accurately his ¡®existence¡¯ was hidden, even within the all encompassing sphere of Third Eye. Even the equally incomprehensible Shin was not immune to the trait. Truly befitting of a hunter. Before anyone could say anything more, Ashley strolled in without a word, sinking into the darkness. Shrill screeches and the sound of blade cutting through flesh soon followed and then quiet. ¡°All clear~¡± Shin walked in first and the rest followed to various degrees of eagerness. Yen moved slowly, the strange magic at play rendering her unable to see her own hand in front of her face, but she could hear the footsteps of the others around her. A squelching sound of something soft and small beneath her feet sparked a trace of disgust though she put it to the back of her mind as she continued on. Soon a glimmer of light appeared in front and the party exited the tunnel on the other side. They joined Ashley in gazing out on the landscape ahead. Rather than a mountain range, it seemed more of a basin surrounded by a single massive mountainous ring. Prehistoric creatures roamed the uneven terrain filled with hills, plateaus, lakes and trees, although most of them seemed to be herbivores in nature, displaying little of the unrestrained aggression inherent to the rest of the valley. ¡°Fruit.¡± Basem pulled their focus to the goal at hand, two plants side by side just at the base of a rockface in the distance. Jean led them more cautiously than usually over. They tested and prodded, none of their senses, detections or illusionary feints provoking a reaction of any kind. Finally, Jean set out, sneaking over to the plants. His hand brushed the stem and a club shattered a wooden puppet to splinters. At the other end, a blood orc painted in simple white markings rose upright. Larger with more grizzled neanderthal like qualities than the normal orcs, it stood composed with a primitive intelligence. And it blurred. Its club crashed down on the bastion Donny barely managed to cast on his shield, but a second swing of its arm sent him flying away. The orc leaned back as an arrow shot passed its face and blurred again, club raised high behind Ashley. It cratered the ground and its head fell from its body, Ashley twirled her scythe behind. Mujin jolted first, thrusting his spear to the side, but a second orc slipped through and bashed the spearman¡¯s head, draconic scales the only thing keeping it connected to his neck and barely conscious. Yen bound it in place but a burst of strength shattered the spell in an instant. Shin blinked at its side in kitsune form and struck with a green tinged fist. The orc howled but swung its arm back just barely missing Shin as he dodged away. Karla lunged from the opposite side in a brutal flurry. But the orc matched the exchange, both her speed and skill. Its fighting style primitive, savage, and efficient. Basem blinked away from the swing of a third orc and fired, but the orc slipped its head passed and burst next to the hunter again, far too fast. Curving knives forced the blood orc back and something invisible exploded over it. A stream of fire blazed over but the blood orc moved again, vicious club passed through Yen¡¯s fire body. Kamala shot spears of roots towards it, and the first orc rose to its feet, head fully regenerated. Donny crashed the orc away but it landed feet first on the cliff and burst back, club soaring through the air. Bastion covered his shield again and the club stopped short, its other hand mauling half of Donny¡¯s head off. The knight faltered, and his axe sunk into the blood orc¡¯s side. Mangle tore into its flesh and blood gushed out, flowing straight into him as his head regenerated. An illusionary axe feinted the orc back and an arrow pierced through the side of its skull. The blood orc slumped down and Donny stood over, hacking its head to mash. ¡°Step back.¡± Donny did as asked and Yen shot a stream of fire over the corpse, just enough to outburn its regeneration. To his side, a second blood orc laid headless and burning as well and the third maimed and broken beyond repair at the hands of Shin and Karla. [Ancient Blood Orc (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 3897 Agility - 2724 Constitution - 3129 Vitality - 4683 Dexterity - 3156 Perception - 2568 Force - 1536 Spirit - 1725 Control - 1533 Willpower - 1827 Skills: Greater Bash, Supreme Unarmed Combat, Overpower, Burst, Swiftness, Traits: Carnivore (mythic), Primitive Mind (legendary), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Diamond Soul (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Nightvision (epic), ¡°Ridiculous stats¡­¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°Their cooperation is a bigger issue.¡± Kamala spoke. ¡°If they act in more than small groups¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯d be fucked then.¡± Donny changed his destroyed helm for another one. ¡°But even the trials wouldn¡¯t throw a tribe of these things at us.¡± ¡°The trials will do whatever is most likely to kill us.¡± ¡°No risk, no reward.¡± Dante said, as Jean handed him his share of fruit and then Mujin¡¯s. Dante ate a medium while Mujin fused his into a large, finally able to upgrade the last of his main traits, an incident requiring him to obtain greater poison resistance delaying that goal. ¡°It¡¯s Dragon Heart now. Gives all of Vitality to Force.¡± He promptly reported to Yen. ¡°Good for you. No¡­ I mean, that''s good.¡± Yen fixed her misdirected annoyance part way. ¡°Alright, break time¡¯s over. Don¡¯t have much time between crossing over here and getting back before night, let¡¯s not waste any of it.¡± Donny absorbed all the blood from the sole unburnt blood orc and the party head off once more. The battlefield in their wake, as well as in the distance, a small splash of blood on the grass where Donny had been knocked away to. Chapter 85 An ancient blood orc roared as the mighty apex of these lands and Ashley beheaded it. A few seconds of flames burnt its neck to char, ending its regeneration and life. To the sides, Shin landed three quick wisping green punches and the life left his orc¡¯s eyes while Karla ruptured the insides of the third and cracked its head open with a kick. Jean retrieved the two plants, handing one share to Donny. This was their eighth victory over a trio of ancient blood orcs, enough to gain expertise in killing them. Although most did not come as easy as this. Chariot had decided on a shift system for these battles, of a different order than the nights. Shin, Ashley, and Karla could handle a trio with ease but they couldn¡¯t just allow their strongest members to deplete their mana in this unforgiving land. Thus, the second shift comprised of everyone else, a necessary split as none of those seven had the speed to keep up with brutal blood orcs efficiently. In a group, they could at least coordinate and overwhelm them in sheer numbers. ¡°How much time we got?¡± ¡°...three hours.¡± Basem answered the knight. It was hard to tell the exact time in the basin with the uneven terrain and mountain range blocking the horizon. Fortunately, Basem had an uncanny knack for keeping track of the time and determining the cycle of the day, an expertise he had informed them wasn¡¯t from the system in curse laden crash critique. ¡°Need at least two to make it back to the cliffs before dark, just to be safe. Two more then call it a day.¡± ¡°Or three, just putting that out there.¡± Yen said. ¡°Greedy woman.¡± Basem derided, his choice of words deliberately less colorful. ¡°The sooner everyone finishes, the sooner we can stop coming here.¡± She shot back. ¡°Unless you want to be the fodder that gets annihilated to show how dangerous the big bad is to the people that matter.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t a game, Yen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny, cause there¡¯s numbers on a screen right in front of my face.¡± ¡°Yeah, you should see someone about that.¡± Half of the party¡¯s eyes jolted to Donny as ten ancient blood orcs lunged towards him. Donny¡¯s own gaze barely had time to shift in their direction as Shin blinked in front and spread a wave of quake blasting the orcs away. The painted neanderthals crashed and slide across the ground and a firebolt exploded in a dome of flame and impact at their center. Some were knocked away but the rest charged again, charred and torn flesh healing rapidly. Yen flew towards lone blood orc knocked to the side, and two others pursued. But a purple ape palm slapped one into the other and the two orcs faced down Shin. Some of Chariot rushed to claim their own opponents while others met the charge of the orcs that remained. Mujin shifted around a blood orc¡¯s club with lightning reflexes and flickered his spear, shearing through the side of its neck. But the orc grabbed the spear and the titanic impact of its foot into Mujin¡¯s stomach sent him crashing away. He flipped to his feet, drawing a spare spear as the orc broke his in half with a tight grip. Mujin braced himself. Greater Dragon Scales had spared him the worst of that hit but with no regeneration to rely on, he could not take them endlessly. He felt the blur of the club descending on his skull before his eyes saw it, and flashed away on reflex. A second lunging strike scoured the air and he shifted away, this time at the orc¡¯s side. The piercing aura of Greater Impale surged forth, boring a hole in the ancient orc¡¯s shoulder as it failed to dodge completely. Warning shot through Mujin¡¯s mind again and the orc¡¯s foot slammed into his scaled head from its off balance angle. Mujin crashed away yet again, but shifted around another blurring club and returned a greater impale with perfect timing. His spear punctured half the orc¡¯s face off, and a grizzled fist slammed into his gut. Blood and air coughed out as another fist sent him flying away. The dragoon rose, damaged and dazed as the ancient blood orc bounded before him again, club raised high. Resolved steeled Mujin¡¯s face as he shifted in, parrying the handle of the half swung club off his shoulder as he gripped his spear and thrust. The transparent head of a dragon enveloped his spear with his roar and punctured a giant hole clean through the orc¡¯s torso. The ancient blood orc staggered on its feet, raising its heavy club above an exhausted Mujin, and slumped to the ground at his side. Mujin with heavy breath glanced at his foe then to the battle raging on and dug his feet in to lunge. An strange ache pulsed out deep from within and he fell to a knee, a pain unlike any he felt before wracking through. Mujin grit his teeth and tried to rise back up from his spear but another pulse sent him writhing on the ground. Dante, branded in glowing orange runes, slipped and dodged the club of the blood orc he faced, just barely as the brute was faster. He darted to the side and the club swiped through, the illusion of his form dissipated in the air. From the orc¡¯s blindside, he flung half a dozen knives but the monster dodged them all, and charged. An invisible mine exploded in the orc¡¯s path charring and shaving the surface of his flesh. Not enough to kill, not nearly, but enough for the knives curving back to sink into its back from behind. The orc staggered and pulled the one in the back of its head out just in time for regeneration to save itself. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! It looked around, spotting the fleeing form of the charlatan to the side and one of it¡¯s kin dropping down from the air. It paused, for a moment. The human was cunning, sly. It would not fall for its tricks again. The ancient blood orc burst towards its falling kin that smelled of nothing and swung. The club struck only air as the orc stopped short on a phantom platform, and a giant cannonball cratered the ancient blood orc to paste. Crouching in the air, the form of an orc faded away from Dante, his eyes reveling calmly in the victory he was guaranteed. Two ancient blood orcs rushed Kamala and a four winged angel descended. Covered nearly head to toe in golden armor and white cloth, it donned a large white sword blazing in golden flames and a shield with the image of a golden wheel. And over its solid helm lined banded rings of eyes. A legendary tier Ophanim, upgraded from her previous erelim, and with her Summon Master trait, its base stats surpassed the brutal foes. A blood orc lunged and the angel severed it in twine. The second mauled at Kamala¡¯s face but the Ophanim¡¯s head burst in golden blood instead as roots impaled the primitive creature, blooming in thorns as Kamala took to the sky. An aura clad rock slammed into her, trembling the greater protection around her as she crashed back down to the earth, as an eleventh orc charged out of the grass. Jean rushed forward. His eyes too slow and his speed far too pitiful, but he knew exactly what to do. He felt death falling down on his head and a puppet shattered to splinters in his place. Roots shot up around the orc and harden, ensnaring it in place. And thorns bloomed like swords. Kamala was smart, incredibly so, and they shared the same trait of Hypercognition. He knew she would figure out his intentions in an instant without the need for words. The thorns skewering the ancient blood orc started to wreathe and it burst out of the roots with a roar. A club smashed Kamala, and her image faded away revealing another puppet, the real one flying away invisible with the cover of Jean¡¯s conceal. He had hoped to end it just then but that was how luck went. He had taken precautions. Wood spears shot out of the ground, distracting the orc from figuring it out but it was too fast for any to hit. A burst of needles from his Porcupine type puppets didn¡¯t so much as even slow it down. The orc weathered the unthreatening needles and destroyed the two puppets. It sniffed once and looked up, but darted back as a smokescreen covered the area. It robbed him of his sight as well but Jean didn¡¯t need his normal senses. They weren¡¯t worth much here anyway. Another puppet broke in his place, filling the smokescreen with a peppery mist, enough to overwhelm the creature¡¯s sense of smell. But not its hearing. Jean switched with another puppet before he could even take a step. Puppet after puppet broke as Jean fled out of the smokescreen. He couldn¡¯t afford to hide with stealth and risk the orc turning its focus back to Kamala. But it was faster and more efficient than he planned. Jean appeared outside of the smoke and the orc followed, the enveloping black clouds slipping away from the savage figure, barreling towards him. Jean watched as the club descended on him in slow motion. The puppeteer had no puppets left to switch with, and he couldn¡¯t switch with just anything. There had to be mana, and he had to be connected. Jean thought, and his threads of mana stretched from his fingers all around. The wreathing looping threads wrapped over the land as the club drew nearer and nearer indifferent eyes. Flesh and blood splattered over the ground, but beneath the club was the corpse of an orc, dead before the blow. A root lance speared through the gore into the orc¡¯s head and it wreathed through its brain before it could move, ending all its thoughts for good. Kamala landed next to Jean silently as the last glimmers of shattering light left his body. They didn¡¯t need words before and they didn¡¯t need them now, both looking out to the rest of the battle. An ancient blood orc skid across the ground, but jolted up and burst away before as a firebolt exploded just out of range. Yen sucked her teeth. She had hoped to end it with that. Streams of flame and blooming combustions assaulted the painted red orc but none found their mark. Even with Haste and Greater Fly, her speed was too slow, less than half of the orc¡¯s. Yen dove down lower and the orc took the bait, its club crashing against a hexagonal shield of her Greater Armament faster than her eyes could track. Hold locked the orc midair and a dense stream of fire surged out. The orc roared, and broke free, fleeing the flames as soon as it hit the ground. Blackened arms crumbled away. The charred orc had barely managed to survive but barely was enough as its body quickly regenerated. It scooped up a rock in one hand and hurled it at her, slamming against her armament. More stones followed in rapid succession, the raw power making each fast enough to find their mark occasionally as Yen swerved through the air. She cast cinder at it in turn but the glimmering cloud of dust was too slow to catch the wary orc. Yen shot closer and a vortex appeared behind the orc, slowing its movements slightly, but more importantly speeding up the dust. A stone shattered armament and passed through her body of flames but she had won. Cinder covered the orc¡¯s skin and a sphere of fire erupted around her. Flames spread over the orc and Cinder erupted in a second intense explosion. The orc flailed in a rage but its vigor soon slowed and its burning body crumbled away like char. Yen spared it only a glance to identify before soaring off. An ancient blood orc battered Donny from every angle, his armor and Golden Body trait the only things keeping him whole, Unfettered and Instant Regeneration the only things keeping him alive. The orc was too fast, four times faster at least and his sheer combat skill could only do so much. He had discarded his buffs of Overpower and Agile to make room for the toughness traits, having a plan in mind that had no need for them, but that wouldn¡¯t come to fruition in this stage. He could become stronger than it if he raged but that might be a bigger liability for the others. So he endured. An arrow grazed the orc¡¯s face as it slipped its head. The creature glanced around for the source but again found nothing, and returned to the knight before it. Even with a silent barely visible arrow, the orc¡¯s senses were sharp enough to dodge. Donny knew he had to give Basem a clean shot. Thunderstomp knocked the orc off balance slightly but the flickering motion of Rapid missed its mark again. The orc¡¯s club bashed against the bastion coating Donny¡¯s head and he shifted back from the follow up he knew was coming. This couldn¡¯t continue, he knew that too. A club slammed against Donny bare, the impact breaking bones and rupturing organs but his feet remained firmly locked to the ground. The orc slipped past the swing of an axe he let loose the same time as the club, and Donny smiled wide, as the image of the axe faded away. An arrow pierced into the orc¡¯s eye faltering it just enough, and Donny swung, cleaving clean through the orc¡¯s neck with his blood clad axe. He hacked away viciously, drinking in all the blood from the orc until its regeneration finally ceased. But he spared no time more, glancing to the side and bursting off immediately to the brutal scene in sight. Chapter 86 One by one Chariot gathered to the source of thundering sounds. Two orcs laid dead, perfectly intact, two severed in parts and one beaten to death. In front of them stood Ashley with a smile that almost hummed and Shin patiently watching the carnage unfold. Lethal blows fell on the blood orc one after the other, some blocked, most landing clean. A punch against Karla¡¯s guard knocked her flying, and just as quickly, she burst back striking more. A mad barbarian in brutality, her technique honed efficient to a point of awe. But still, she was losing. The blood orc she faced was different. Donning a necklace of claws, bones lining its fur clothing, its eyes within the white skull painted on its face gleaned more intelligent than its kin. Faster than the amazon and three times stronger by the sound and impact of its strikes, far more durable and its aura seemingly endless. A mauling clawed hand slashed deep across Karla¡¯s arms, and blood gushed out violently. A thrust sliced across her neck. A swipe ripped over her cheek. Wound after wound piled up in her relentless assault, her regeneration too slow to keep up. But she did not waver. She did not question. She did not fear because such things did not exist within her. Karla thought nothing besides victory, and victory was her opponent dead before her. The blood orc¡¯s hand pierced straight through her guts and her fist crashed against his chest. The orc vomited blood from its ruptured heart as Karla darted back out of his arm, and a flying knee cracked the orc¡¯s jaw. A hand swift as lightning sliced through her throat, unevenly against her armor like bones. And an elbow cracked the side of the blood orc¡¯s head. Wildly, madly, the martial genius fought on, the hole through her torso and severed throat barely registering in her mind and doing nothing to lessen her ability. But her regeneration had stopped. ¡°We need to step in.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin gave Kamala a blunt and calm refusal, not taking his eyes off the fight for a moment. A vicious kick slammed Karla into the plateau in the distance. The skull faced blood orc shifted its gaze to the rest of the party as most braced for a fight. And the orc spun into a thrust that grazed Karla¡¯s face as she bounced the monster off the hard ground with a harder punch. The orc sprung to its feet and weathered the onslaught again. Slowly and gradually, the aura around Karla¡¯s strikes became sharper. Urgency flashed in the orc¡¯s expression instinctively and it¡¯s attacks became sharper and fiercer in return. Through the wounds, through the brushes with death, Karla pushed herself further, higher. A thunderous elbow shattered half the orc¡¯s face, aura sparking erratically. A left punch broke its ribs as the aura sparked even more. An intensity and depth flowed through the core of Karla¡¯s being, her Will breaking through a limit. She swung her leg more brutality, more destructively than ever before and red bolts of aura surged around. Her foot connected clean and exploded the orc¡¯s head whole. The skull faced orc swayed and collapsed before, its head quickly regrowing from the neck up. Karla stood over, eyes as focused as a predator in the hunt and stomped down, over and over. The ground beneath them shook slightly with every blow as she stomped and stomped until finally she had victory. [Ancient Blood Orc Bloodseeker (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 4871 Agility - 3405 Constitution - 3911 Vitality - 5853 Dexterity - 3945 Perception - 3210 Force - 1920 Spirit - 2156 Control - 1916 Willpower - 2284 Skills: Greater Bash, Greater Rend, Supreme Unarmed Combat, Overpower, Haste, Flash Step, Traits: Bloodtracker (mythic), Primitive Mind (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Diamond Soul (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Nightvision (epic), ¡°Congratulations.¡± Shin praised. Karla turned away from the greater monarch legendary variant, her blood covered body in ruins, and smiled so cheerfully and purely one could forget the carnage that surrounded them. ¡°Dynamic~¡± Karla shifted cutely to the golden light that enveloped her, Kamala rapidly healing her wounds now that Shin¡¯s embargo was lifted, and smiled at the stoic priestess too. Donny glanced around, relaxing just a bit. ¡°Still got some time left¡­ but probably best to wrap things up early today.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Yen agreed, annoyed they didn¡¯t even get the two more pairs of plants they planned, let alone the three she wanted. ¡°At least we know what the main threat here is now, we can plan around it¡­ Just need to watch out for the main main threat. These bullshit trials aren¡¯t going to let us off with only a variant.¡± --- Chariot approached a chasm under the reddening sky. The journey back had been nothing to speak about compared to their stint in the basin. Healed up and energy recovered a bit more, they had the ability to remain if they chose to but none did, even Shin. Surviving during the day was challenging enough, few among them were interested in learning just how much more difficult it was at night. ¡°I need to sleep¡­¡± Yen grumbled, glancing over to Jean. ¡°Switch with me in the shift. You need to train anyway. Oh yeah, what are you gonna do without your puppets?¡± ¡°I brought material to make more.¡± ¡°Cool. Can I watch?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Do what you want.¡± Mujin fell to a knee, hazy eyed, strained deep breaths with sweat pouring down his face profusely. The rest of party snapped on guard for any threat surrounding them as Kamala tried her skills. ¡°It¡¯s not an affliction¡­ What happened?¡± ¡°...ever since I used Dragon Strike¡­ It hurt before¡­ but not like this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the skill description?¡± Yen asked. Mujin truly began to show the toll upon him as he forced out his words. ¡°...add¡­ a wisp of dragonic¡­ true magic¡­ to an attack¡­¡± ¡°True magic?¡± ¡°Know something?¡± Donny asked. ¡°I mean¡­" Yen mused. "I don¡¯t know if it translates, but true magic is probably like meta magic or wild magic or something. Might be a soul thing. Maybe it¡¯ll get better if we buff up his soul toughness.¡± Mujin paused for only a moment, then ate a golden fruit. ¡°You seriously didn¡¯t have it already? What did you give up?¡± ¡°...Courage¡­¡± ¡°What you used against the t-rex? That¡¯ll be mostly obsolete soon anyway. Pick up a general mind defense ability when you get a chance.¡± Yen handed him three fruit from her bag. Kamala and Dante did the same, and Jean gave four. Mujin fused and ate as he needed, soon his complexion seemed to improve and he rose to his feet, not fully well but well enough. ¡°Fixed?¡± ¡°I can manage¡­¡± ¡°Good e-¡± ¡°People.¡± Basem warned. The party turned to see another of a similar size stopping on the opposite side of the chasm entrance, with some familiar faces. ¡°Oh look, the main char-¡± The sight of a heavily armored man with golden eyes stole her attention. ¡°It¡¯s been a while-¡± ¡°Hand over the Atreus.¡± Yen cut off Leon¡¯s calm greeting with a domineering intensity. The atmosphere turned heavy as most of Leon¡¯s party turned hostile at the demand. All great lords, all with legendary tier classes. Leon with the simple but broad Spellsword class. Suyin bearing the evidently martial arts oriented Mystic class. Ti, the dark red haired girl a Spellthief. The sky blue haired Grace with tired eyes now with the Hierophant class. Joining those four they had already met were five others not quite forming a full party. A bald thin dark skinned man with pale eyes dressed in monk¡¯s robes. [Human Dragon Disciple (legendary) - Greater Lord] A white hair boy in his late teens in casual rogue¡¯s attire. [Human Incanter (legendary) - Greater Lord] A green haired young man, pale and mysterious in loose cloth clothes. [Human Shinobi (legendary) - Greater Lord] A tall clean shaven man with brown skin, the sides of his head bald with low cut neatly lined dark hair on the top of his head, donning heavy armor and sleek accompanying tabard with no heraldry. [Human Hedge Knight (legendary) - Greater Lord] And lastly, the tan golden eyed Sacred Shield at the center of the tension. ¡°Who do you think-¡± ¡°Your new tank tried to kill us twice, so you¡¯re going to hand him over.¡± Yen cut off Suyin, a dense firebolt concentrating in the palm of her hand. ¡°You can always find another Atreus. They seem to grow like weeds.¡± ¡°Consider it payment for stealing the second stage boss and move on.¡± The mystic asserted. A trace of mocking superiority enter Yen¡¯s intense expression. ¡°It¡¯s called strategy. Are you still whining about that?¡± Yen¡¯s firebolt pulled from her hand, forming in the young Spellthief¡¯s. But quickly the girl panicked as the spell started to writhe erratically. A several layered barrier enveloped it just as it exploded, containing the impact fully with just two layers. The exchange an innocuous one but it brought the situation to a boiling point. ¡°Fight~?¡± Karla asked as the guard¡¯s of both sides raised to act at the slightest signal. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight.¡± The hedge knight strolled out to the center in calm demeanor. ¡°There may be slight grievances between our parties-¡± ¡°They killed my brother!¡± ¡°More than slight grievances. But that does not mean we cannot find amicable ground in these hard times. For who among us does not wish the best for those they keep close? Fellow compatriots, nay, friends. Are we not all the aboard the same ship in this stormy sea? Let us not add more enmity but take this opportunity to make amends so that one day we may all dine together in peace.¡± Donny glanced over at Yen halfway through the hedge knight¡¯s speech who softly told him to shut up, returning his focus back ahead with a smile. Screeching of a raptor horde interrupted the standoff. Each side looked to their leaders and Shin and Leon nonchalantly ran down the chasm together. Pausing slightly, the two parties followed after, sticking closely to their side of the pathway, guarded against one another. In moments they all passed through but little other than their surroundings had changed. ¡°What do you say?¡± The hedge knight continued. ¡°Peace?¡± ¡°Peace does sound good, yeah.¡± Donny responded. ¡°Wonderful!¡± ¡°Life¡¯s all about bonds, innit, gotta protect them.¡± ¡°Unquestionably.¡± ¡°Donny.¡± ¡°Tristan.¡± ¡°Tristan, yeah. Proper knight name ting, yeah. But see, Tristan, it weren¡¯t even two weeks since the last time we met your friend. So I¡¯m wondering how strong them bonds really are.¡± The atmosphere around Donny stilled, his casual demeanor contrasting the subtly threatening tone. ¡°Your friend, your good close friend, yeah. Did try to kill us twice. And now you¡¯re asking us to allow it, mate, I can¡¯t really do that.¡± The Hedge Knight¡¯s jovial expression remained, but a firmness about it took hold as he listened to Donny talk calmly. ¡°We can do this the hard way if you want. But by the looks of things, I don¡¯t think you really want that. Far as I¡¯m concerned, you man have one outlier and some liabilities. Now we are going to kill that gold dickhead you picked up. If you get in the way a lot of you are gonna die.¡± ¡°Silence.¡± The Incanter Nagi spoke and it seemed like the world spoke with him. A strange sensation fell over Donny, harmless it seemed but sound had abandoned him. He didn¡¯t attempt to speak or change his expression in the slightest, just shifted his observant eyes to the white haired boy without a trace of fear or concern. ¡°Try whenever you want.¡± Nagi said with bored confident eyes. ¡°We have more than one ¡®outlier¡¯.¡± Donny remained unwavering, his demeanor bordering between waiting for them to attack and ready to attack at his own leisure. Some kind of ability that brought whatever the incanter spoke into effect, he assumed. Going down that line, the boy could have done a lot worse, which meant this move was probably a probe into what they were capable of. Donny doubted Yen or Kamala¡¯s epic tier Dispel could do anything, so the best move would be to do nothing and make them think they were hiding the means to handle it. And that¡¯s what Donny did. ¡°Fight~?¡± Karla asked again, this time to Shin directly, her words laced more eagerly. ¡°I can kill him now.¡± The Atreus scion¡¯s face shifted at her revelation, unnerved and fierce. ¡°Do you really want to fight?¡± Tristan asked. Something about his presence changed. Deeper, firmer. A resolve within the pleasant reluctance. ¡°Not really.¡± Shin answered honestly, mostly indifferent to the situation. ¡°We can¡¯t just let him get away with this. He has tried twice, he¡¯ll try it again. He needs to die now.¡± Yen argued. ¡°Fine with us.¡± Suyin lowered her stance just slightly. ¡°It¡¯s better for us with you out of the way.¡± ¡°Wanna fight?¡± Shin asked Leon. ¡°No really.¡± He returned the words in his own casual tone. ¡°This is the perfect chance to secure your place at the top.¡± Suyin argued. ¡°I don¡¯t really mind¡­ Besides¡­¡± Leon turned his whole focus to Shin, uncaring of everything around him, a depth and absence to his presence. ¡°I wanted to ask someone similar. What is it you want?¡± Memories of a red haired woman floated through Shin¡¯s mind, wrapped in warmth and light that seeped through his hollow eyes. And a depth found his nonchalant words as he spoke with the will of the world. ¡°A flame.¡± Leon stared for a few moments in calm composure. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I love her.¡± Shin answered with no pretense or hesitation, words that drew the attention of Chariot. ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡°I see¡­¡± Leon¡¯s smile mellowed. ¡°We might not be that similar.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯d like to do something that matters.¡± Leon turned calmly with those words and walked away. Gradually, the rest of his party followed and in a flash they headed out of sight. ¡°Stupid¡­¡± Basem criticized as he dropped down from the cliff and rejoined the group, his absence only just now realized. Yen sighed, in full agreement. Admittedly, she wasn¡¯t too keen about fighting them but she couldn¡¯t deny she¡¯d feel better if there was no need to worry about them. She looked over at Shin, something else of importance on her mind. ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re actually in a relationship? Feels kinda weird somehow, no offense. Doesn¡¯t really fit your character. What is she, girlfriend, fianc¨¦e? Shin tilted his head. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Huh? But¡­ ah, whatever¡­¡± Yen dropped it, chalking it up to another ¡®shinism¡¯ as well as the topic of personal questions resurfaced in her mind. ¡°What was he saying about you being similar?¡± Ashley giggled at the question looking back over her shoulder at their side. ¡°They¡¯re not similar at all.¡± ¡°All this aside,¡± Donny spoke, his voice having returned. ¡°Time to get back to the beach. We should probably look for a different entrance too.¡± Chapter 87 Karla slipped inside a bloodseeker¡¯s thrust fearlessly and connected an uppercut on its jaw. A stream of air from the impact sapped his consciousness and it slumped downwards. Aura surged wildly from the amazon¡¯s leg as she kicked up, bursting apart a chunk of the orc¡¯s chest along with its head. Dynamic had long since been maxed but she was having less success upgrading her other skills, such as the Concuss she just tried. An ancient blood orc lunged at her while she thought and a white masked Shin flickered in front. Three wisping green rapid strikes turned its eyes white with its fleeting life. Shin glanced around. In the seven days since their first encounter with a bloodseeker pack, the party had improved significantly. Yen soared around an orc waiting for the moment its movement¡¯s slowed and blast of fire detonated right over it. With Greater Combustion, all the mage needed was good timing to turn the legendary tier monsters to charcoal with a single attack. Another tried and failed to tear through thick roots before they ravaged its brain. Kamala¡¯s Greater Ironbark giving her plants the toughness needed to withstand their strength. A dragon clad spear destroyed a dodging orc¡¯s arm and half its torso, ending its life. Mujin¡¯s Dragon Strike lived up to the tag of true magic and his Golden Soul enabled him to bear the strain, albeit in moderation. Dante didn¡¯t see much change although that was largely due to him experiencing little difficult from the start. Jean had no role in these fights but the change was apparent in his status. [Human Puppetmaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] The class skill, he had revealed, was Ensign. It took some time to mark a symbol on an object but once that was done it enabled far greater control and skill connection through Puppetry and mana manipulation. Something he explained would be much needed once he got his hands on the more complex and demanding higher tier puppets. For his option he had chosen the rather basic but much needed Greater Clearsight. Hardly the most efficient path but a scout with the passive ability of Truesight to see through all illusions was incomparable to one without. It was a necessary choice. Donny struggled against his orc, although now only three times slower as opposed to four with his upgraded Greater Swiftness. But if he chose to rage, he was almost three quarters as fast as Shin¡¯s max invoking Inari. Basem flickered to the side, bow drawn, stealing the orc¡¯s attention for Donny to behead it. A club cratered the ground but Basem was already at the second orc¡¯s side, and his arrow shot straight through its skull. With his Greater Agile and Greater Burst maxed, the hunter no longer needed to rely on Blink to deal with the orcs, nor could they easily dodge his arrows. But the most noteworthy change was the gust of wind that passed through, severing the orcs before Donny could put them down himself. The pine green reaper twirled her blade and danced in the valley of death without a care in world. Her speed increased substantially, now almost 2.5 times faster than Shin at his maximum, securing her position as the fastest in the party by a massive margin. An ancient blood orc was mere child¡¯s play to her, though that applied to the party as a whole. Whether it was her movement skill or Greater Swiftness she had upgraded to mythic tier she would not reveal. Shin darted off and back, handing Karla her turn of blood fruit, eating a fused large one himself, and checked his status. [Greater Disease Resistance has upgraded to the mythic tier trait Disease Immunity.] [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (260) Agility - 600 (780) Constitution - 50 (65) Vitality - 115 (149) Dexterity - 33 (43) Perception - 300 (390) Force - 24 (31) Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365) Control - 150 [225] (292) Willpower - 100 [150] (195) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 9, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Greater Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Diamond Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, He had but one trait left to max, something that held true for most of the others. Nearly all their traits had been improved to mythic tier, all of the important ones at least. Some were even finished, those being Kamala, Jean, Mujin, and Basem. It was mainly toughnesses that remained with Karla and Ashley needing the most. With most of the party out or soon to be out of the rotation it wouldn¡¯t be too long for them to finish, but the problem laid in the dark, red tinged sky on the trials¡¯ last day. ¡°We should leave.¡± Basem argued preemptively. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Yen shot back. ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy.¡± ¡°This is the exact time to be ambitious.¡± Yen emphasized the different term. ¡°We made it this far, we are not tripping up at the finish line. Shin.¡± ¡°Staying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s decided then. Let¡¯s move, the sooner we get what we need, the sooner we can go.¡± Night fell with her words and a chorus of roars and bellows rose from the valley. Monsters of all kinds fell into a frenzy, even the grazing gentle giants bashed and bit at their own kin. A small herd set their sights on the party and charged but a darting green orb shredded them to death like a cruel fairy. A cascade of screeches struck their ears as a flock of giant bats descending on the party and into a stream of fire turning them all to ash. ¡°What are you standing around for? Let¡¯s go.¡± --- The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. An red orc roared as lunged straight into an arrow, an axe cleaving off its head. Chariot destroyed the pack of ancient blood orcs in an instant as they rammed through the basin far more recklessly and impatient than they had before. Basem darted back with two plants handing them to Donny and Kamala. ¡°Done.¡± ¡°As am I.¡± The party didn¡¯t slow at all as they continued their hunt. Shin was already among those finished with their builds, upgrading his Diamond Body to Golden Body with the harvest prior. Frenzied beasts and orcs followed wherever they went, their resources slowly draining away as the sheer number overwhelmed their efficiency. ¡°Left.¡± Ashley shot off, severing six ancient blood orcs lingered around a blood fruit in the blink of an eye. ¡°Last for me.¡± ¡°Same.¡± This batch completed Yen and Dante, leaving only Ashley and Karla remaining. Three more pairs of blood fruit plants and they would be done. A screeching swarm of bats dove down at them again and again Yen burned them away. She sucked her teeth, mana starting to run low with the constant attacks. ¡°This is enough.¡± Basem argued the case for self preservation again. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Their traits are not even important!¡± Basem sniped a lone beast charging over in the distance. ¡°The fuck they aren¡¯t!¡± Yen yelled back. ¡°Karla with no charming immunity is a big fucking risk. And who knows what Ashley has left, it could be the most important one!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that important~¡± ¡°Shut up! All of you stop complaining, with your glances and thoughts too, Jean.¡± The puppetmaster bore the admonishment he didn¡¯t deserve in silence. Yen grit her teeth as she looked up to the moon, nearly center in the night sky. ¡°Dammit, just focus-¡± Dante place a hand on Kamala¡¯s shoulder, and something giant shot through half the party faster than any of them could track. A puppet shattered into mere splinters and Donny¡¯s mangled body crashed away violently. And the orange haired mage was nowhere to be found. Past the smooth trail in the ground slithered a massive snake, 100 yards long and its width the length of two men. Dark brown scales with a deep red pattern covered its body. It turned back towards the party and a burst of flames slipped out of its mouth. It opened wide on reflex and Yen soared out in a body of flames back to the party. The giant snake slithered into a coil as the burn marks around its mouth healed in a moment, its cold eyes trained right on them. Karla burst forward before any of them could plan. The snake lashed its tail, knocking her into a cliff and rammed into the amazon with the same surge around its head as her Dynamic. A loud snap accompanied the crash, the snake recoiling to reveal Karla¡¯s bent limbs and caved in chest, her bones broken for the first time. But just as quickly, her body snapped back into place and her wounds healed. Karla shot forward again and the giant snake struck like lightning, but this time Karla caught its open mouth with both hands, sliding back across the ground rapidly at the sheer speed. But Karla was just as strong, holding its mouth in place. She dug her feet in to a stop and kicked the snake¡¯s neck. Blood burst from the impact but the nature of its body cushioned the blow enough to remain intact. Slashes of blood flurried out from its body, cutting deep into Karla¡¯s flesh and bone, but the amazon held firm and kicked again, this time tearing flesh. The giant snake curled in and flung Karla into the air by the leverage of its length. It coiled, wasting no time preparing to lunge at the airborne prey with no footing to save her. But a green and blue figure soared over, catching Karla¡¯s shoulder¡¯s in her talons. A beautiful song left Mara¡¯s lips, distracting the giant snake¡¯s thoughts just enough to miss a red eyed knight bearing down in a rage. Blood coated axe cleaved deep through the snake¡¯s flesh, drawing a river of blood Donny greedily absorbed. Another flurry of blood blades severed Donny in parts but his body restored in an instant and swung again. The snake blurred around at rapid speed and lunged straight into rust colored thundering palm as Shin slapped it away. The snake crashed along the ground straight into a pitch black blade reaping its head. Ashley flickered across its length with a smile slicing it into parts as she just barely avoided the blood blades that followed. But no sooner had she finished the whole of the snake regenerated from its head. Ashley slipped into the shadows below as the snake¡¯s dynamic lunge barrelled over her. The snake coiled into an aim again but a force held it in place. Yen above concentrated her Greater Grasp on the titanic monster the moment it stopped long enough to track. It thrashed and hiss against the constraints but lacked the strength to break through. And that weakness was fatal. Shin flickered above donned in white and hailed down wisping green fists. The flurrying blood blades shot back but Shin ignored them. Six strikes pushed the creature into a spasm and the seventh silenced it for good. [Bloodskin Titanoboa (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 4959 Agility - 7506 Constitution - 3763 Vitality - 2941 Dexterity - 4287 Perception - 4706 Force - 2125 Spirit - 4642 Control - 2585 Willpower - 3146 Skills: Dynamic, Greater Shift, Greater Lunge, Greater Haste, Traits: Unfettered (mythic), Bloodsickle Scales (mythic), Instant Regeneration (mythic), Golden Body (mythic), Golden Mind (mythic), Golden Soul (mythic), Rapid Reflexes (legendary), Greater Hawkeye (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Nightvision (epic), A legendary elite, the most dangerous monster they had encountered yet, most of all for it¡¯s speed, twice that of Shin¡¯s own. Shin glanced over to a still raging Donny charging over but Ashley formed in front with mesmerizing eyes. ¡°Wake up~¡± Donny stopped in his tracks, convulsing as he raised his axe in great strain, but his aura disperse and his senses returned. A deep blink soothed his buzzing headache slightly. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ashley smiled back, alluring and inviting, as the rest of Chariot regrouped. Karla dropped down from above as Mara returned to Shin and Yen flew down still hovering above the air. ¡°How much mana you got?¡± ¡°Almost out.¡± ¡°Same¡­ We can¡¯t rely on that strategy again right now if there¡¯s more like this.¡± ¡°So-!¡± ¡°So we get this done faster. Plan hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Yen cut off Basem, even more on edge. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Dante stepped over, handing Ashley two plants. ¡°Letting opportunity slip away. Running scared from a challenge. That isn¡¯t who Chariot is.¡± ¡°Risk takers, innit.¡± Donny rubbed his head as he walked past to the other side, drawing his axe. ¡°Speaking of challenges and such¡­¡± A party of ten stopped just within range, all unidentifiable, none bearing fear within the deadly basin at the 11th hour. At the helm stood a man in his twenties, long blonde hair and blue eyes in full armor like a gallant prince with a confident relaxed expression as he scanned over them, and the battleground surrounding. ¡°Hard fight?¡± ¡°Had worse.¡± Donny answered. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± The prince smiled. ¡°But you do seem spent.¡± A tension rose in the air, and then a red hint fell on the world. The two parties looked up at the full moon in the center of the sky glowing bright. Like a bleeding wound, the red of the moon drained down into a dark red sphere hovering over the center of the island until the moon turned white. The sphere held for a moment, then it started to writhe. Slowly at first, then faster and more violently until the sphere burst. Among the pool of blood raining down was born a monster. Blood red skin and a huge fat body, overly so. Its legs short and bloated, slightly bent and long thin arms dangled loosely. Two tiny bat wing on near the top of its back that seemed to strain with the weight of the monster to the point where they could tear at any moment. It¡¯s head was long and bulbous with a large mouth and thick jaw, two striped horns pointing lazily upwards above black husks for eyes. [Bloodsouled Mananngal (legendary) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Lady Luck favors you.¡± The prince glanced back at the party, though his interest clearly in the monster that spawned. ¡°I¡¯d not be here when we¡¯re done, if I were you.¡± With that, the party of monarchs sped off at a pace that would threaten Chariot. They charge with impressive coordination. The rogue type attacked first, hurling throwing stars that bloomed gigantic, each shredding through the boss. It groaned slightly but its body reformed unnaturally. As it turned sluggishly to its attackers, a torment of mana swirled in a blue robed mage¡¯s hands and a lightning bolt struck from the sky. The mananngal groaned louder, its body charred and shocked from the massive bolt but that too healed in an instant. Arrows, magic, and martial arts fell on the boss and finally the prince leap up, greatsword shining a bright gold as he slashed the monster in two. The two halves of the demonic looking creature started to fall but the flesh of it body shot out between itself like bloody sludge, pulling the two halves together seamlessly. The party prepared to attack again, but the mananngal¡¯s mouth stretched open impossibly long. Beady white pupils swirled within the husks of its eyes like burning stars and a gust of wind inhaled deeply over the players into its mouth. And the players fell dead. The mananngal¡¯s jaw retracted back to its initial drooping state and its body started to writhe. Two halves pulled away from each other like tearing flesh and reformed into two bodies, both exactly identical with the same status. One drifted away to the other side of the basin, and the other towards Chariot. Chapter 88 Chariot fled through the basin with the demon close behind. No matter where they ran or at what speed, the mananngal was always just behind, slowly gaining. Basem turned around as he continued, firing a volley of base arrows doing just enough to widen the distance as the monster stalled. It was all they could do. The party had held their ground slightly to fend it off and that was a mistake. It had done nothing but allow the monster to draw nearer. A frustrated Basem turned back forward with a tsh. ¡°You said you don¡¯t run! Do something magic man!¡± Dante looked back with a confident smile. ¡°Retreating is a tactical move.¡± ¡°This is no time for jokes¡­¡± Kamala said curtly. ¡°The stage told us to survive and now we know why. It is likely the boss is unbeatable.¡± ¡°Even for the Tower this is bullshit.¡± Yen cursed. ¡°Maybe we should lure it out of the basin. Lose it in the forest or something and come back?¡± As the party rounded a turn, the mananngal passed through trees and stone as if they weren¡¯t there. It did not phase through as with Ashley¡¯s Phantasm skill, but simply brute its way past with no regard for the damage it received, damage that healed immediately. Yen did not need to hear a response. She knew her plan was out. ¡°The pursuit is strange¡­¡± Jean spoke up. ¡°It might have a skill that makes escape impossible to begin with.¡± ¡°It feels like more than a skill. Too weird not to be.¡± Yen agreed. ¡°What about the weapons of that party?¡± Mujin interjected. ¡°The risk is too great.¡± Kamala answered. ¡°We do not know if the attack has lingering effects or if the blood from the moon is harmless. Ancient blood orcs lunged from ahead with frenzied roars. An arrow claimed one and a scythe two, but Shin was the first to take a different approach. He took the features of a monstrous ape and threw an orc behind him. Other member of Chariot followed suit, knocking or immobilizing the orcs as they sped past. And with them, came the demon, who opened its mouth wide. ¡°Shit!¡± The mananngal inhaled the souls of the ancient blood orcs in its wake and followed without change. Yen waited with anticipation but what she feared didn¡¯t come to pass. ¡°...was it not enough or do monsters not count?¡± Two trios of blood orcs attacked from different directions and Shin knocked them all back into the pit that was the demon. ¡°Hey!¡± The mananngal absorbed the new offerings before it and still nothing changed. ¡°They don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°What if they did?!¡± ¡°This is better for us.¡± Donny said. ¡°Feed the monsters instead of dealing with them ourselves. Just need to not get caught.¡± ¡°Fruit.¡± Basem reported up ahead in the distance. But the moment he spoke, the plants were eaten by a brontosaur as it spared the effort to swoop its head down during a frenzied charge. An arrow split open its skull but it was too late, the fruit all mashed within its jaw. Basem cursed the dead beast in frustration. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not great.¡± Donny glanced up at the sky. ¡°Five and a half hours left till dawn. Let¡¯s get what we need as fast as possible and leave. Should be easier on the beach.¡± Shin looked back at the demon, a cold empty feeling filling him with displeasure. But still he ran with the party bearing Inari¡¯s simmering ire and demands of retribution for having to suffer its presence. --- Basem blitzed ahead and two arrows nocked and shot them straight through the skulls of a pair of brontosaurs before another batch could be stolen right under their noses again. He snatched the plants up and handed one each to the remaining women in the rotation. Ashley fused and ate a large fruit while Karla stored hers. The party had planned to wrap things up quickly but things had not gone their way. Fruit was sparse now, far too sparse. Hours had passed already yet they had gotten their hands on one batch only. They needed only one more but the way things had gone so far had some feeling less than assured, most of all an orange haired mage. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Aside from our general situation.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get any spares at this rate¡­¡± ¡°Spares?¡± ¡°To buff up traits after we get off this shitty island.¡± ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll allow that.¡± Jean said. ¡°Probably not but it¡¯s stupid not to try.¡± ¡°Thought you was all about booking it once we finished up.¡± Donny pressed her. ¡°I was gonna bring it up when everyone was done and we had time left. But this¡­¡± ¡°Oi!¡± Donny caught Yen as she started drifted back from the party with slowing pace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Donny thought for a moment then asked the rest of the party. ¡°Anyone else feel like taking a break?¡± ¡°A little¡­¡± Jean responded. ¡°This isn¡¯t good¡­¡± ¡°The boss.¡± Kamala voiced the theory, glancing at Mujin and Basem looking a little weary. ¡°Locking the distance is only half its strategy. It¡¯s draining our will to escape.¡± ¡°Like a damn demon.¡± Donny muttered. ¡°It is.¡± Shin informed them. ¡°You gotta share information like that sooner, mate. Don¡¯t you have holy fire?¡± ¡°Not strong enough. Probably.¡± Inari¡¯s temper flared at his response. ¡°Guess running¡¯s our only choice¡­¡± ¡°We may not last-¡± ¡°Fruit!¡± Basem''s yell interrupted Jean as he burst ahead to the plants in sight but stopped in his tracks halfway. Like wisping miasma a figure rose up from the ground, a freckled young man in a dark hooded robe with hay blond hair. An arrow drilled through a chunk of his head but his flesh stitched itself together, and Micah smiled, full of jubilant malice. Like smoke, he faded away and a horde of rabid ancient blood orcs charged. ¡°Yen!¡± Donny¡¯s yell snapped a bit more life and focus into the mage. Fire swirled and raged into a sphere in the palm of her hand, Yen straining every ounce of intensity into her spell, and fired. The firebolt soared straight into the center of the horde and struck like thunder. Pressure blasted orcs into chunk and flames turned them to ash. But still they charged. Yen raised her hand again and fell back behind the party lifelessly, her expression devoid of passion as she drifted towards the mananngal¡¯s opening jaw. Shin caught Yen¡¯s back with the palm of his hand and flung her into Kamala¡¯s arms. Vile wind inhaled around Shin and his soul writhed as it started to rip from his very body. And Shin¡¯s will fell on the world. Instinctively. Unwaveringly. Tyrannically. His prismatic soul flared around his body like armor as he raised his fist. Wisping green mana snapped and crackled, the iridescent light shrouding him swirling over his fist, and he struck with the shatter of light. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! [Greater Lambast has upgraded to mythic tier Truestrike.] The bloodsouled mananngal screeched as prismatic cracks spread over its head and it stopped in its tracks. Donny reacted instantly, leading the others to fend off the ancient blood orc horde as Shin stood before the demon. Pained wails filled the area but Shin knew it had not been enough. As the cracks started to fade and close, a will resonated with Shin. Familiar and distinct, and able to bear things no longer. Inari summoned by Shin¡¯s side and light enveloped her too, shattering to reveal a grand figure. Red tipped hair, white as pristine snow with seven fox tails to match. White and black robes of a warrior priestess adorned with red garments and talismans bearing the symbols of yin and yang. In her hand, she held a double sided naginata, the edge of each blade facing opposite directions and its hilt bearing the taijitu. [Skyward Kitsune Throneguard (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1800 Agility - 2402 Constitution - 1024 Vitality - 1448 Dexterity - 1905 Perception - 1572 Force - 2377 Spirit - 1992 Control - 1539 Willpower - 1941 Skills: Duality lvl. 1, Sacred Fire lvl. 1, Greater Foxfire lvl. 1, Greater Slash lvl. 1, Greater Glare lvl. 1, Supreme Sword Combat lvl. 1, Greater Rapid lvl. 1, Greater Swiftness lvl. 1, Traits: Unity (mythic), Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Impious (legendary), Greater Soul Weapon (legendary), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Greater Foxtail (epic), Greater Poison Resistance (epic), Greater Disease Resistance (epic), Greater Curse Resistance (epic), Nightvision (epic), Inari lingered in the air, appeased and vain. She stepped forward slowly, twirling the naginata in her hand faster and faster, white and black mana blooming like flames over the blades. The mananngal opened its jaw and she sliced straight through. In a blur of white and black she carved the demon over and over as if to vent and finally spat set it ablaze in golden flame. The mananngal screeched in pain as it burned, even more than before but the flames subsided and it remained. In great frustration, Inari cast sacred fire again and again and third time but the demon would not perish. Before she could cast a fourth, Shin appeared behind it, white and black mana swirling among his prismatic fist. A truestrike slammed into its back aided with the borrowed power of Duality. Prismatic cracks shot over the demon¡¯s body this time and deep into its soul. Just barely, it tried to hold up, and Shin struck again. With final wail, the mananngal burst apart, its unkillable body crumbling away to ash. Shin dropped down to his feet and Inari joined his side with a nudge of complaint about stealing her kill. ¡°I was just starting to think you wouldn¡¯t do anything ridiculous this time.¡± Donny said as he walked back, the rest of Chariot having put down the horde. ¡°We only got one more chance with this last minute power up ting you keep doing, you know.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°You keep saying that so much I might start believing it.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Yen walked over, the sluggishness worn off from her expression. ¡°Did you even know you could survive that?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Listen¡­¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t die.¡± Yen opened her mouth but her words melted away before his genuine eyes. She settled into a lean with a sigh. ¡°You keep doing this¡­ just wait, one of these days I¡¯ll save your a-¡± A piercing screech filled the valley, its source the image of a mananngal¡¯s face formed from miasma. Inari cut through the dark smoke to no effect as the wailing continued, loud enough to spread over the whole island. Without any warning the head burst apart, tendrils of miasma shooting into all of Chariot before they could react, marking them with no resistance. Like a chain reaction, a chorus of screeches returned from all directions and soon, large red figures appeared in the distance. Dozens of mananngal clones encircled them in the sky, slowly and drawing near fast, all straight towards them. ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­¡± The resolve Yen had started to build broke in an instant at the inevitable. Most of the rest of Chariot fared no better. Panic and fear through some, a strained worry of rapid thoughts, calm contemplation, indifference, amusement, intensity. None were without reaction. None but Shin, calmly watch the doom approaching. ¡°I need mana.¡± Dante was the first to move, projecting raw mana which Shin immediately absorbed. Mujin moved next, adding a wave of lightning to the pool, as much as he could. Yen shifted back to life at the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and bombarded Shin will clumps of concussive mana, what little she had remaining. Shin spread his absorption wide, taking in all the mana he could till they had nothing left to spare. Inari turned to mist as Shin invoked her and took to the sky. He waited for the demons looming all around to draw close enough and held golden fire in his hands. Wisps of white and black flickered through the flames and red lightning around Shin. The more he filled the sacred fire with duality the more it resisted, and the more lightning sparked across him, until finally he fused them into a great blaze. Golden flames of white and black shot out all around, igniting the mananngal clones to terrible wails. The red lightning weighed more heavily on his being with each defiant attack but he pushed himself further and further, until finally something absolute restricted him and the flames rejected his will. Shin stood in the air, all demons in sight ablaze but none yet dead. He waited and waited as they burned all around. And soon, the flames slowly started to subside. Inevitably and callously they snuffed out. A charred mananngal drifted closer, and crumbled away. The rest crumbled with it until the sky rained ash around Shin. [Achievement: Boss Slayer II. 200 Attribute Points rewarded.] The invoke dispersed as Shin dropped down from the sky once more. This time, the world froze as he landed, for all but Chariot. A screen appeared before him with the final rankings of the trial.
  1. Shin
  2. Leon Moore
  3. Sereth Narmer
  4. Attila Atreus
  5. Genjiro Igarashi
  6. Bando Koga
  7. Amadeus
  8. Lu Kang
  9. Karla
  10. Chandra Pandavas
  11. Titon Saba
  12. Ashley Gray
  13. Xerxes
  14. Yasunori Kamo
  15. Yuna Igarashi
  16. ¡­
¡°Early, innit?¡± Donny questioned, his tone and demeanor lacking any tension with the curtains of the stage drawn. ¡°Everyone in the top 100?¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Confirmations from all the party returned. ¡°Just barely made it~¡± Ashley harassed Jean once again, who claimed the 98th spot. ¡°You might have got kicked out if you didn¡¯t. Happy~?¡± ¡°Overjoyed.¡± Jean replied with no emotion. ¡°Fruit¡¯s gone. All types.¡± Dante informed them. ¡°Not the end of the world. Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll do much trading.¡± Donny commented. Yen slapped her face awake, drawing the attention of some, though they left her alone seeing the focus and reignited resolve as she scoured the skill list. Shin too turned his focus to the final stage rewards. The first was the choice of a Great Attribute along with an accompanying skill slot. He picked vitality without thinking twice and filled his stats to the brink of greater lord, 37 into Vitality and 93 into Spirit. The system then granted the third free legendary ability option as well as a second additional skill slot. He had already acquired the regeneration he intended to since the end of the second stage though he had some replacements in mind since. That was until this last fight threw those ideas away in favor of only one. [Acquired legendary tier skill Meld.] ¡®Fuse the effects of two compatible skills as one.¡¯ [Acquired the Title of Patriarch] ¡®30% bonus to all stats.¡¯ [Title improved to Ranked Initiate.] ¡®Tenfold increase in the ease of improving and upgrading skills.¡¯ ¡®Appraisal: Inspect the status bar of a being up to a full rank beyond the player.¡¯ [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (320) Agility - 600 (960) Constitution - 50 (80) Vitality - 152 [228] (365) Dexterity - 33 (53) Perception - 300 (480) Force - 24 (38) Spirit - 793 [1190] (1904) Control - 150 [225] (360) Willpower - 100 [150] (240) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Guardian lvl. 1, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 9, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 1, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 4, Meld lvl. 1 Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, (40/42) A significant and much needed boost to all stats, since Inari now likely cost 1500 to summon, going by past patterns. Shin looked at his status, pleased. It was nowhere near what he wanted but he could see the path unfolding before him, deliberate or otherwise. ¡°Hegemon, huh.¡± ¡°What did you get?¡± Yen asked Shin. ¡°Patriarch. 30%.¡± ¡°Not that much of a difference. Hegemon¡¯s 20 by the way.¡± ¡°Ranked Initiate is a welcome surprise.¡± Kamala stated. ¡°Gonna make things suck a lot less for sure.¡± Yen agreed. ¡°Depends on how many ranks the system has though.¡± The goddess Ate appeared in the sky above in all her grandeur once more. She glanced at Shin, just for a moment, and raised her hands in silence. Grand magic far beyond what any of them had felt thus far consumed the world, and in its place came a stadium fit for the gods. Chariot found themselves together in the stands surrounding by countless amorphous humanoid silhouettes, just as had been in the empty zone at the start. Above them floated their goddess among scores of other beings just as grand, though none that any of them recognized. ¡°Hark, thou blessed chosen. Behold, thou fortunate lambs.¡± The gods spoke in unison. ¡°So begins the tournament for all who stand atop their worlds.¡± Chapter 89 ¡°Bear witness. To the rise of the Ninth Champion.¡± Shin found himself on the large stone tiled stage before he knew it, surrounded by a roaring crowd of countless and facing a single man. Aged with long white hair, his pale face gaunt and stern but his eyes deeply vain, dismissing all before his gaze. Pointed ears too long to hide behind his locks of hair and his height obvious even from his hunched back. Black and green robes covered him near whole adorned with a mantle of grim feathers and a belt of bones bearing a single skull at the side. [Elf Necromancer (legendary) - Greater Lord] The masked being just outside the platform raised an arm. ¡°Begin!¡± ¡°Death.¡± Shin beheaded the man the moment he spoke with a blade of white and black. As his feet touched the ground, the necromancer¡¯s falling head and swaying body both burst into golden flames, and Shin turned with prismatic eyes. Whatever curse had afflicted him through the bulk of the third trial was dispelled with the end of the stage and the damage to his soul restored. Though it ached fiercely now, a product of whatever spell the elf had use. Shin watched him burn, waiting for the retaliation, but once again found himself back at the starting position, fully restored and facing a new opponent. A towering figure, limbs as thick as trees, he wore the leather and fur attire of a savage viking warrior. Long curled brown hair around a broad face bearing an eager mocking smile through an iron mask. [Goliath Berserker (legendary) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Begin!¡± A flash of light carved along with berserker¡¯s body drawing a gush of blood from the deep wound. The man¡¯s face slowly fell into stunned shock and Shin unleashed a flurry carving and slicing away. Grievous wounds lined the goliath¡¯s body but that was all. Shin had meant to sever, not cut. A thunderous stomp forced Shin to dart away and the man roared. Aura surged with tremendous intensity, filling his body with power. A hand swiped down at Shin as the ground where the man had just stood shattered apart, just barely missing him as he blinked away. No sooner had Shin reappeared that another massive hand greeted him. He blinked away in quick succession, each time narrowing avoiding the charging berserker¡¯s arms. Shin took to the air way up high as he assessed the raging opponent below. The berserker possessed a considerable amount of stats, evident by the fact he was twice as fast even invoking the legendary elite Inari and using everything he had. The rage he used seemed deeper and more powerful than Donny¡¯s Greater Rage and each attack surged with the same crackling aura as Karla¡¯s Dynamic. The enraged berserker crouched down low with tensing vigor and Shin blinked to the side as the man shot past where he had just been. Shin needed only glance at the flailing man through the air to know his plan had worked. He blitzed through the air towards the rocketing berserker. Realization jolted through the goliath¡¯s face as Shin drew near enough, and he swung wildly. Blasts of wind left each strike as Shin flickered around them. The berserker raised a hand and Shin¡¯s glare paralyzed his body just long enough to land a prismatic fist of white and black. The goliath roared in pain and another strike silenced him. The surging aura faded away as the man fell, and Shin found himself back at the stage. A gruff dwarf in craftsman¡¯s attire stared him down. Copper skin and black hair with a thick beard, the man stood about four feet tall with a stout build. [Dwarf Golemancer (legendary) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Begin!¡± Shin blinked behind before the giant golems rising at the dwarf¡¯s side could fully form, striking with a prismatic fist. The dwarf sneered as stone arms bloomed from his back grasping at Shin as a sphere of mana fell over them, a skill that prevented teleportation. But Shin did not stop, a wave of Greater Quake cascaded through the arms, shattering them whole as he slammed his fist into his back, destroying the golemancer¡¯s soul. The dwarf hardly had the time to hit the ground before Shin reset again. Before him was a fat man with short curly blond hair. Everything from his weight to his shallow arrogance to the egregious amount of jewelry adorned his body spoke to the boundless hedonism of his character. [Human King (legendary) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Begin!¡± Shin severed a six winged angel that appeared in his way, a mythic tier seraphim by appraisal of the king¡¯s same rank. But the portly hedonist showed no concern for what laid before his eyes. He simply opened his mouth and uttered two dismissive words. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Kill yourself.¡± The words sank deeply into Shin, urging him to obey. And a line of light flashed through the center of the king, two halves sliding away with his silk toga in a bloody mess. His words consumed and ignored. For the fifth time, Shin faced a unfamiliar opponent. This one a young man of impressive build with long thick red hair and inhuman features. Red scales lined parts of his body matching and majestic horns grew from his head. He stood arms crossed with a smile, lighthearted and confident. A galant figure in armor and cloth with all the poise and presence of a hero. [Draconian Gigant (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Begin!¡± Shin¡¯s blade cut through a golden fortress on the draconian¡¯s golden arm but stopped short on his flesh. A fist slammed into Shin¡¯s stomach, shattering his mystic protection and a second impact from the same strike blasting a hole in his gut. But Shin didn¡¯t falter in the slightest. A paralytic gaze stunned the draconian in place, as he spun the other blade at his neck. Mana of white and black slashed through with the means to bypass Indestructible, and sparks of lightning met it. They wreathed out like static stopping the blade short. It was not strength or force, but simple magnetism, preventing the blade itself from approaching. The gigant snapped out of the paralysis, lightning surging across his fists as he rained down a volley at Shin. Shin was faster by a note but found no ease in dodging the attacks. There was a strangeness about the draconian¡¯s movements, moving at just the right time in just the right way, blocking Shin¡¯s attacks and countering with increasingly close brushes with death. Foresight. Shin was sure of it. And he was sure of its weakness. Shin¡¯s weapon vanished and a ball of ghostly foxfire rose above, duality fusing in until it burst into a cage trapping them both. Shin charged with a prismatic fist sparking a brief reaction from the lightning monk before jolted his focus to the streams of foxfire lunging at him from the cage¡¯s bars. Shin flickered again punching with his full force, stopping just short before slipping away. The white masked goblin darted all around, erratically, unpredictably, sometimes short, sometimes nearly a complete attack. Such behavior with the looming threat of truestrike forced the gigant to keep his focus on the invoker, at least partly and forced him to rely on foresight all while the tendrils of foxfire struck at every opening. The gigant shifted around the hunting foxfire and Shin lunged. The gigant barely showed it on his face but it showed enough. Confusion. He shifted in Shin¡¯s direction, and his expression changed. But it was too late. The cage shrunk rapidly around them as Shin struck. The draconian flared his power and struck back, prismatic cracks shooting through his body while lightning burst half Shin¡¯s body apart and sent him flying. But the bars of the cage bent around his body and closed in on the draconian left behind. Lightning surged over his body in an instant and exploded, crashing against the cage of foxfire, cancelling it out. Shin¡¯s body regenerated in an instant as the draconian stood among the lightning scorched stone with labored breath and a strained expression. He looked at Shin and smiled, confident and genuine. ¡°Rax, seventh prince of Xarrash.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± Rax laughed a little. ¡°Sorry, I underestimated you. I¡¯ll use everything now.¡± The draconian prince took a stance as he spoke, gripping power into his arms. His friendly expression slipped into that of a fierce warrior. In an instant his body swelled three times his size into a veritable giant. A violent mane of lightning coated his body and thunder his fists. Rax shot forward and cratered the stage as Shin darted away. The giant shifting around nimbly, surprisingly so for his size forcing Shin to dodge a constant assault of heavy punches and swipes. Rax¡¯s true speed had not changed, but the length of his stride and reach compounded it, along with his raw power evident by the sheer sound of his strikes. Shin blurred around a strike, bursting up through the air. A giant fist barreled through the air and froze in place as Shin melded Greater Glare and Mindfray into one excruciating attack on his mind, prismatic mana coating his fist. And a bolt of lightning zapped him from Rax¡¯s body the moment he drew close, a speed far too fast to react to. Lightning and thunder struck, the giant¡¯s fist crashing Shin into an invisible barrier surrounding the stage. His body half mangled and full charred slid down as a second fist crashed into the barrier. Rax spun around to Shin appearing behind, the invoker regenerating in an instant. Sparks of intense voltage coursed over him but his body moved as he wished it. Rax charged with no delay and Shin charged again too. The gigant swung a thundering arm as he held back the other, ready for the second strike. Shin gathered the mana for glare and mindfray and Rax¡¯s face shifted. Shin stepped off the air with a burst of violent vibration, propelling him faster than ever before. Lightning zapped through his body but he bore everything and struck deep into the giant¡¯s core with dazzling prismatic mana. Shin leapt back and invoke faded away with the last of his mana as Rax fell to a knee. He strained against the damage spread through his soul but the lightning faded to nothing and his body shrunk back to normal. The gigant held his stomach with labored breathes, weary expression slowly excepting the inevitable. Rax looked over to Shin patiently waiting and smiled, humbly and confidently. ¡°I¡¯ll use everything from the start¡­ next time¡­¡± The draconian¡¯s words drifted off as his body fell to the stage. And Shin reset again. A woman stood before him, her lean curvy body covered in high quality leather armor save for the pale blue skin visible only around her eyes between the hood and mask covering the lower half of her face. Eyes cold and callous before the target in her unyielding gaze and two large daggers in her hands. [Elf Shadowdancer (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Begin!¡± Shin¡¯s masked head left his body draped in white and black in the blink of an eye. As his head arched round in the air, he turned his gaze to the elf woman looking back in derision. Not born of arrogance, but of ardent trials overcome and a mountain of corpses beneath her feet. She vanished again, and Shin¡¯s head fell in severed chunks. And his body rose, reforming a new one. Double bladed naginata in hand, he leaned over, his stance amateurish and foreboding against the biggest threat he had faced so far. Chapter 90 The two stood perfectly still in complete silence. Neither their bodies nor their eyes nor even their intent betrayed a hint of their next move. The elf shot past without warning and half of Shin¡¯s neck split open. Her eyes narrowed. Shin had read her. Not fully, but enough. She vanished from all senses in an instant, and Shin maintained a deceptively vigilant stance where he stood. A dagger sliced his neck again from the back, no deeper than before. A trace of shock found her eyes this time but there was no time to assess. Before her soared a rippling green orb spiraling within like a storm and from behind sailed a blade Shin swung the moment she moved. Curving down at just the angle she would choose to dart away from the orb. The right was wide open but that was a trap she felt. No, she knew. She continued forward as the blade missed her back, and the green orb bore a hole in her chest disregarding her phantasm entirely and eating straight through her armor. The elf burst away as flesh from the wound mended in an instant but her armor did not, revealing the same pale blue skin as her face. Shin remained where he stood, five writhing orbs blooming in the air as he melded Quake and Greater Spirit Gyro into one, and channelled them as far as they would go. Chaotic green orbs emanating harsh ripples of vibration orbited around him, seeming unstable enough to destruct at any moment. Jagged Gyro, he thought of them, and Duality flared within all. Shin burst forward, six rippling orbs swirling around him as he pursued the evading elf as she kept her distance. The orbs circled him in deliberate coordinated paths, blocking or leaving a trap from every angle she could attack. Paralytic Mindfray didn¡¯t so much as make the elf flinch so they left his thoughts as he continued his pursuit. Foxfire was too slow to help when even he couldn¡¯t catch her, but her weakness was obvious. To possess this much speed, she had to sacrifice something. Willpower wasn¡¯t needed with whatever mental trait she possessed but that wasn¡¯t enough. Constitution likely, but also Vitality and Spirit had to be lacking. He could outlast her. Every skill she used drained what little she had and soon she would be with nothing. The shadowdancer razed forward, trading a slice through Shin¡¯s skull for a hole in her shoulder. Seeing Shin chase after unaffected, she stalked around searching for any openings, a sense of urgency about her that wasn¡¯t there before. Nothing that could be gleaned from her expression or movements but Shin felt the atmosphere around her all the same. Her figure blurred and she appeared in front of him, darting to the side from two attacking orbs. Hazy afterimages trailed behind. The blade of her dagger faded slightly as though its existence slipped away, and passed straight through the staff of Shin¡¯s weapon, slicing through his head once again. But his body spun and a sword in his other hand cleaved through half her body. The elf burst away from the orbs that followed, her body regenerating along with Shin¡¯s. Shin stored the sword and charged again, resuming the hunt. Something rose within her eyes as she evaded now, annoyance and caution. She knew full well even with unfettered and the Body Supremacy and Regeneration to support it, to fight as though one was immortal without fear of death was not easy. A sliver of fear existed within every being deep down, even the most conceited, the most zealous, or the most trained. The life of an true assassin was to have such fear tortured away until it bled out of one¡¯s very soul. Such that one could move and live pretending it was gone. But the sliver always remained. Only the ignorant or controlled lacked it. But the experienced could not be ignorant and the controlled free from such shackles upon this stage. She felt it from the target with each favorable exchange she made. He was devoid of fear. The shadowdancer spun around from another exchange, forcing such thoughts from her mind. She had not the time nor luxury to think of anything but the fight. Shin rushed in from the right, and she noticed an orb missing from her vision. It hid behind him, she deduced in an instant. An opening, a gap in the orbits, appeared on his side and she lunged. Another orb circled from her right, heading straight behind where she¡¯d be. The trap within the trap. Her daggers faded, and green orb burst suddenly through Shin¡¯s chest right towards her. And her cold eyes glinted. The trap behind it all she had predicted. Afterimages trailed her body as she pivoting with her raze, changing its direction. Her arms blurred and split into three images each severing the fearless invoker in parts. But as she slid away, her face tensed, four green orbs curving in from different directions. She couldn¡¯t stop her path, not in time. With just a instant to think, she blinked away from the danger. The afterimages faded away and her daggers returned to normal with the last of her mana. But still, Shin rose, putting the parts of his body back together as they healed. The shadowdancer stored her daggers, as she resigned herself, her eyes devoid of care. Without Haste and Spry, the result was inevitable. There was no need to lose her best weapons in the process. Whatever rewards the tournament held were out of her reach. She had to make the most prudent choice. She had to do as she was expected. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Shin took a step and paused as he saw the elf¡¯s actions, his mouth lowering neutral. ¡°Are you really alive?¡± The elf¡¯s eyes widened just slightly at the question that struck deep. Too sincere, too piercing to ignore. And a storm of jagged orbs sheered away every trace of her body, too quick for the question to linger. Neither did it linger in Shin, for his surroundings shifted and he found himself face to face with his next opponent. An unremarkable young man compared to his last two. Hardly older than Shin by appearances. Lean, clean shaved, and bald, he wore yellow monk¡¯s sleeveless robes with a single vest strap and simple pants but notable barefoot. A frown held his face, humorless and resolved. [Human Arhat (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Begin!¡± The two met dead in the center, violent wind swirling around the arhat¡¯s arms, white mask and kitsune robes donning Shin. A fist struck Shin¡¯s face and wind blasted half of it to shreds, while his own prismatic fist clad in white and black struck the monk¡¯s torso clean. His face tensed slightly, but that was all. Shin slipped the second punch as his face regenerated, the mere proximity to the wind sliced into his flesh but he ignored it. A testing Mindfray showed no sign of effect but the flicker of his estoc drew a line of blood just under the monk¡¯s eye as he avoiding it piercing through his eye. The monk jumped back and punched. The small tornado around his fist shot out faster than his own movements, colliding with a Greater Mana Shield, both destroying the other. Channeled Quake bloomed at the ends of Shin¡¯s limbs as he charged burst forth. Shin feinted in several directions as he drew near and kicked high, but the arhat blocked, his palm just out of the range of the quake. The monk stepped in with a punch in return, a short stream of piercing wind shot out at the end just past Shin¡¯s ear as he slipped again. Limb struck against limb as both fell into a flurry of exchanges. All of Shin¡¯s strikes blocked clean with impeccable technique and pose while every strike the monk returning shot streams or sliced blades of wind as Shin deflected and dodged. Evenly matched in martial arts, the fierce battle continued with no winner in sight, neither man relenting or showing their hand. The monk broke the standstill first, knocking Shin back with a nova of wind. Tornadoes wrapped around his arms once more, and shot one at Shin. He dodged, just barely as the cluster blast a hole in the stage, and darted away again and again as the monk punched the attacks one after the other without end. Shin dodged another and rushed towards the monk, flickering past a few more attacks. He stepped on the ground and burst forward with the propulsion its quake, shocking the monk who just barely managed to dodge. He shot another tornado with Shin wide open in his sights but the invoker stepped jumped back off the air over it and again from above flipping a second quake kick. The jagged vibration crashed into aura coated arms the monk managed to raise in time. The ground cracked beneath him and blood burst from his arms. But he had no time to rest. Shin curled in, two hands carrying quakes each swiping in. Wind swirled in between just in time to meet the rippling force. A huge explosion of pressure blasted them to the other sides of the stage. Shin calmly twisted through the air to his feet, regeneration healing what wounds he gained from the impact, and looked over to the monk who could not say the same. ¡°How do you have so much aura? What¡¯s it called?¡± He asked, with no sense of urgency or concern for the fight, his interest solely focused on the ability the monk possessed. A fact the monk took poorly. ¡°You think this a game?¡± The arhat¡¯s stern frown deepened. ¡°I guess.¡± Yen always said as much. Rage crept onto the monk¡¯s face, but he forced it back down. A deep breath out settled him into a state of controlled intensity as he took a new stance. A band of golden symbols looped into a disk behind his back and from it six giant arms of golden light grew, each twice the size of the monk¡¯s own. Shin took to the air and the monk followed. Punches, chops, and thrusts rained down from the six arms just as fast as the monk himself, each unleashing blasts and blades of wind as he did. It was all Shin could do to merely dodge as they blitzed through the air, chunks of his flesh blasted and sliced away at every moment. But Shin showed no sign of panic. A shrill ringing filled the air with the sound of the wind, quiet at first but gradually rising and rising. Blood started to trickled down the monk¡¯s eyes and nose. He intensified his attack more recklessly, adding blasts from his own two hands but Shin dodged easier than before. ¡°You¡¯re worse than before.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± The monk battered and maimed Shin around the arena in a rage, damage almost outpacing his regeneration, but the masked boy stayed as he was, channelling High Pitch without pause. A golden arm raised and the monk vomited blood, his body wracked with pain and his senses swimming. The opening was only an instant but that was all Shin needed. Quake channelled fivefold in his palm and Duality flared with it. Golden arms covered the monk but it was in vain. Giant sonic booms blasted from Shin¡¯s palm thrust as the impact cratered the monk into the stage like a falling meteor. Shin dropped down into the settling dust and debris, walking ahead without hurry, the stage residing quickly to reveal the monk laying on the floor, his arms broken and body below his chest splattered out. The monk spat blood twice as he looked to the approaching boy, hatred apparent through the pain. ¡°The temple¡­ will bring¡­ peace to this madness¡­¡± He forced the words out with the last of his breath. ¡°Demon.¡± A blade sliced through his head in an instant, bringing the fight to an end. Shin wondered why the monk had neglected such a glaring weakness but that thought and his interest soon left his mind as he reset once more. The elevated fanfare and roar of the crowd caught his attention first but quickly he focused on the opponent in front. A youthful man in archaic noble attire, pale flawless skin and long golden hair. A face of peerlessly enchanting masculine beauty draped in an aura of quiet and somber elegance would captivate most but Shin only took notice of passionless silver eyes. [Dhampyr Psion (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Watch now, as a champion is born!¡± The cloth masked announcer¡¯s words resonated throughout the impossible vast arena as he raised an arm. ¡°Begin!¡± Chapter 91 The arena erupted into a frenzy. Thunderous cheers and vitriol of all manner of intent and intensity swirled into a cascade of mania. But among this, neither Shin nor the dhampyr moved an inch. The fervor directed at Shin sunk into a silent void around him as though it wasn¡¯t there at all. And he tilted his head. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A casual and simple question, asked with all honesty. ¡°I could ask the same of you.¡± ¡°You have to fight.¡± ¡°So it seems.¡± ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡± The dhampyr didn¡¯t respond, and Shin fell into thought. He didn¡¯t get it, not fully. It didn¡¯t really bother Shin but he wanted him to get it. Shin tilted his head the other way, unsure of how to make him understand. But there was something more important. ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡± A wave of quake slammed into a barrier around the dhampyr, narrowed and targeted. The stage beneath cracked and chipped away under the pressure but neither the barrier nor the face of the man within changed. A probing mindfray faded into nothing and a vicious assault on his own mind returned. A telekinetic blast sent Shin crashing back, and he raised his naginata just in time to block a thin silver longsword slashing on its own. The silver sword swirled and struck rapidly from all around in a manner impossible were it wielded by a person, forcing Shin to commit to defense while the assault still raged on his mind. He led the sword erratically until he was close enough to blink right before dhampyr. He swung his blade and a force shot him back, the silver longsword taking an arm even as he tried to twist away. The sword struck again and he caught it with his regenerated hand, covered in a glove of quake, and shattered the weapon. Shin turned to find two more identical weapons hovering around the psion. He spun his naginata horizontal as the two silver swords soared towards him, and pulled it apart into two katana blades at the end of short staffs. A sword in each hand he fended off the silver weapons clean, catching them as they crossed paths for an instant to destroy both in a single quake. But the shards all around floated in the air and flew back to the dhampyr reforming the three weapons around where he stood, still yet unmoved. Shin knew he¡¯d run out of mana if this continued. Black and white mana coated his blades and he burst forward. The three silver swords shot with him and he deflected all in kind. They slashed and soared in pursuit as Shin darted all around, cracking and chipping away with his skillless strikes until all three broke. Shin flickered in front of the dhampyr and darted to the side as he baited the telekinetic blast. Both blades slashed and he froze in place completely. Blink failed and the three swords impaled him from behind. A duality infused greater spellbreak broke the hold but the swords twirled, splitting him in five. Kong appeared behind for a brief moment, pushing the five slabs of Shin together before they fell while Mara covered them in layers of wards. Shin¡¯s wounds welded in an instant and a mass of ghostly blue foxfire flared at the dhampyr. A blast shot through but the fire writhed around surging on his barrier. Duality blazed within and the flames started to slip through. A massive force blasted everything away in all directions. The foxfire snuffed out and Shin crashed back. A force caught him mid air and ricocheted him all through the arena like a ragdoll. Slamming a broken body down as the three silver swords nailed him to the floor. A cold seeped through his body, slowing his regeneration and poisoning his flesh with death. Shin laid there, casually and unhurried. At this rate he would lose. And he could not allow that. A force swelled and the swords shattered instantly into finer pieces that before. Shin rose unnaturally, shards of light falling from his body. He sought something beyond simple raw force. He sought the most violent erratic vibrations and the smoothest calm ripples, and everything in between. [Quake has upgraded to the mythic tier skill Pulse] He blitzed in front of dhampyr, landing a prismatic fist clad in duality right into his core. The vestiges of Telekinesis and the shards of a shattered Barrier that he rammed through with the propulsion of Pulse left in his wake. Shin felt it work, felt the sundering run deep even if it did not show on the dhampyr¡¯s face. He struck again, but the dhampyr scattered into dust reforming away at the speed of teleportation. Shin blitzed again and dhampyr appeared in his mind. Shin¡¯s body froze in place, twitched and straining. It was not an assault this time, but a compulsion, and order. Domination. ¡°There¡¯s no way out. If you have not the means to withstand this much, what lies ahead is beyond you.¡± The dhampyr spoke as Shin struggled. ¡°I know not what drives you, but there are walls one cannot pass. Try and try, in the fleeting dream. All things end.¡± A terrible weight fell on the world. Blood streaked down Shin¡¯s eyes behind his mask, grim and frightful beyond comprehension. The domination ripped from his mind and a prismatic fist slammed into the dhampyr¡¯s face. Shin blitzed after the man, breaking through his defenses like a madman as he pummeled him with truestrikes, recklessly, ceaselessly until a bare fist struck. Robes and mask faded away with the last of his mana as he stood over the dying dhampyr, soul past the point of saving. His face was blank, almost serious beyond the indifferent nonchalance before the passionless man. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Try more.¡± The dhampyr looked back in silence, giving no response. The cracks in his soul spread until it broke, and his body turned to ash. Shin lingered with a moment in silence before leaning up to the roar of the crowd and spectacular rain of lights. The stage remained as it was around it, but eight giant marble statues rose from the ground. An imposing broad faced man with a long braided beard banded together. A young muscular warrior in cloth and bracers wear the helm of a bird. A heroic young man in cloth with long flowing hair, proud and domineering. A beautiful woman in silk gown with the symbol of the sun on her forehead and an intelligent smile. A tattooed man of incredible might in barbarian clothes, hair tied back and face in a victorious rage. A shredded giant woman with long curled hair, fierce eyed and delighted. A thin old man with a long beard in mage¡¯s robes. A savage warrior with a shield and club sword wearing a feathered headdress. An in the center ahead, a statue rose of Shin as he was, slight casual smile with unwavering hollow eyes. ¡°Behold, your ninth champion! Shin!¡± [Acquired Title: Champion] ¡®50% bonus to all attributes.¡¯ A screen appeared before Shin, his other reward for the victory. The greatest reward thus far. An unrestricted choice of any mythic tier ability within the system. Shin scoured through the list immediately, but his subtle enthusiasm waned. There was no ability to find a soul outside the tower, none to recover any soul, none to leave the tower. Nothing he desired appeared at all. He paused for a moment, quiet among the revelry, and searched for something else. [Acquired mythic tier trait Vestiger.] ¡®Designate an ability of a monster that will follow them through evolution with an additional skill slot.¡¯ In his hands, a black silk vest appeared stemming from a banded gold collar. [Spiritmaster Vest] ¡®Passive Ability: Decrease the cost of summoning or calling spirits by half.¡¯ ¡°Go forth now into the Tower true. Thou fortunate. Thou chosen. Beloved is the fate that awaits thee.¡± A chorus of indescribable beauty and splendor rose with the familiar goddess¡¯ words, and the world turned to light. All throughout, the tower trembled and the gods felt the change of fate more chaotic and perilous than any epoch before. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be a problem but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this much. Ah, it¡¯s gonna be a pain¡­¡± Shin found himself in the void opposite Onamuji once again. The god hovered lazily about with a sigh. ¡°Well first things first. Well done.¡± The god rotated into a seated hover. ¡°Don¡¯t actually have much advise for you this time. But things¡¯ll probably work out for you. Just keep doing what you think best. I have a lot to explain about a lot of things but that¡¯ll have to wait until we meet. Be a while ¡®till then, though.¡± ¡°Mythic didn¡¯t have what I wanted.¡± Shin spoke up, hollow eyes with a trace of desire. ¡°What¡¯s above that?¡± ¡°Gods.¡± Onamuji smiled, a weight within his words. ¡°If there¡¯s something you want in this world, take it with your own will. Beyond Monarch lies the law you seek.¡± Red lightning sparked violently around Onamuji but nothing changed. ¡°Rise to the peak in this perilous sea. And take it.¡± Shin found himself back in the forest, calm breeze rustling his hair gentle in the serenity of nature. ¡°That tournament was mad.¡± ¡°Fight~?¡± ¡°I will spar.¡± Mujin volunteered. ¡°Probably best I join you, first time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± ¡°Yeah you do.¡± Donny assured. ¡°How broken is your title that we get 30% just for being in your party?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Why is it called Honorguard. Makes us sound like underlings¡­¡± Shin turned around to face them in the midst of the clamor, eyes deep and genuine. ¡°I want to be above gods.¡± A blunt declaration of something so grand it took some of them back. But within the simmering silence rose an atmosphere of wills united. Some excited, some inspired, some resolved, some prudent, all starting to flow in the same direction with increasingly zeal, centered around a hollow eyed boy who dreamed of nothing and all it entailed. --- Asmodeus walked through the red stone halls of his castle with a smile on his face. His mood had been exceeding good since the ninth epoch began and the conclusion only served to improve it more. Elation might have taken hold were he the type to ever allow emotion to muddy his thoughts for even a moment. Red and gold robes of unparalleled make adorned with gems and finery complimented long silky black hair and a pale face of beauty. Were it not for the pitch black eyes and red pupils, he would pass for a human. And in truth, if he desired it so, that could change as well, but could never do something so unsightly as to forget himself for his love. He opened a brass door bound only to him and passed through. None but a mere handful could ever hope to even reach this far in the lowest floor of his personal castle deep in his ninth layer of hell, let alone enter, but that was no cause for carelessness. A single flaw can lead to the fall. Asmodeus ascended the steps of a platform. In the center, two green skinned demons held up a large tome, blood draining from their eyes and trembling but never did the tome move an inch. The Prince of Gehenna closed his eyes and drew a third, this one distinctly human with glowing silvery pupils. With that eye and that eye alone he gaze over the contents of the tome once more. Intent directed to the pedestal demons caused them to shudder and a page turned on its own. ¡°You will never reach the end.¡± Mask spoke in casual posture. ¡°Such is the curse of curiosity.¡± Asmodeus showed no sign of surprise at the Jester¡¯s appearance, continuing to read from the tome. ¡°The time has come then, I suppose. I will set things in motion.¡± ¡°There is the small matter of the flame.¡± Mask¡¯s position changed without notice, sitting now on a stack of books ahead. ¡°That will require another deal.¡± The pupil of the eye in Asmodeus¡¯ hands started to shrink and he withdrew from the tome to find Mask leaning over it from the other side, peering at its contents without care. ¡°Alas, this simple servant has not the means to acquire what you seek. Fret not, dear Prince.¡± Mask spoke from behind as he walked away. ¡°I shall handle it.¡± Asmodeus turned in silence to an empty room, his mood worsened just slightly. But he did not let that affect him. Through the brass door and the hallway he headed back, sealing everything behind as he went. Glimmers of mana took him far away to a throne of grandeur in the center of a majestic great hall, and he sat. ¡°D-devastation¡­ m-m-misery, a most t-terrible era.¡± A haggard old woman cackled from the side, sunken eyes and a body stretched too wide to be human. A fervor took hold as she spat an endless stream of consciousness with overbearing zeal. ¡°Abaddon. Shaddai. Bane of Fate. End of All. The Heavens crumble. The Hells drown in rivers of blood. Fate has forsaken us. The Tower will fall to Chaos.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Asmodeus looked up at nothing in particular. ¡°How enchanting it all shall be.¡± Character Sheets Shin [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (420) Agility - 600 (1260) Constitution - 50 (105) Vitality - 152 [228] (479) Dexterity - 33 (69) Perception - 300 (630) Force - 24 (50) Spirit - 793 [1190] (2499) Control - 150 [225] (472) Willpower - 100 [150] (315) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Throneguard lvl. 1, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 9, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 1, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 4, Meld lvl. 1 Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, (40/42) Stat Bonuses: +110% True Blessing: +30% / Patriarch: +30% / Champion: +50% Patron God: Onamuji, Master of the Great Land Yenny Phoenix [Human Firestarter (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 11 (20) Agility - 16 (29) Constitution - 30 (54) Vitality - 30 (54) Dexterity - 75 (135) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 840 [1260] (2268) Spirit - 540 [810] (1458) Control - 250 (450) Willpower - 200 (360) Skills: Greater Firebolt lvl. 10, Mana Shield lvl. 10, Greater Armament lvl. 10, Greater Combustion lvl. 10, Arcane Barrage lvl. 10, Greater Fly lvl. 10, Greater Fire Mimicry lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Grasp lvl. 10, Firestream lvl. 10, Vector lvl. 10, Flame Nova lvl. 10, Ember Rain lvl. 10, Dispel lvl. 10, Vortex lvl. 10, Cinder lvl. 10, Magnetic lvl. 10, Traits: Fire Immunity, Phoenix Soul, Loved by Magic, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Force, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Fire Overwhelming, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Spirit, (30/33) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: Falcon of the Two Horizons Donny Knox [Human Blood Knight (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 500 [750] (1350) Agility - 400 [600] (1080) Constitution - 100 [150] (270) Vitality - 400 [600] (1080) Dexterity - 200 (360) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 9 (16) Spirit - 150 (270) Control - 140 (252) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Greater Hack lvl. 10, Supreme Axe Combat lvl. 10, Supreme Shield Combat lvl. 10, Greater Shield Charge lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 5, Shift lvl. 10, Greater Swagger lvl. 10, Greater Bastion lvl. 10, Greater Spellbreak lvl. 10, Greater Lacerate lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Parry lvl. 10, Anchor lvl. 10, Thunderstomp lvl. 10, Feint lvl. 10, Knockback lvl. 10, Greater Rage lvl. 10, Bloodbind lvl. 10, Tranquility lvl. 10, Traits: Bloodthirst, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Truesight, Third Eye, Greater Constitution, Great Vitality, Greater Strength, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Unfettered, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Agility, (35/35) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: Lord of Slaughter Kamala [Human Pagan (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 9 (16) Agility - 17 (30) Constitution - 15 (27) Vitality - 22 (39) Dexterity - 14 (25) Perception - 200 (360) Force - 400 [600] (1080) Spirit - 900 [1350] (2430) Control - 300 [450] (810) Willpower - 200 (360) Skills: Greater Wild Growth lvl. 10, Greater Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Shield lvl. 10, Greater Remedy lvl. 10, Greater Detox lvl. 10, Greater Ensnare lvl. 10, Greater Ironbark lvl. 10, Regrowth lvl. 10, Greater Protection lvl. 10, Greater Exorcize lvl. 10, Greater Grove lvl. 10, Shieldangel Wings lvl. 10, Greensap lvl. 10, Germinate lvl. 10, Summon Ophanim lvl. 10, Dispel lvl. 10, Greater Nature¡¯s Ally lvl. 10, Thornbloom lvl. 10, Wood Spear lvl. 10, Nature¡¯s Wrath lvl. 10, Summon Wraith lvl. 10, Traits: ???, Fire Immunity, Green Hand, Savior, Guardian, Hypercognition, Tireless, Summon Master, Greater Spirit, Great Force, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Control, (37/38) Stat Bonuses: +80% True Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: Maiden of the Midsummer Lake Karla [Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 500 [750] (1350) Agility - 500 [750] (1350) Constitution - 100 [150] (270) Vitality - 361 [541] (974) You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Dexterity - 125 [187] (336) Perception - 200 [300] (540) Force - 14 (25) Spirit - 100 (180) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Dynamic lvl. 10, Supreme Unarmed Combat lvl. 10, Greater Bastion lvl. 10, Greater Parry lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Shift lvl. 10, Greater Aura Meditation lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Ravage lvl. 10, Greater Fracture lvl. 10, Greater Spellbreak lvl. 10, Greater Momentum lvl. 10, Greater Concuss lvl. 10, Limber lvl. 10, Wreck lvl. 10, Barbarism lvl. 10, Traits: Martial Intuition, Tempered Bone (epic), Instant Regeneration, Charming Immunity, Weakness Immunity, Martial Eye, Body Supremacy, Mana Devourer, Lightning Reflexes, Third Eye, Great Strength, Great Agility, Great Constitution, Great Vitality, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Perception, (41/42) Stat Bonuses: +80% True Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: The Mercenary Queen Dante [Human Runic Charlatan (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 150 (270) Agility - 450 (810) Constitution - 150 (270) Vitality - 100 (180) Dexterity - 120 (216) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 30 (54) Spirit - 638 [957] (1722) Control - 300 [450] (810) Willpower - 200 [300] (540) Skills: Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Homing lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Greater Major Image lvl. 10, Trick Mine lvl. 10, Flashbang lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Morph lvl. 10, Silence lvl. 10, Greater Obscuration lvl. 10, Greater Falsification lvl. 10, Shadowstep lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Shawl lvl. 10, Rogue¡¯s Arsenal lvl. 10, Greater Blink lvl. 10, Greater Apport lvl. 10, Phantom Platform lvl. 10, Escape Art lvl. 10, Greater Weight Shift lvl. 10, Runemark lvl. 10, Mana Harnessing lvl. 10, Acidic lvl. 10, Traits: ???, ???, Foresight, Hypercognition, Tireless, Truth and Lies, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Control, Great Spirit, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Willpower, (40/40) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: King of Stories Jean [Human Puppetmaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 100 (180) Agility - 300 (540) Constitution - 50 (90) Vitality - 100 (180) Dexterity - 100 (180) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 15 (27) Spirit - 500 [750] (1350) Control - 584 [876] (1577) Willpower - 400 (720) Skills: Superior Dagger Combat lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Greater Sense Presence lvl. 10, Greater Sense Trap lvl. 10, Puppet Double lvl. 10, Smokescreen lvl. 10, Vigilance lvl. 10, Burst lvl. 10, Greater Puppet Strings lvl. 10, Greater Invisibility lvl. 10, Obscuration lvl. 10, Conceal lvl. 10, Greater Swap lvl. 10, Greater Disable Trap lvl. 10, Sense Magic lvl. 10, Puppet Collection lvl. 10, Puppet Swap lvl. 10, Noise lvl. 10, Ensign lvl. 10, Dispel lvl. 10, Traits: Sixth Sense, Hypercognition, Great Control, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Truesight, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Spirit, (31/31) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: Serpent of False Mysteries Mujin [Human Dragoon (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 (540) Agility - 600 [900] (1620) Constitution - 100 (180) Vitality - 432 [648] (1166) Dexterity - 200 [300] (540) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 100 (180) Spirit - 150 (270) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Greater Pierce lvl. 10, Grand Unarmed Combat lvl. 10, Lightning Palm Blast lvl. 10, Supreme Spear Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Parry lvl. 10, Greater Feint lvl. 10, Shift lvl. 10, Willow lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Aura Meditation lvl. 10, Electric lvl. 10, Spellbreak lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Drill lvl. 10, Greater Dragon Scales lvl. 10, Dragon Strike lvl. 10, Lightning Mimicry lvl. 10, Traits: Lightning Immunity, Martial Eye, Sixth Sense, Lightning Reflexes, Windstrider, Lightning Overwhelming, Great Agility, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Curse Immunity, Disease Immunity, Dragon Heart, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, (35/35) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: Third Lotus Prince Ashley [Human Reaper (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 350 (630) Agility - 700 [1050] (1890) Constitution - 50 (90) Vitality - 200 (360) Dexterity - 200 [300] (540) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 20 (36) Spirit - 300 [450] (810) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 150 (270) Skills: Greater Assassinate lvl. 10, Grand Dagger Combat lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Vigilance lvl. 10, Greater Premeditation lvl. 10, Greater Mesmerize lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Shadowstep lvl. 10, Greater Invisibility lvl. 10, Darkness lvl. 10, Haste lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Limber lvl. 10, Obscuration lvl. 10, Greater Shadow Mimicry lvl. 10, Phantom lvl. 10, Greater Phantasm lvl. 10, Grim Blade lvl. 10, Harrow lvl. 10, Supreme Scythe Combat lvl. 10, Ghoulification lvl. 10, Traits: True Vampirism, Daywalker, ???, Darkvision, Martial Eye, Mystic Eyes, ???, Great Agility, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Strong Mind, Strong Soul, Great Spirit, (37/39) Stat Bonuses: +80% ??? Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: ??? Basem [Human Strider (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 (540) Agility - 600 [900] (1620) Constitution - 100 (180) Vitality - 230 (414) Dexterity - 300 (540) Perception - 500 [750] (1350) Force - 15 (27) Spirit - 200 (360) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Greater Snipe lvl. 10, Supreme Bow Combat lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Greater Steady Aim lvl. 10, Farsight lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Burst lvl. 10, Greater Chameleon lvl. 10, Triple Nock lvl. 10, Backfire lvl. 10, Buckshot lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Premeditation lvl. 10, Greater Guided Arrow lvl. 10, Hunter¡¯s Mark lvl. 10, Hidden Arrow lvl. 10, Blink lvl. 10, Vantage Point lvl. 1, Spellbreak lvl. 10, Traits: Martial Eye, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Perception, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Unnoticeable, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Agility, (31/31) Stat Bonuses: +80% Greater Blessing: +30% / Hegemon: +20% / Honorguard: +30% Patron God: The Outlaw of Sherwood Forest Chapter 92 Shin faced Karla for the duel that was promised. In the 19 days since the end of the trials, she had maxed Greater Agile and Greater Barbarism, but along with Meld he had maxed Pulse and Truestrike. With his mana now 2,500 and the twelvefold recovery rate, even mythic tier skills didn¡¯t take long to level. Most of Chariot were in attendance to observed the fight, and intervene if necessary, for good reason. Neither of them intended to hold back. The two blurred without warning. Two blades of white and black slashing at the amazon¡¯s neck stopped short on her arms, eating through her coat of bastion and halfway into her mythic tier bones. Her foot slammed into Shin¡¯s chest at the same time, the flare of Dynamic breaking his mystic protection and bursting open the front of his torso as he shot back. Karla charged after, twisting around two spiraling green orbs flaring with duality into Shin¡¯s flurry. Shin was faster and stronger but her lightning reflexes allowed her to keep up and her martial skill countered his own. Glare would have no effect, so Shin channelled mindfray and mindfray alone but the smiling fighter powered through by brute force. Blood painted the ground as Shin sliced away, but it was only minor. She blocked and evaded any serious woulds and without duality his blades merely clanged against her bones. Her wounds regenerated instantly and no injury slowed her movements in the slightest. A rapid jab snapped through the flurry knocking his shoulder off balance. The damage minimal but Shin felt mana pull from his body as she drew her hand back. The Mana Devourer trait affected even his invoke. A dynamic kick struck his side, but it caught on the layer of pulse he formed over. The two orbs crashed into her, one burrowing into her gut, the other shaving away at her head. Without hesitation, she pierced an arm into her own body, grabbing the orb with her bare hand. Flash sheared away in an instant and even her bones started to wear but mana siphoned away in droves, the two orbs absorbed entirely before they could land the killing blow, and her wounds healed. Karla swayed her arm to deflect away the sword thrust at her in the opening. But the sword vanished and in his palm, pulse swirled. A thunderous force sent Karla crashing away through the open meadow. He focused pulse on the soles of his feet and blitzed forth, his hand reaching for her head in an instant. But Karla twisted from her flailing crash in an instant, surging dynamic fist about to connect before his own attack. And Shin blinked behind, prismatic fist of white and black striking her back. Prismatic cracks spread out from the strike, and a backhand shattered his head. Karla spun into a kick seamlessly and struck through the armor of pulse with the power of barbarism, sending the invoker crashing over the meadow this time. Shin rose, his head reforming as Karla closed in. Glare did nothing. Mindfray did little. Gyro and Foxfire would just be devoured. Slash and Haymaker wouldn¡¯t get past the iron defense of her bones. Pulse was effective, but costly and her reflexes prevented him from reaching her brain. Truestrike would destroyed her soul if he struck again, he knew. But so did she, without question, and she wouldn¡¯t let that land again. Staffswords found his hands as he met her in bloody exchange. Shin held the advantage in energy by a wide margin. Every bit of damage inflicted cost mana to heal. Once her mana dried up, she would lose Swiftness, and without that he would win in an instant. Shin darted all around, viscous and ruthless slices at her arteries drawing as much blood as possible. She was not unfettered. She could still force her body to move with none at all, but not for long. Shin dodged and deflected as he slashed, and a rapid snap bruised flesh and splintered bone, siphoning a bit of mana away. But that was fine too. Rapid consumed aura and her resources were draining faster than his. Karla¡¯s smile remained unchanged in this battle to the death as her life shaved away, but her ice blue eyes blazed deep. Light shattered off her as she stepped through Shin¡¯s swords perfectly, the impact of a punch rupturing his insides. A dagger replaced one of his swords as he tore it down her arm, slipping a punch that led straight into a dynamic kick he was forced to shield with pulse, and a snap rocked his head back. Shin sliced and stabbed without pause but vicious strikes landed in return in gradually increasing frequency. Slowly but surely, the amazon started to overwhelm him. A slash to the neck traded for a jab that cracked his mask. A thrust deep through the side for a kick that broke ribs. Again and again they clashed, neither letting up an inch, neither hesitating their lethal blows. Shin glided beneath a kick and thrust his blade up through her lungs. But the leg snapped back, sweeping him off his feet. A surging fist cratered down on him. He kicked away from the air but it clipped his side, blasting a chunk out of his lower torso. Shin slid across the ground on his feet, wounds regenerating but the invoke that draped him fell away and the sword through Karla¡¯s side disappeared. The amazon charged, much slower than before and aura absent from her strikes, but she was in control. An estoc and buckler found his hands and Shin slipped and stabbed, drawing lines of blood at the sides of her eyes, but a punch knocked him back fiercely and a flying knee cracked his jaw. With both of them depleted, Karla held the advantage. Faster and three times stronger. Her bones like mythic armor, her reflexes like lightning, her stamina endless, and her martial skill superior. Another punch rocked Shin. He¡¯d lose if this went on, he knew. Shin could survive and fight through any wound but he could not punch with an arm that wasn¡¯t there, and she was chipping away at him. A kick sent him sliding back. The problem was her skill, the joints in Shin¡¯s shoulders and arms dislocated as he thought, lengthening them disturbingly with a dagger in each hand. Shin let his mind drift erratically. His arms swayed as his body twisted unnaturally, detrimentally. He needed to get past her intuition. He needed to go beyond what she could feel. A jab knocked Shin¡¯s head back, and streaks of blood bloomed from Karla¡¯s arm. He sprung, more beast than man, slinging a dagger at her eyes. But the amazon blocked and broke his knee in with a stomp. Shin¡¯s hand grabbed her arm, dagger nowhere to be seen and pulled himself in without pause. His second dagger pierced at her eye again, but she swatted it away and struck with her head and he struck his. His skull cracked, even without the full extension of the strike, but Shin didn¡¯t stop. His head slide down to her neck and tore out a chunk of her flesh with his teeth like a wild animal. Two hands grabbed his savage head and pulled him into a knee, shattering open the right side of his skull. And in return two fingers plunged into her eye. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Karla kicked him back and shot a second towards his head, but Shin rolled in slicing deep into her inner thigh. Monster and martial artist clashed like madmen, Shin brutal beyond words. A goblin¡¯s dance. Body Supremacy rendered most wounds irrelevant on both sides. Broken bones and joints could be snapped back together. Air could flow through punctured lungs. But she was not unfettered. Shin hunted like a beast. Hunted for blood. Hunted for the kill. He slashed and tore away at the muscles and ligaments in her neck as blows broke his body further. He sprawled through her strikes into a headlock. She reached after him but he twisted faster, spinning and spinning through the complex grapple until her head twisted off by the joints. [Supreme Martial Combat has upgraded to mythic tier Grand Martial Combat.] Shards of light fell from him with the amazon¡¯s head in his hands and her body slumped to the ground. Shin darted over in an instant to hold her head in place as a golden light enveloped her, reconnected her spine and weaved flesh together. Karla¡¯s eyes flickered and she sat up before her wounds fully healed and turned to Shin. ¡°Fight again?¡± ¡°Later.¡± ¡°You¡¯re both insane¡­¡± Yen said as she projected mana for Karla to absorb. It came at a shock for some of the others to witness such unrestrained ruthlessness against comrades but the trials had done its fair share to desensitize its survivors quite a bit, though some needed far less than others. Only two of them had watched the fight to learn. Donny laidback in his quiet assessment but Mujin looked far more serious and troubled. ¡°Hey.¡± An Basem hounded Shin now that the fight was over. ¡°I want the gear you promised.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up. Nothing but goons around us.¡± Yen bluntly responded. ¡°It¡¯d be better if we found a legendary dungeon, if those even spawn yet.¡± ¡°Then do that.¡± Basem¡¯s already limited patience had run even lower these last uneventful days. ¡°I¡¯ll get Jean.¡± Shin passed through the dungeon portal in the blink of an eye. Jean had taken to working on the dungeon traps and his puppets within the safety and quiet of their base, but he had the same problem Shin did. A lack of any material or knowledge for their craft above rare tier. It was less serious for Shin as he could perform just fine without his talismans, but Jean¡¯s ability was directly tied to his puppets. Along with a new bow for Basem, Shin thought it¡¯d be best if they found that information, whether someone in this world had it or perhaps a crafting dungeon as in the first stage. Either, way, the pursuit of strength for Chariot was endless and Shin was as eager as the others. --- Flutter sat on her throne of flowers, seething so hard she had looped around to being near solemn. One might have mistaken her for being catatonic were it not for the unchanging quiet animosity in her eyes. Her fairy handmaidens buzzed around, fullying her commands worse than they did when they were pixies, which irritated her to no end. Pumpkin laid fast asleep among the flowerbed, too lazy and slow to do her duties even when she was awake. ¡°Your drink!¡± Beans cheered as she handed her a flower bud cup. Flutter stared for a moment then took a sip, unsurprised at the result. ¡°This is lilynectar¡­¡± ¡°I like it better!¡± Flutter stared barely restrained death at the little idiot as Mash diligently put a wooden cup in her other hand. Honeydew, this time, just as she asked for from the start. Mash was the only suitable one. If he weren¡¯t for her, Flutter would have banished them all to the depths of whatever darkness the core allowed. ¡°Big master!¡± Beans shot off on her own, soaring around the hollow eyed boy that appeared, singing cheers of nonsense. Pumpkin hovered over, stirred from the commotion, but only enough to fall asleep again on the top of his head. ¡°Good morning, big master. There hasn¡¯t been any trouble lately. The new traps have been fitted, they should be most deadly. The green human has barely killed any of the dungeon monsters. Um, also¡­¡± Mash flew over, the only one to properly report to him. In her lull as she paused to think of what else needed to be said, Shin lifted a hand under her feet for her to stand on. ¡°The honeydew plants give a lot of honeydew. The flowers are growing well. I like the blue ones. But I like the purple ones too.¡± The little fairy reverted to a more innocent demeanor and focus in his hand, like a child telling her parents about her day. Flutter slammed into Shin, knocking the fairy trio away. ¡°Change me now!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t find anything with shapeshifting.¡± Tears started to well in Flutter¡¯s eyes, half angry half upset. ¡°Stupid human! Why can¡¯t you do anything?! I hope you stay big forever! Ugly!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going looking again. I¡¯ll find one soon.¡± ¡°...promise?¡± Flutter sniffed her runny nose, the childishly upset look in her eyes still present. Not a shred of dignity of a dungeon boss present. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Town raiding again?¡± Jean asked as he entered the boss room, gleaning the situation from what little he heard. ¡°Looking for dungeons.¡± ¡°You said you would would look for smallness! You promised!¡± ¡°Doing both.¡± Shin said as flickered out of the dungeon with Jean following after, leaving the shaking sidhe on the verge of a tantrum. --- Shin sprinted through the forest with Basem close behind. The party had split into three teams to make the search faster, centered around their three reliable powerhouses of himself, Karla and Ashley, who had reclaimed her place as the fastest member by far. Basem put arrows in a pack of centaurs before any could even react. A troll lunged large fanged mouth first and Shin cleaved off its head, leaving a blanket of foxfire on its body without even stopping to check. The two tore through the forest Chariot had claimed as its own with ease. Epic tier monsters now roamed but even if they were greater monarchs, they wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat, and most weren¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯re good at moving.¡± Shin said. ¡°Hah?¡± ¡°Like an assassin.¡± Shin clarified. ¡°Land more on the center of your heel, push off with just the front.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need advice.¡± ¡°Copy me.¡± Shin sped off a bit faster and Basem followed. Despite his words, he started to observe how the invoker moved and imitating on his own. But that didn¡¯t last long as the strider¡¯s attention was drawn to the side. ¡°Dungeon.¡± The two flickered over to the portal at the end of a short damp cavern in the ground. in an instant, but what they found wasn¡¯t what they expected. [Raid (epic) - Greater Monarch] --- [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (420) Agility - 600 (1260) Constitution - 50 (105) Vitality - 152 [228] (479) Dexterity - 33 (69) Perception - 300 (630) Force - 24 (50) Spirit - 793 [1190] (2499) Control - 150 [225] (472) Willpower - 100 [150] (315) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Throneguard lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 1, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Greater Harvest Soul lvl. 5, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Pulse lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Greater Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 10, Sense Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 10, Meld lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, Vestiger, Chapter 93 ¡°So, what¡¯s your expert opinion?¡± Donny asked Yen, the whole of Chariot gathered around the portal. ¡°I mean¡­ Raids are typically buffed up dungeons. Bigger, more monsters, probably allows more than one party to enter. Don¡¯t know how much that applies here, but epic tier isn¡¯t much of a threat to us.¡± Yen equipped a ring and her leather vest seemed to loose power. ¡°Everyone still got frost resistance from the second stage?¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°Same~¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°...¡± Aside from Karla and Ashley, none of the newer members did. Yen looked around. Jean, she expected. Dante less so but she tended to discard preconceptions about the enigmatic trickster. Mujin and Basem she knew for sure didn¡¯t, being the loner types before Shin recruited them. ¡°Did you kill the twin head?¡± Yen asked Ashley. ¡°Nope~¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± She put the implication out of her mind. ¡°Six to go around-¡± ¡°Seven.¡± Dante drew a gold band. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not from the second stage.¡± ¡°Seven, to go around.¡± Yen corrected the assessment, slightly annoyed. ¡°The top three in vitality go without.¡± Shin threw a ring to Basem, pointing at his long sleeve silk shirt at Yen¡¯s inquiring look. ¡°Protects against cold.¡± ¡°...¡± Yen collected herself as Donny handed over an amulet to Jean. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what this is.¡± The party walked through the portal and into the middle of a blizzard. Their feet sunk into the thick blanket of snow beneath their feet. The storm of snow so heavy and fierce it was difficult to see more than ten yards ahead, at least for those without Third Eye. ¡°The door¡¯s gone!¡± Basem alerted with some urgency. ¡°Can¡¯t back out like with dungeons, I guess.¡± Conversely, Yen showed little concern, other than for the biting chill that slipped through her frost resistance. ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s cold¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, best we finish this quick.¡± Donny glanced at the slight frostbite trying to creep through his regeneration before turning to Mujin. ¡°You holding up?¡± ¡°I am fine.¡± Mujin bore through the affliction of frost he faced with a brooding toughness, though Kamala healed away his hard nosed attitude without a word. ¡°Either there¡¯s a way out or there¡¯s a boss here we need to beat. Let¡¯s find it quick and move on to the next zone.¡± Yen said. ¡°Next zone?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s probably got multiple floors. Kinda like greed mountain but more connected.¡± ¡°How do you know this?¡± Mujin asked, with seriousness. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, I can see the truth of this world.¡± Yen returned casual nonsense, nonsense which Mujin seemed to take seriously. A large white furred ape with frost blue leathery hide lept at them from the cover of snow and Basem put an arrow straight through its thick long skull before it even drew near enough to attack. ¡°Stop talking.¡± Shin headed off, glancing around with prismatic eyes, and the party followed after. He led them somewhat erratically through the constant blizzard as monsters attacked in spurts from all directions. Yetis like before, frost ifrits, and winter wolves, epic tier monsters at greater monarch, and none of them managed to pose the slightest threat. Blade, fist, arrow, and axe dealt with them all swiftly. Shin cleaved at the ground as a serpent of ice and snow started to form but unlike the others it didn¡¯t leave a soul for him to harvest. More and more of these frost creatures rose from the frozen tundra they found themselves in along with the true monsters that roamed. With over half a mile radius of his sphere of extrasensory vision and the ability to see the souls of all within, Shin cut a deliberate path scouring over the region for anything of note. That something caught his eye in short time, swerving over in that direction. Strange creatures ambled around in a loose group. Top heavy bipedal polar bear the size of ogres with large fanged jaws and massive clawed paws at the ends of arms that hung nearly to the ground. The creatures sensed the party through the snow before they drew close and charged over in a roar, faster than their build suggested. One lunged with a clawed paw raised high and a flash severed him in two. Ashley smiled and vanished again, her speed not even registering as a blur to Shin¡¯s base vision. [Nanuk (epic) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 2743 Agility - 1550 Constitution - 1921 Vitality - 1937 Dexterity - 1254 Perception - 1589 Force - 812 Spirit - 1030 Control - 1068 Willpower - 1126 Skills: Maul, Chomp, Charge, Traits: Frozen Claws (epic), Snow Sense (epic), Frost Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Donny, Karla, and Mujin joined in the slaughter at the vanguard, leaving a trail of blood nanuks over the pristine snow, not a single strike of their powerful arms finding their mark. Shin took over the lead, guiding them to where the nunaks were the most abundant. Finally after delving deep into the snowstorm, a tremendous roar shook the land and a massive variant of the humanoid bears crashed down near them from a leap. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. [Nanuk Frostmauler (epic) - Greater Monarch] Twice the size of a regular nanuk, blue markings covered its fur along with shards of frost. Its long claws white blue like sculpted ice and its expression even more feral and viscous than its lesser kin. The frostmauler tensed into a thunderous roar like the king of the tundra, and a surging knee shattered its head. The giant monster swayed for a moment, then crashed to the ground, completely still. [Nanuk Frostmauler (epic) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 4114 Agility - 2325 Constitution - 2881 Vitality - 2905 Dexterity - 1881 Perception - 2383 Force - 1218 Spirit - 1545 Control - 1603 Willpower - 1689 Skills: Greater Maul, Chomp, Charge, Overpower, Traits: Greater Frozen Claws (epic), Frost Aura (epic), Snow Sense (epic), Thick Hide (epic), Frost Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), The ground nearby opened up into a icy stairwell heading down, and a chorus of roars and snarls of the monsters within the stage sprang up all around, drawing in closer. Shin stopped only briefly to harvest the floor boss¡¯ soul but to no success. Without a word, the party headed into the opening, Jean leading the way into a brand new environment. A massive arctic sea laid before them, stretching on to the horizon. Large fractured sheets of floating ice and huge icebergs filled the contained ocean, just enough to create a path over the water. ¡°Mountains.¡± Basem pointed to out in front to the left. Yen clicked her teeth. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Donny asked. ¡°It¡¯s a frozen temple, what the hell is all this water¡­¡± ¡°Well, you see, salt-¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yen scanned the region. ¡°No boats or anything. Just have to jump over the ice to get to the other side. Try not to get eaten by sharks or whatever.¡± The orange haired mage floated up as she spoke. Shin started hopping over the floating sheets and the other ground locked players quickly joined him as Yen and Kamala flew above. Miles and miles and miles the sea stretched on, Basem only able to spot the icy mountain range that stood out by virtue of his high perception and use of Vantage Point, and even then, it was just barely. Jean stepped on an ice sheet and glanced to the right. A monstrous walrus burst out of the water, its weight enough to tipped the thick frozen sheet. Frost swirled inbetween its tusked mouth and a kick slammed into its neck. Ripples shot throughout its blubbery body and blood splurt from its mouth and eyes, but the creature did not die. Without hesitation Karla punched its head, ravaging its brain to mush. [Tuskar (epic) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 2041 Agility - 720 Constitution - 3353 Vitality - 2139 Dexterity - 654 Perception - 1387 Force - 1613 Spirit - 1049 Control - 968 Willpower - 1006 Skills: Frost Breath, Bull Rush, Dive, Traits: Thick Blubber (legendary), Frost Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), More and more tuskars surfaced from the sea around them, lumbering over with breathes of frost. The party slaughtered them all as they went. Basem put arrows through their skulls and Mujin his spear. Donny timed a short powerful charge, shifting around as hacked away as its neck, letting his axe¡¯s mangle save him the aura. With no plants to manipulate, Kamala simple hovered above as did Yen after burning one with firestream just to test the skill. Karla had taken to just running alongside the others finding no challenge in the creatures. A single dense green orb circled around Shin, boring through the heads of the tuskars in his path with ease, inbetween absorbing the mana from their frost breath. The darting gyro reaped the lives of two more, and three large sleet birds shot out from the sea. Like monstrous penguins, their long razor sharp beaks barreled towards him at high speed. A white form draped him for just a moment and the monsters crashed into the ice and sea in parts. [Kairuku (epic) - Greater Monarch] All around as the party drew closer to the icy mountain range now in sight, the kairuku ambushed them from the sea without pause along side the surfacing tuskar. But they were of no consequence either. Most of the party sensed them coming even through the stealth before the birds even attacked and all had means to dodge or counter. Suddenly, the party burst away from a platform of ice as a massive whale burst through, shattering the durable ice with ease. Sleek black hide with a white underbelly and white patches where its eyes ought to be, and the size of a galleon sailing vessel. [Orca Shipwrecker (epic) - Greater Monarch] Three arrows shot through the white patches in its eyes and an orb bored through its skull, but its wounds started to heal just before it submerged, quickly disappearing back into the depths. A lull settled, then Jean and Dante leapt away from their icy platform as a large jet of water bore right through. Water stream after water stream assaulted them despite the giant sea monster out of range of even Basem¡¯s sphere of vision. Somehow the creature detected them with perfect accuracy as they darted over the floating ice, still beset by the ambushes of the tuskar and kairuku. The attacks ceased just as suddenly as they stopped, and the giant orca shot out of the water in the distance, destroying the ice the party relied on to travel in several surges back and forth. It submerged again, leaving the party stranded, and the water jets resumed. ¡°Go to the iceberg!¡± Yen yelled. Some paused slightly but the party rushed over together avoiding the attacks of the floor boss as they reached the tall mound of ice. A calm took over the landscape as the creature showed no sign of itself. ¡°Harpoon.¡± Yen told Shin and he drew one. ¡°What are we doing?¡± ¡°Shut up. Rope, lots of it.¡± Yen brushed off the knight¡¯s question and turned to Kamala. Kamala looked back for a moment then scattered a few glassy seeds on the iceberg, exploding their growth in an instant, fashioning the frost colored stringy roots into yards and yards of thick rope. She handed it over to Shin without a word who tied the end through the gap in the harpoon weapons handle. ¡°Give that to Dante. You two hold the end of the rope. Jean, you lure it up.¡± Yen tossed out orders with excitement. The puppetmaster quietly sent out simple spares over the empty ocean as bait. They scattered as a water spout shot after them and returned together. Several more times this repeated until the waters fell still again. ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡± Basem alerted. The giant orca barreled out of water, destroying two of the puppets as they failed to move in time. A harpoon rocketed through the air and plunged deep into the monsters side and hooked tight. In an instant, the rope shot out and snapped tight in the grips of the two anchors. At the end of the rope, Donny and Karla enhanced their might fivefold and pulled it back in at great speed. The orca thrashed and flailed but it was no match for them both. Sensing its peril, the orca shot out of the water, slamming into the ward Mara conjured as she appeared. White blue roots shot out from the iceberg lifting the massive whale out of its water and Yen channeled a dense firebolt as far as it could go and fired, the bolt exploding on the creature in an instant. The shockwave rattled against the ward and chunks of charred gore splattered the sea. In the aftermath, only a small slab of the orca¡¯s head remained, floating in the water. [Orca Shipwrecker (epic) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 4063 Agility - 2076 Constitution - 3027 Vitality - 2508 Dexterity - 984 Perception - 2081 Force - 3119 Spirit - 1573 Control - 1472 Willpower - 1495 Skills: Greater Bull Rush, Greater Waterstream, Stealth, Jet Stream, Dive, Traits: Greater Sonar (legendary), Thick Blubber (legendary), Frost Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), ¡°I could have gone down.¡± Shin pointed out. ¡°This is more fun.¡± Eight bird shaped puppets appeared from thin air and all but the two already airborne casters boarded, allowing Jean to slowly ferry them over to a landmass of solid ice leading towards a beautifully carved door within the ice mountain. A towering door with the carving of a regal ancient face, eyes through which reflected the unwitting party in an orb of ice somewhere far away, the blue skinned observer sneering maliciously at the new batch of prey. Chapter 94 The beauty and craftsmanship of the towering ice doors was utterly wasted on the party of ten before it. Needing no confirmation, Donny pushed the doors open which gave way easily into a frozen palace. They entered a hallway built of solid white snow blocks and furnished just as a magical castle would with carpet and candles and furniture, save for the fact it was all made of crystal blue ice and pure white snow. Jean took point, casting several skills in silence. He moved quickly and carefully, stopping for a brief moment to toss a simple rock ahead. Ice spikes shot out from the ground and walls the moment the rock landed, then slowly receded back into the hall. Jean cast Greater Dispel and moved on. Some of the traps he encountered were physical and could be dismantled, but the vast majority through the long hallway were magical in nature. It got to the point where he had to rely on Shin and Kamala using dispel from and item to help, lest his mana run out. He dispelled the magic surrounding the door and entered carefully. An ice spike pierced through the head of a puppet that fell where Jean stood. Several golems of ice raised their handless arms and volleys of shards crashed against the ward mara formed. Ashley slipped through the gap in the door and in a flash the golems fell severed along with a dark blue core within each, invisible before. [Ice Sentry Golem (epic) - Greater Monarch] A horde of hundreds formed within the great hall they now found themselves in and raised their arms. A stream of flames spread over them all, melting shard attacks and golems alike and even the interior of the dungeon, although that restored itself quickly. The party waited for a moment but nothing further happened so they moved on. Through the next door they found a wide tower with a spiraling stairway running along the walls up to the top far above. Jean went first and Shin behind. The moment the last of them, Basem, followed up the ice steps started crumbling behind. Frostbolts from carved faces in the walls fired upon Yen and Kamala continuously, but the priestess effortlessly protected both with a greater mystic shield. Frost Ifrits appeared from the walls, casting all manner of frost attacks but none lasted more than a moment before Shin¡¯s spirit gyros carved through their elemental bodies. The party raced up the stairs amidst the chaos of an an arctic battleground. Shin made it to the top of the tower, an open balcony in a winter wonderland connected to a floating building by a single narrow bridge. They were out of the line of sight of the faces but the ifrits continued to rise from the tower around them in greater numbers. ¡°The whole bridge is a trap.¡± Shin called Mara at Jean¡¯s words and formed a platform from a ward just over it. The party continued over with Kamala at the back blocking the barrage from the monsters behind, and were immediately struck with a slowing effect. Two cannons in front fired on them, strong enough to break Mara¡¯s mana shields in two hits. A sudden firebolt exploded on the dungeon artillery but the cannons started to reform instantly. Karla burst up, the only one unaffected and lept between the cannons but they reformed faster than she could destroy them. Fired on from both ends, the party sluggish pushed on into the floating dome, and the doors behind slammed shut. A single room lay before them, more intricate that any of the palace before. Inscriptions on the six pillars holding up the circular dome roof shone a deep blue one by one and a lavishly dressed ifrit appeared before them, arrogant and fierce. [Noble Ifrit (epic) - Greater Monarch] Power frost swirled in the ifrits palm and a dense stream of fire ended its existence. But just as quickly, the ifrit reformed in a surge of mana. Yen channelled fire again but a spiraling green orb flared with duality sheered through an impish blue creature, invisible to the normal eye. [Ijarait Taskmaster (epic) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Found me~¡± The ijarait¡¯s shock turned to mockery in an instant as it dissipated in the air and reemerged from one of the pillars. Kamala blocked a greater frostbolt from the new ifrit and Yen blasted it away as Shin erased the ijarait once more. And once again, it appeared from a pillar to summon a party of noble ifrit with a mocking cackle. ¡°Destroy the pillars.¡± Yen yelled. ¡°No, dispel them.¡± Karla stopped her kick just short at Jean¡¯s words. The four among them did as advised as the rest battled the ifrit summons, and the ijarait¡¯s expression fell into horror at the sight of his pillars losing their luster. ¡°Noooooo!¡± The writings on the pillars all faded and Shin snatched the impish figure out of the hand. A pulse in his bursting it to shreds and this time harvest worked, recovering and storing its soul away. A portal opened up to the side and ten chests appeared in the center of the room. ¡°Feels too easy.¡± Donny mused. ¡°This party¡¯s just broken.¡± Yen walked over and tapped a chest, not to pleased with the result. The other chests opened to similar reactions, apart from Mujin¡¯s. From his spawned a beautiful white spear, pristine as fresh snow. [Arctic Spear - Legendary] ¡®Frostbite: Inflicts wounds made by the spears blade with frostbite.¡¯ ¡°At least someone got something out of this.¡± Yen said. ¡°Is it normal to get rewards a tier above?¡± Jean asked. ¡°Probably a raid thing. Greed Mountain gave all legendary tier despite being epic. But Donny¡¯s right.¡± Yen looked at Shin. ¡°The only difference between this and normal dungeons was the quantity and epic tier is basically just an inconvenience to the top tiers now. We need to upgrade ours soon or someone is going to wipe it out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shin thought to himself, slightly troubled, as Basem glared at Mujin in the background. A notification appeared before them all without warning, and the atmosphere subtly changed around him as he read. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. [Initiate World Journey] ¡®Transport to another world among the initiated of the 9th epoch for 90 days.¡¯ ¡®Reward: ???¡¯ ¡®Reward granted improves depending on how much you impact the world.¡¯ ¡®Time remaining: 23:58¡¯ Shin looked over to Yen with a casual smile. ¡°I¡¯ll upgrade her.¡± --- A gnoll in the corner of the flower throne room trembled under the spells that tormented its mind and pained its body, unable to do anything in response. Flutter undid Greater Harass and Greater Ache, switching inside to Greater Befuddle. The gnoll fidgeted and jittered in confusion before sprinting head first into a wall, which put a smile on the would be fairy¡¯s face. Punishing nasty evil creatures was one of the most effective ways she discovered to relieve the stress and animosity she found constantly building within. Even better were the creatures the terrors of her past. The one benefit she enjoyed from the vile big form she found herself trapped in was the power. Power she wouldn¡¯t mind a little more. Flutter turned as Shin flickered beside without warning, his sudden appearances wouldn¡¯t frighten her anymore. ¡°Did you find one?¡± ¡°No.¡± Flutter was pulled screeching like a mad harpy into a fusion with the sidhe dreamer Shin encountered all those days before. A brutal battle ensued in the swirling pool, one that the dreamer seemed to be winning. Just as she was pushed to the brink, Flutter lashed out tyrannically, consuming and conquering until the fusion shone. A beautiful humanoid woman appeared in the air above. Pale skin and long blonde hair with glowing pure blue eyes, her lower half a wisping trail of blue smoke with a sash around her waist. Cloth draped scantly over her body and her mouth veiled in transparent thing silk, all adorned with jewelry. Flutter let out a banshee¡¯s wail of pure unmitigated resentment as Shin checked her status. [Marid Despot (epic) - Greater Lord] Strength - 322 Agility - 748 Constitution - 306 Vitality - 315 Dexterity - 582 Perception - 903 Force - 1424 Spirit - 1617 Control - 1150 Willpower - 1501 Skills: Greater Conjure Spirit lvl. 1, Faerie Dust lvl 1, Bewilder lvl. 1, Invisibility lvl. 1, Anguish lvl. 1, Pain lvl. 1, Manipulation lvl. 1, Fly lvl. 1, Traits: Faerie Soul (epic), Magic Affinity (epic), Psychic Mind (epic), Charming Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), He had chosen Lesser Magic Affinity as her vestige from what Yen had told him about the trait. Her mythic tier Loved By Magic allowed her to wield spells of a potency far beyond what her Control should allow. Excess beyond Control became a heavy burden on the mind. Flutter did not posses any spells powerful enough to warrant it as Yen did, but the trait also applied to using spells simultaneously. As a debuffer, she would surely find value in that. As for the Sidhe Dreamer, who Shin wouldn¡¯t have minded to win, he naturally chose Conjure Spirit, an incredible summoning skill. While it only let her call imitations of a spirit, it allowed her to conjure any spirit she could think of, enabling her to respond with the best counter to any situation. While Flutter continued her rapid screechings, Shin scanned through her skillset. Faerie Soul was of some note, a lesser version to his Ethereal Soul, and Faerie Dust had become more versatile and dangerous but neither held his focus for long. Manipulation, a direct mind control spell was more promising, but there was no reason to chose one skill among the mental afflictions when he could likely keep them all. He made Psychic Mind a vestige and drew the Ijarait Taskmaster. An epic tier elite summon in the Ifrit Noble was tempting and even more so the skill that let him hide between the material and spirit realm, but Shin already had a path in mind, choosing the Summoner trait. Before she could process her trauma, Shin pulled Flutter into a fusion once again, and once again she managed to survive through sheer bitter animosity. The dungeon tremored as the chamber of flowers grew in size. A woman of even more indescribably mystical beauty appeared in the air again. She donned a dress of exquisite turquoise silk, disconnected sleeves attached only to the small golden mantle around her neck, open slit skirt draped down the sides of her legs. A transparent silk raiment flowed over her shoulders from behind and flowers like jewels adorned her body more splendid than the finest riches. All capped off with an elaborate crown of flowers. ¡°I had to fuse you now or you¡¯d be in danger.¡± Flutter didn¡¯t respond, falling into silence for a few moments before her body swirled down back into her original fairy form and she unleashed an inelegant roar of victory. Shin checked her status and quickly found why. [Silah Tyrant (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 1878 Agility - 3363 Constitution - 1785 Vitality - 1575 Dexterity - 2910 Perception - 5515 Force - 8120 Spirit - 10085 Control - 7750 Willpower - 8519 Skills: Create Spirit lvl. 1, Greater Faerie Dust lvl 1, Greater Bewilder lvl. 1, Greater Anguish lvl. 1, Greater Pain lvl. 1, Greater Manipulation lvl. 1, Greater Fly lvl. 1, Greater Morph lvl. 1, Greater Blink lvl. 1, Traits: Summon Master (mythic), Ethereal Soul (mythic), Domineering (mythic), Greater Magic Affinity (legendary), Greater Psychic Mind (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Greater Charming Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Greater Morph, a skill that let one alter their body into nearly any shape within some degree of reason. An inherent trait for Silah, he assumed, as was Blink. More importantly, her skillset had vastly improved. All skills upgraded to legendary tier, aside from the now mythic tier Create Spirit, which no longer made pale imitations, but spawn real living spirits under her control. Greater Summoner now Summon Master, the same as his own, which passively increased the stats of monsters summoned threefold at no cost. Faerie Soul had become Ethereal Soul, and she acquired the mythic tier Domineering trait, which enhanced all mental attacks. And of course, he could not ignore her enormous stats, not only advancing up to Greater Monarch as was the ijarait, but advancing from an elite to a boss. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Flutter shot him a glare of annoyance but that soon melted into a sneer followed by arrogant laughter. ¡°So much power! I am the goddess of petals and dread! You fool! What can you do before a legendary greater monarch!¡± Shin casually pulled out the souls of various legendaries he harvested from Blood Island and the fairy stopped in her tracks. ¡°I had a lot more but I used them to level Greater Soul Fusion. There was the mananngal too but I didn¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°J¡­ Joking!¡± Flutter broke into nervous laughter, shamelessly changing her tune to subservience. ¡°Of course legendary monsters are nothing in the face of your supreme might, how many monsters would you like to be sacrificed in your honor?¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Yen interrupted. ¡°Check the status of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Flutter shot her a mean look. Her terrifying master was one thing but she wouldn¡¯t be ordered around by other humans. Not while he held such power. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°At once!¡± Flutter raced over to the core at Shin¡¯s words and sent her will within, to nothing less than confusion. ¡°Raid¡­? Stupid dungeon doesn¡¯t even know what it is.¡± ¡°How many floors?¡± The annoying orange haired human asked her. Flutter was about to question what that even was but the answer revealed itself at a moments inquiry. ¡°Five? They¡¯re all separated? All my traps are gone!¡± Jean looked a little more tired at that revelation but Yen grew nothing short of thrilled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make the worst death pit this tower has ever seen.¡± Chapter 95 ¡°This is my dungeon." Flutter asserted with authority. "I design, you servants just do as you¡¯re told.¡± ¡°Sure, handle things on your own if you want.¡± Yen stared down at the abrasive fairy in derision. ¡°But you know¡­ Raids are different from dungeons. Forty players can invade at once, not just one party. And you drop legendary tier loot. Everyone in the world will be coming after you and there are guilds out there almost as strong as us.¡± Flutter fell silent in catatonic horror as she imagined forty Shins rampaging through her dungeon. ¡°...I permit you to help.¡± ¡°Good choice. Shin, you couldn¡¯t harvest floor bosses from the Frozen Palace. There any slots for them in the core?" ¡°Four.¡± Shin already checked himself. ¡°Okay, then you fuse up some busted monsters to be the floor bosses after we decide the themes.¡± She turned to Jean, the only other member of the party who came with them for Flutter¡¯s upgrade. ¡°What¡¯s the worst set up you imagine having to deal with as a scout?¡± ¡°Underwater. Or complete darkness.¡± ¡°Can you change the environment of the first floor to that?¡± Flutter toyed with the core for a little. ¡°It won¡¯t fill up all the way, or get rid of all the light. Capacity¡­? It takes up a lot, hey! I didn¡¯t even put any monsters or traps yet!¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Yen thought. ¡°Let¡¯s prioritize traps over the environment. Constant traps every step of the way. Double traps that target the scouts. Ambushing monsters too¡­ or maybe cheap monsters that keep attacking to distract invaders from the traps. Labyrinth?¡± ¡°Shifting maze would be effective.¡± Jean agreed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s good. Boss should be a big brute type. Something that can tank long enough to kill at least a few of them and set expectations so they don¡¯t see the more devious ones coming. Shin, you¡¯re up.¡± Shin thought for a moment then drew the troll he recently killed. He vestiged Survival State and fused it with a rare tier worg variant with Swiftness. The soul of a Fleetfoot Troll appeared in his hands and he fused that with a Blood Orc Tribe Chief, choosing Feral Mind and Regeneration, taking great care to keep it at epic tier. Something difficult to do without destroying both souls at the same tier, but possible for any monsters below legendary, a trick he had learned over the last few weeks. Both raged fiercely but the troll came out on top again, showing good resolve. [Feral Charger Troll (epic) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 2816 Agility - 2233 Constitution - 2760 Vitality - 3765 Dexterity - 2024 Perception - 1963 Force - 1146 Spirit - 1765 Control - 1530 Willpower - 1941 Skills: Greater Mangle, Chomp, Overpower, Superior Unarmed Combat, Swiftness, Traits: Survival State (legendary), Regeneration (epic), Feral Mind (epic), Iron Body (epic), Iron Mind (epic), Iron Soul (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Fire Weakness (epic), A good result. He had not only gotten both Overpower and Combat from the orc, but the Iron toughnesses as well. With one half of the final product complete, he moved on to the second, taking out the soul of the Rockhide Mastodon killed by the Tyrannosaur back in the valley. He had been saving it specifically for two of its skills. One was Ram. Although it had stark drawbacks in being unable to change directions as well as doing as much damage to the user as what it inflicts, it grants speed boost twice as much as movement skills of the same tier. The other was its namesake, Greater Rockhide, which not only increased the toughness of its exterior, but absorbed blunt damage. A solid combination. He fused the mastodon with a rare elite Elk Mana Grazer, selecting its Mana Eater trait along with Greater Rockhide, creating an Ivoryhide Nue that gained form before him. Slightly smaller than a mastodon but fiercer with large moose antlers on the sides of its head and its rockhide body turning bone white, coating its body even more like armor. The nue readied a charge and a green orb pierced through its tough skull, turning it back into a soul for Shin to harvest. From the Nue, Shin chose the now improved Greater Ram and from the troll, Overpower. From the fusion rose a giant mammoth man. Upright with humanoid hands and flat trunk like legs of a mammoth, tan fur covered its hulking body and over that a layer of ivory bone over its chest, shoulders and back. A helm of bone covered its head like a helm from with two large tusks curved out, a long furred trunk hung down to its waist from a face half man half mammoth. Before anyone could react, the monster crashed into Shin, splattering his body against the wall he caved in. Shin regenerated in an instant behind from a single chunk of flesh and blinked just as the mammoth man burst again. Several times in rapid succession the greater monster shot across the room with tremendous speed and power. Its charge twice as fast as even Ashley, leaving blink all Shin could do to avoid it. But he was unbothered. He let the mammoth man slam into him again but a coat of rippling pulse cushioned all damage. In the brief lull, an invisible force locked the monster in place. Shin placed a palm on its torso and channelled a great deal of his mana, and the monster splattered into a pile of gore. The chunks started regenerating immediately but Yen cast a stream of fire on every piece until the monster register dead. Shin harvested the soul back, quite pleased. ¡°Your name is Mammut.¡± Shin felt the Rockhide Mastodon from the beginning the one to survive it all. [Ganesh Barbarian (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 9225 Agility - 4173 Constitution - 5520 Vitality - 6725 Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Dexterity - 3841 Perception - 3926 Force - 1897 Spirit - 3530 Control - 2062 Willpower - 2987 Skills: Maul lvl. 1, Greater Ram lvl. 1, Supreme Unarmed Combat lvl. 1, Greater Overpower lvl. 1, Greater Swiftness lvl. 1, Traits: Unfettered (mythic), True Soul Armor (mythic), Primitive Mind (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Greater Rockhide (legendary), Greater Mana Eater (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Diamond Soul (legendary), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), All its skills had improved and the ganesh even acquired Unarmed Combat from the troll, a welcome addition to its skillset. Greater Ram was a double edge sword without question, but perfect for Mammut, now with Unfettered and Rapid Regeneration eliminating the need to worry about damage, not that he would take much to begin with due to the nullifying cushion of Greater Rockhide. And then there was True Soul Armor, something he had not even used. Similar to Inari¡¯s Soul Weapon, it summoned bound armor, which by the description in Mammut''s case could be chosen to counter either body, mind, or soul attacks. Maul was its only mythic tier attack, a similar skill to Dynamic albeit one that tore rather than broke, but that would have to do for now. Primitive mind made him much more resistant to mind control and mental attacks and removed any inhibitions of fear or pain allowing him to rampage freely. Intelligence was a limiting factor but Mammut was a living spirit. He would learn and in time become a true terror to deal with in constrained close quarters. ¡°Well, there¡¯s our minotaur.¡± Yen commented. ¡°It¡¯s busted too, why aren¡¯t you keeping that for yourself.¡± ¡°Kong will be better.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± She returned her focus back to the task at hand. ¡°The labyrinth probably won¡¯t get all the scouts, but it¡¯ll wear them down. The second floor should finish them off. Focus on a swarm of monsters that keeps the invaders¡¯ attention while more traps drain the scouts mana until they fall apart. I¡¯m thinking undead.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just summon from the core then.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be weaker.¡± Jean spoke up. ¡°Better to just change the ¡®theme¡¯.¡± ¡°No compromises.¡± ¡°The golden skeleton.¡± Shin suggested, remembering the four armed monster in the festival challenges. ¡°Any indestructible legendary undead? With holy immunity. Mind attacks shouldn¡¯t be a problem, I guess¡­ Do undead have souls?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin answered with certainty. A skeleton monster ten feet tall summoned before them. Thick boned all around with four long clawed arms holding giant cleavers and a head similar to the tyrannosaur, pure gold. It was a physically specialized monster with Indestructible and Holy Immunity as requested as well as the mythic tier skills Cleave and Anti Magic. [Golden Bone Terror (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 7986 Agility - 6162 Constitution - 5027 Vitality - 4324 Dexterity - 3841 Perception - 4156 Force - 1900 Spirit - 3897 Control - 3013 Willpower - 3580 ¡°Good enough. Make the second floor a graveyard. Uneven and cover it in mist to block people from seeing the whole stage. As for the traps¡­ can monsters be traps?¡± ¡°What?¡± Flutter asked, a little testy. ¡°Is there a way to plant monsters around for cheaper than they normally cost, and they only get active if something triggers them?¡± ¡°As if that¡­ there is¡­¡± ¡°Okay, put legendary tier variants within graves marked by tombstones that trigger if people step over them. Then put traps in other graves that inflict wide range damage if a living being gets near and doesn¡¯t dismantle it in time. Magic traps, not physical.¡± Flutter scanned through the core, unhappy with being ordered around by the orange human, but the idea of dying gave her a greater tolerance. ¡°The floor boss could roam outside of the graveyard traps, and decoys put inside to get them to stay longer.¡± Jean suggested. ¡°Now you¡¯re thinking like a dungeon master, you devious fuck.¡± Yen grinned. ¡°Okay, third floor is a blizzard tundra. That frozen palace zone could have been serious if the environment was harsher and the boss wasn¡¯t a dumb brute.¡± ¡°Can you explain what exactly a tundra is?¡± Flutter strained the question out. ¡°Since you asked so nicely¡­¡± Flutter¡¯s eye twitched at Yen¡¯s mockery. ¡°A land of just snow. Put a raging blizzard over all of it that obstructs vision inflicts legendary tier frostbite.¡± ¡°That takes up a ton of capacity.¡± The fairy complained. ¡°No problem. Just monster traps again. Quality over quantity. Entomb the monsters in frozen ice. And¡­ oh, if any of them get attacked, they all defrost. But if none are damaged, they¡¯re just statues.¡± ¡°A double bluff?¡± Jean asked. ¡°Most will take the chance of leaving them alone than assume they¡¯ll all defrost at a certain point.¡± ¡°Most, not all. They¡¯ll be worn and on edge after losing some members, any dilemma will cause arguments. Also¡­¡± Yen truly looked a bit wicked in her pride she held in her machinations. ¡°It¡¯s not a bluff. We put monsters that appear after a while and bait attacks that hit the frozen monsters by mistake.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Jean saw the value. ¡°Frost variant ancient blood orcs would have an effect. Anyone strong went to the island. Digging up that trauma increases the chances they make a mistake. Plus they are good hunters that work in a group.¡± Yen looked over at Shin, who started fusing. An ancient blood orc and one of the nanuks from the raid, prioritizing rapid regeneration and frozen claws. The result was rather unexciting, but effective. Ancient Frostblood Orc, largely the same but with legendary tier Greater Frozen Claws, as well as the bonus he hoped for of Greater Frost Resistance and Snow Sense. The blizzard would damage them slightly as well, but their vitality would carry them long enough for the short fight that would ensue with their unleashment. ¡°Looks good, make as much as the zone can fit.¡± ¡°Oh great and wise orange human.¡± Flutter called. ¡°The core can summon them once one gets stored through it.¡± ¡°Saves a limited resource, I guess.¡± Yen showed none of the irritation Flutter desired. ¡°The boss doesn¡¯t matter much this floor. Just summon any smart frost type that¡¯ll avoid battle instead of initiate. Longer they stay in the floor, the worse for them. A caster would probably be best after two melees.¡± ¡°Frost Djinn Mist King.¡± Flutter reported. ¡°Sounds like what we need. Go with that. But the fourth stage¡­¡± Yen looked slightly troubled. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jean agreed. ¡°What?¡± Flutter asked. ¡°Ideally, a full raid team would be cut down by half by now. But whoever makes it this far is probably good enough to reach the boss, aka you. I gonna be honest, you aren¡¯t that strong. Speed is especially a problem. You can teleport but someone will just speed blitz you before you even realize, and you have no defense or regeneration to deal with that.¡± ¡°Shows what you know.¡± Flutter snapped back, albeit with some arrogance. ¡°I am a true spirit with Ethereal Soul. As long as I have mana, I can reform as much as I want.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yen said, genuinely surprised. ¡°That makes your build pretty good actually. Soul and mind defense too¡­ Then, as a summoner type, we should aim to draw out the boss battle. Longer you have, the more summons you can make and the more invaders you can mind control. So it¡¯s not speedsters we should target, but healers.¡± Yen acquired an idea after a few moments of thought. ¡°We¡¯re the ones that need speedsters. Something too fast for sixth sense or foresight to properly deal with. And it has to target the players with the highest mana and get through magical defenses.¡± A monster dropped into the room with them. A strange creature like the pelt of a cartoonish lion with long boneless limbs, just laying sloppily on the ground with eerily complacent eyes. It¡¯s speed was absurd to the point of frightening, however there was a rather pressing concern. [Bandersnatch Manastalker (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 5115 Agility - 9962 Constitution - 3322 Vitality - 5725 Dexterity - 3841 Perception - 5124 Force - 2009 Spirit - 4580 Control - 2163 Willpower - 2087 ¡°...is¡­ there anything going on inside its head?¡± ¡°Bandersnatches don¡¯t think, just kill.¡± ¡°Anything a bit more¡­ able to think? The boss probably needs to be a packlord type with a lord of intelligence. Something that can lead the mobs to target who we need to target.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± Yen clicked her teeth. ¡°Why won¡¯t the system let Shin fuse whatever we summon. It¡¯s his core, he owns the damn dungeon¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my core!¡± Flutter snapped back. ¡°Why not focus on the command aspect instead.¡± Jean spoke up. ¡°Choose an intelligent monster that commands the others well, instead of the fastest.¡± A flash of inspiration showed on Yen¡¯s face. ¡°Are dryads legendary tier. And are they smart?¡± ¡°Yes and yes, they are keepers of the forest who make the flowers bloom and keep away big humans and nasty gnolls.¡± ¡°Make the fourth floor a giant sprawling forest with towering trees and thick brush all around. Get the most troublesome and strong plant types for the dryad to control. And stealthy fast monsters like the Mylorang that operate on their own. It also needs environmental traps with afflictions to expose the healers for the dryad to detect so it can actual target them.¡± ¡°Everyone will have the three main immunities.¡± Jean reminded. Yen smiled back. ¡°I have some ideas.¡± Chapter 96 A pristine white spear whipped through the air, each rapid strike scrapping off the edge of Donny¡¯s shield. Mujin shifted to the side and Donny turned with him, letting the spear slide off his shield as he cleaved down. Mujin darted to his open side past the axe with ease but a jolt ran through his expression and he burst away as Donny crashed through, shoulder first. ¡°Never fought much before all this, did you?¡± Mujin lunged back, ignoring the question, jabbing away at Donny¡¯s defensive stance. ¡°Easy to tell who the real psychos were before the tower and who just started.¡± Donny started closing the distance, his rough and gritty movements throwing Mujin off enough to slow his response. He kicked a cloud of dirt at the spearman¡¯s eyes, swinging an axe down where he moved. Mujin flourished his spear to parry the axe away and Donny stepped on his foot, slamming his helm hard into Mujin¡¯s face. The dragoon slid back, dark blue scales fading away from his undamaged face. ¡°You¡¯re too clean. Real fights don¡¯t go down like training.¡± Donny walked around Mujin as he spoke, shield side facing. ¡°Three different styles of combat, basically. Aggressive, defensive, countering. I¡¯m a counter type, you¡¯re aggressive. If you know what the other guy¡¯s gonna do, you can play it to your advantage.¡± ¡°Defense and counter are the same thing.¡± ¡°Anyone actually teach you anything?¡± Mujin glared as Donny continued. ¡°It¡¯s about intent, yeah. Defensive fighters focus on avoiding damage and just wait for an opening. Counter fighters actively create them openings. They¡¯re second turn aggressive fighters. Well, it all starts to blend at the top but people generally favor one style.¡± ¡°Karla and Shin do not.¡± ¡°Yeah, well they¡¯re not exactly normal, mate. Karla is all three perfectly and Shin is¡­ a freestyler. Don¡¯t really stick to one thing, just does whatever¡¯s best in the moment. Don¡¯t even waste your time trying to copy them. You can¡¯t.¡± Mujin burst again and Donny chopped down his axe. Mujin took a step in range and shifted to the side as Donny overextended just slightly. With no wasted movements, Mujin thrust his spear at Donny¡¯s open neck, and a shield tapped his spear off course. Donny¡¯s axe adjusting mid swing and cleaved into Mujin¡¯s dragon scaled side, sending him sliding back. And before he could react, a perfectly timed Shield Charge sent Mujin crashing across the ground, though for just a moment as he flipped up to regain his stance. ¡°Easier to show you this way.¡± Donny¡¯s weapons and armor disappeared as he took a fighting stance. Mujin paused, unsure of what to do. ¡°What, too scared to fight without your stick?¡± Mujin¡¯s spear and gauntlets vanished too as he flickered ahead. He slipped Donny¡¯s punch and snapped the knight''s head back with a jab. Donny powered through with a straight cross and Mujin deflected with deft arm movements, striking back three times in turn. The dragoon jumped over a side kick and kicked back, first to the knight¡¯s chest, slowing his push forward and snapping a second up to side of his face. Mujin darted all around as Donny pressed in with powerful blows behind a high guard. The knight¡¯s strength was much higher but Mujin was more than twice as fast and much more skilled with the unarmed combat skill, and it showed. Not a single hit handed on the disciplined dragoon as he peppered Donny with rapid strikes. The rapid barrage slowly forced Donny more and more into his defensive shell, turning into little more than a punching bag. Mujin¡¯s kick up was blocked but a follow up to to ribs landed clean. Donny¡¯s right hand dropped too low out of the guard. Mujin was about to move but a thought cross his mind. It was too obvious, too perfect. And as he thought, he saw the flaws in Donny¡¯s deception and the true opening to his side by his stance slightly off balance. Mujin feinted right and darted in. He snapped a punch to the knight¡¯s open temple and a crushing counter hook crashed into his own chin, slumping him hard to his knees. ¡°See, I focused on defense so you never got a clean knockout in.¡± Donny spoke as Mujin failed twice before staggering to his feet in a daze. ¡°Those fast hits hurt but it weren¡¯t no danger. I knew you¡¯d change up because of that last bait and what I said about styles and all that. And¡­ I knew you¡¯d dodged straight back so I put the punch further back. Set you up for something I could land.¡± ¡°Cheap tricks¡­¡± Mujin muttered out in contempt. ¡°Ain¡¯t no fucking rules in fighting, mate. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. Ain¡¯t no end to fights either, not anymore. Every single thing we do is setting up for the next time. You should have won that, yeah. You got all this skill, problem is your mindset.¡± Donny tapped his head. ¡°Think about winning. Think about how the other person wants to win and how to win against that. That¡¯s all it is.¡± Mujin held silent for some moments in contemplation before drawing back his spear and taking a stance. ¡°...again.¡± Donny¡¯s armor and weapons returned as well, taking a stance with a smile. ¡°No limits now.¡± --- Johan walked briskly through the halls of the capital¡¯s new Basilica, impeccably crafted he had to admit, perfectly replicating the previous building lost to the Change though grander in scale. Might was not all the Tower had given them. He glanced briefly at the rows of guards lining the walls everywhere he went. Donning identical similar thick leather uniforms also resembling the prior era, though now with more metal armor, particularly their pauldrons and helms. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. His own newly bestowed attire followed the same principle. A sleek gambeson overcoat, pristine white to symbolize the purity of his teachings and principles, with a red mantle and circular cap to symbolize the human blood running through his veins. And around his neck a gold chain bearing the carved amulet of a sun. He would be the first to admit it didn''t suit his somewhat plain features and hay brown hair, but it was the church¡¯s consensus to retain as much of the previous era as possible so as to pacify the people¡¯s fears and unrest. A decision they had employed great lengths to see realized, evident by the capital he had just entered from. ¡°Cardinal Johan.¡± Johan turned to find a familiar face. Wide eyed and humorless with an ever present passive expression, the gray haired man thirty years his senior wearing the same attire as himself matched his pace as he walked next to him through the halls. ¡°Cardinal Hans.¡± He greeted in return. ¡°I must congratulate you on your elevation. It is now more than ever that Sol needs his devoted hands.¡± ¡°Indeed. I will strive to guide his light as best I can.¡± The former bishop replied. ¡°See that you do.¡± Han¡¯s expression did not change but the air about him grew more serious. ¡°These are darker times we face.¡± The two headed down another corner into a foyer towards an iron door guarded by two elite paladins. Johan and Hans held up their sun pendants which shone in warm modest light. Neither paladin moved but the doors opened and the cardinals passed through into the council chamber, immediately greeted by turning eyes. Sitting in silence along the three layers of wooden counters along the circular chamber walls were nearly 80 others wearing the same red and white clothes. Half of them new, just as Johan was, brought in to replace those who fell victim to the trials. Hans walked right up to the highest layer while Johan himself turned left to his designated seat in the middle layer. A man with a golden sash over his mantle knocked a mallet thrice on the counter the moment he was seated. ¡°The council is now is session. Cardinal Hans.¡± The old cardinal recognized the thin stone faced man¡¯s raised hand. Hans stood from his seat. ¡°The commonfolk continue to grow in power, such that many start to believe they can manage without the church¡¯s protection. We cannot permit such sentiments to spread further nor the misuse of power in unfit hands¡­ The church must establish a system of conscription, lest they become a danger to themselves.¡± ¡°The coffers are strained as it is with the reconstruction.¡± Another objected. ¡°We should instead continue to prioritize the reestablishment of order. The paladins are sufficient to maintaining order.¡± ¡°Maintaining order is hardly the only concern.¡± A smooth tongued man of sly confidence spoke next, curled brown hair down to his shoulders and a thin goatee. ¡°Unholy abominations of all sorts roam the lands in greater numbers than we¡¯ve ever seen. The paladins are spread too thin. We should expand their ranks no matter the cost.¡± ¡°Too naive!¡± A bald broad faced man with a thick mustache and wicked eyes bellowed as he rose, his demeanor more suited for a battlefield than a chamber of discourse. ¡°So long as that wretched King of the Night walks these lands, we will not know peace. We must rally an army at once and rid the world of his scourge once and for all!¡± The mallet slammed on the counter again. ¡°The current matter is the spread of power within the people, Cardinal Odwin. Do not derail the discussion.¡± Odwin¡¯s displeasure was evident to all but he kept his silence and sat back down. Johan saw his chance in the lull. ¡°An expansion of the church¡¯s military may not necessarily drain the church¡¯s resources. Most among the commonfolk are of meager origins. They will not ask for much. A mere offer of protection, food, and status will appeal to many.¡± "Wisdom of experience?¡± Odwin snidely responded, though Johan ignored it. ¡°Now is not the time for indecision. The conscripts can be sent to the outskirts and lacking towns, bolstering the protection of the people in the church¡¯s name while conserving the Order¡¯s strength and means to defend the capital.¡± The arbiter scanned the silence of the chamber in thought. ¡°All in favor?¡± Cardinals rose their hands one by one until over two thirds showed their support. ¡°The church will form a new militia from the commonfolk.¡± A single strike of the mallet brought the topic to a close. ¡°Cardinal Lazarus.¡± The goateed man from before stood. ¡°Speaking of power spreading amongst the people¡­ the number of heretics grow more by the day. Worse still, they are beginning to organize more effectively. I fear if we do not stamp out these vermin quickly, the theocracy will be overrun with cults.¡± ¡°Then, release the constraints of the Inquisitors.¡± Odwin spoke again. ¡°Dainty hands cannot purge dissent.¡± ¡°Those rules are in place for the sake of the people.¡± Johan spoke before anyone else could. ¡°If a few innocent must be martyred for evil to perish, so be it!¡± ¡°Far more than a few have lost their lives already.¡± Johan countered once again. ¡°Mobs driven by fear run rampant in the towns and villages, and innocents are burned without trial. The people must be organized, centered around the parish churches and bishops reinforced with new militia. Under the guiding hand of the church, the mobs will instead become effective volunteer enforcers.¡± Odwin slammed his fist on the counter. ¡°Damn you, whelp! What do you know of effective measures?!¡± ¡°Cardinal Odwin.¡± ¡°Militia and mobs! Do you mean you mean to surrender the church¡¯s authority to the people?!¡± ¡°Calm yourself, Cardinal Odwin.¡± The Arbiter spoke more firmly, such that the warmongering zealot forced himself to sit and be silent once more. ¡°Good cardinals of the church, it is for the sake of the church¡¯s authority that I suggest these measures. To combat the threats facing us, to restore the people¡¯s faith in Sol and the church¡¯s guiding hands, is that not of the utmost priority?¡± ¡°The notion has merit.¡± Hans voiced his agreements. In the accompanying silence once again, the Arbiter called a vote and over half sided in favor. ¡°Cardinal Albrecht.¡± A wiry decrepit old man lower his hand to a staff and rose to his feet. ¡°I believe it is about time to discuss the matter this council was no doubt convened for. Intruders from the other worlds.¡± The chamber fell silent at the topic. It was one few were keen to bring up, giving their very existence was not even hinted at in the scriptures, let alone the almighty tower that brought them all under its wing. It was a glaring and damning omission, one the pope had not yet given a strong answer for. ¡°There is nothing to discuss.¡± Odwin remained seated. ¡°No heathen shall be tolerated.¡± ¡°I must agree.¡± The moderate Hans spoke. ¡°Invaders who have not even heard the words of Sol are a most pressing threat.¡± ¡°What we need most of all,¡± Lazarus confidently positioned. ¡°Is a way to uproot them once they dig into our soil. Cardinal Johan¡¯s ideas have given me one of my own. I believe the people can be put to use here as well.¡± Johan said nothing for the matter this time, already aware of the direction the discussion would turn. He had known it long before, but in these last few weeks it was more apparent than ever. The theocracy was rotten to its core. Selfish cardinals, slaves to power and privilege. All their talk of justice and protection rung hollow in his ears. But it was no matter. His cult would soon usurp them. Chapter 97 Chariot waited in full gear as the counter slowly ticked down, some to varying degrees of vigilance and excitement but none held any fear. The countdown reached zero and their surroundings shifted to a bleak leafless forest, gray and covered in fog drifting over the ground. What little sunlight the day granted them was mostly suppressed by dark clouds. The cackling of a haggard old woman with inhuman features broke their attention as mana swirled around her, and Ashley beheaded it in a blur. Shin harvested the epic tier greater monarch Hag¡¯s soul and glanced around with prismatic eyes before leading the party onwards. It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive at the edge of the forest, a small town laid in the distance. Wood and stone, much like the villages of their new world Pangea they were somewhat familiar with, and fairly well guarded, but Yen groaned in disappointment for a different matter. ¡°What?¡± Donny bothered to inquire. ¡°We have medieval at home. I wanted something new¡­¡± ¡°That is hardly our main concern.¡± Kamala brought the conversation to a more productive path than the mage¡¯s personal gripes. ¡°We should use this town to see how the people react to new faces.¡± ¡°System called us invaders, not really open to interpretation.¡± Donny said. ¡°That is my point. How guarded and competent they are as a whole affects our options.¡± She replied to the knight. ¡°Then¡­¡± Dante veiled and silenced the party. ¡°No time to waste.¡± The party snuck into the town carefully through the vigilant, albeit unremarkable players lining the walls. They paused in an alley for only a moment to check for any response before heading into what seemed to be the main street. The ground fully lined with cobblestone and the houses of wattle and daub mostly, but the windows were made of segmented glass and lamps hung from every building and corner of the street, unlit at the moment. The residents were numerous, and more importantly human of various complexions, donning gear of different styles no doubt originating from the system, such that their party of ten drew no special attention to themselves. Rugged, jaded, or honed expressions were the norm, the majority of people no strangers to fighting or danger, clearly, but their ranks and class tiers were of little concern. Shin walked through the crowd to a building with a wooden sign of a quill and scroll, managed by a middle aged woman. ¡°Epic tier guidebooks and materials.¡± ¡°None of that here, I¡¯m afraid. You¡¯ll have to head to the capital to get better.¡± She eyed them a little. ¡°Long day?¡± Shin tilted his head and put a bag of gold coins on the counter. ¡°Everything rare.¡± The storekeeper''s face twitch just slightly and the windows of her counter slammed shut, a ward erecting over. ¡°We failed something.¡± Donny casually glanced at the fortified shop. ¡°The money?¡± ¡°The greeting, most likely.¡± Kamala reasoned. Distressed yells and hostile clamor interrupted them before they could discuss further as a commotion grew in the distance. A party of draconians badly beaten, some to the point of unconsciousness, were bound and thrown into a pile in the center of the town square. Ten players surrounded them donning a uniform mix of leather and metal or leather and cloth depending on their class, with a less organized rabble standing behind in subordination. ¡°Behold, monsters from the heathen worlds!¡± ¡°We are not monsters!¡± A draconian woman yelled back. ¡°What is wrong with you people?!¡± ¡°The Change tests us all! But as servants of Sol, we must not stray from the light!¡± The eyes of the man who spoke were callous and radical. ¡°Heresy must be purged!¡± ¡°Stop-!¡± But the draconian¡¯s words fell on deaf ears as the ten raised their hands and an inferno turned the otherworlders to ash and char with baleful screams. Cheers erupted as the screams died out, unsettling in their blind support but one of the uniformed cast a spell and with urgency pointed at the party. ¡°Vampire!¡± The residents around Chariot lept and scrabbled away as the armed mob charged into firebolts that decimate their ranks. The gruff leader burst out of the flames, burned and wounded, his eyes swirling in fervid hatred, and Shin severed him in half. Chariot burst into action, killing and breaking the mob until fear surpassed whatever drove them and they began to rout. ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape.¡± Mara appeared as soon as Kamala told Shin, and with the bulk of her mana, erected a ward around the entirety of the small town. Shin, Ashley and Basem blurred away through the ward, slaying any that managed to get through. In short time they returned so the party could regroup. ¡°Not the best start.¡± Donny swatted a falling body away. ¡°Time to leave?¡± ¡°We need information first.¡± Kamala looked to Dante, Ashley happily twirling her scythe in the street of corpses. ¡°No problem.¡± --- A thin man slammed against the side of a building, terrified as he scrambled closer against it. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t kill me, please!¡± A heavy foot into his stomach brought him spluttered to the floor. Donny lifted him up by his hair and threw him him upright again. ¡°Answer my questions. We can tell if you lie, if you do I¡¯ll kill you. You understand?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes, I understand!¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this kingdom?¡± ¡°S-solarian Theocracy¡­ it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not a kingdom¡­¡± ¡°What are the other countries?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no others¡­ We¡¯re the only ones left¡­¡± ¡°Who runs this theocracy?¡± ¡°The church.¡± ¡°The ones in red uniforms part of that?¡± ¡°Yes, paladins. Soldiers of the church.¡± ¡°What about the ones in blue?¡± ¡°Militia. Conscripts from the people. There¡¯s too many e¡­ enemies for the paladins alone¡­¡± ¡°How many are there? Paladins.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Thousands!¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you burning outsiders?¡± ¡°...the church said y.. The otherworlders¡­ are monsters, and heathens come to kill us. Destroy the faith.¡± ¡°Church tells you everything, yeah? They make all the rules?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°How did we get found out? You know, as¡­ heathens?¡± ¡°At least one person in a squad has a spell, Detect Evil-¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t asking about that. Someone running a store figured us out immediately.¡± The man hesitated so Donny snapped his arm. The man clutched his arm, crumpled in pain. ¡°The, the greeting! The greeting! Ahhh¡­ say¡­ not long enough, when someone asks you ¡®long day¡¯.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°The money!¡± The man spoke through tears. ¡°Change money is forbidden. Heresyyy, ah hah ahh¡­ The church mints new coins.¡± ¡°Vampires a big problem around here?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ creatures of the night¡­ embodiments of evil, the¡­ greatest enemy¡­¡± ¡°No children here?¡± Shin spoke up. ¡°Too dangerous¡­ They go to the capital. Protected by the church.¡± Donny glanced at Dante. ¡°All true.¡± The charlatan confirmed. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Donny rose from a crouch. ¡°That¡¯s three, all from different backgrounds. Probably good information.¡± ¡°Okay, so the head of the church is clearly the big bad.¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s just go take him out, no point wasting time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too soon¡­¡± Jean objected in his passive way. ¡°If we wait too long, someone else is going to get there first.¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± Kamala interjected this time. ¡°If the church is the sole authority, they likely monopolize the rankers. Even if they do not compare to ours, it is too dangerous to fight them all at once.¡± ¡°I wanna fight~¡± Karla said. ¡°Same~¡± ¡°I need a guidebook.¡± Shin reminded. ¡°Would be nice to get an upgrade in the crafts.¡± Donny reasoned, by far the most sane minded of the advocates for an aggressive approach. ¡°Stealing is less dangerous.¡± Jean suggested. ¡°...we should at least inspect this capital first.¡± Kamala glanced at the town. ¡°It would be best to remove the problems here, so our faces aren¡¯t made known.¡± The blade of a scythe gouged into the quiet captive¡¯s stomach as foul mana pervaded his body. Anguished groans gave way to ominous silence as his skin turned gray and withered and ghoulish bearing took the face of the new rare tier draugr. The monster ran off on its own with rabid intentions and Ashley darted away, excited to make use of her latest skill. --- Chariot walked through the doors of an inn of the new town they snuck into, drawing more than a few eyes, unscrupulous and otherwise. Attention they ignored outright as they made their way straight to the innkeeper, a well kempt middle aged man. ¡°A room. Just one.¡± Donny spoke, curtly. The innkeeper glanced at the ten of them, all epic tier greater lords. ¡°2 silver a night, per person. Long day?¡± ¡°Not long enough¡­¡± Yen half scoffed, as if the events of an unfortunate day reflected on her grim expression. Donny silently put 18 coins on the counter, each with the face of the sun, and the innkeeper collected them without issue. ¡°Third room on the left. There¡¯s been a vampire sighting out east.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± The party headed upstairs right away and entered their designated room. ¡°Seems like it went well.¡± Yen dropped her act as soon as the door closed without incident. ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­¡± Donny¡¯s focus turned to a man from the tavern area that just left the inn as soon as they went upstairs, something half of the party did within the scope of Third Eye. Basem cast Vantage Point and tracked the man from a perch of vision in the sky. ¡°Talking to someone. A paladin. The paladin¡¯s coming here.¡± The man in question walked close to the inn and cast a spell, and immediately headed off elsewhere. ¡°...what¡¯s he doing now?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Waiting. Alone.¡± ¡°An invitation?¡± The knight suggested. ¡°Might be worth seeing what he has to say.¡± Jean headed out first, using his skills to detect for traps and magic and in a moment the party appeared before the man. Lean, sharp faced and a bit pale, though otherwise unremarkable. He showed no sign of nervousness even outnumbered, but instead stood with a presence that beget superiority. ¡°This is my territory. Leave.¡± ¡°We will leave when we are ready.¡± Kamala spoke dispassionately but her words incited the man just as she intended. ¡°This is the issue with you newer progeny¡­¡± A foreboding presence took the man as figure seemed to become more threatening. ¡°No one teaches you the rules.¡± Ashley beheaded the man in an instant, and he burst into mist, reforming quickly at a distance, his shocked face gaining vampiric features as he hissed loudly. Dozens of ordinary epic tier vampires of various ranks encircled the party at the command of the legendary tier greater monarch Vampire Noble. ¡°Kill them!¡± The vampires lunged, and were torn apart. Those fortunate enough to avoid an instant death due to their undead nature were quickly dispatched as the party discovered individually that destroying their heads was enough. All trace of pride and confidence fell from the noble¡¯s face truly this time, and he fled only for blades of sacred fire to severed his legs. The vampire noble writhed on the ground in pain as the lingering holy light of the skill burning his legs. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dante veiled them at the sound of others approaching from the commotion. ¡°Everyone at the inn was here.¡± Shin snatched up the squirming vampire noble and whisk him away as the party fled over the walls, there being no need to silence this town. In no time, they left the view and clamour of the settlement in the distance, and Shin threw the vampire to the ground, still writhing from the holy affliction. Venom found an opening in the vampire¡¯s pain. ¡°You fools¡­ You are defying his majesty¡­ You. You¡­¡± The vampire¡¯s words and thoughts slowed to a crawl as he properly laid eyes on Shin. The nonchalantly smiling boy tilted his head in thought. ¡°This is... his world? What¡¯s his name?¡± A casual simple question invoked tremendous fear in the vampire. ¡°Do you mean the dhampyr patriarch?¡± Kamala questioned Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The literal second place?¡± Apprehension found Yen¡¯s face. ¡°The fuck, this is the worst world¡­¡± Shin stabbed his holy blade into the vampire¡¯s side in the blink of an eye, eliciting shrieks of pure agony. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°I cannot-¡± The secret vampire howled again as Shin twisted his weapon, the anguish such that the creature spoke on reflex. ¡°Virgil-¡± No sooner had he uttered the name, his body exploded, the entirety of his soul consumed to deliver a blast of immense force. The dusk subsided, revealing an unharmed party behind a mystic shield, barely cracked. Shin unmoved from his casual crouch, having made no effort to protect himself as he knew there wasn¡¯t need. ¡°Seems like this is a little more complicated than we thought.¡± Donny spoke, mostly directing it at Yen in the form of a light jab. ¡°Shutup. If that monster hasn¡¯t taken over the world, then I¡¯m still right. Obvious red herring.¡± ¡°Our success passing as residents might not be valid¡­¡± Jean mused. ¡°We will have to try again.¡± The priestess reconciled. ¡°As for the capital¡­¡± ¡°Still our main target.¡± Yen enforced bluntly, the priestess giving her a look of stoic disagreement but expending no effort to truly oppose it. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin rose to a stand and with two quaint words, led the party towards the danger. --- A silvery blond haired man sat on a grand throne, even the elegance of his courtroom paling in comparison to his noble attire. His passionless eyes opened just slightly in response to something, an act that did not escape the notice of the beautiful white haired woman with striking red eyes standing next to him. ¡°Has something happened?¡± Virgil mused for a moment before closing his eyes once more. ¡°It is nothing. Tell the others they are not to leave the castle.¡± Blair waited for a moment but knew nothing further on the matter would come. ¡°Then, shall we keep to the plan?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Let them all walk through a field of spears.¡± Chapter 98 Chariot overlooked the capital in the bleak light of the day from a hill in the distance. A massive tightly packed city more impressive than any were expecting. Rows of sleek stone buildings of grim stone surrounded grander buildings with tall jagged spires and countless glass windows of fine make. Its countless people walked freely through the city donning clothes of a more refined and subdued elegance than the party had seen thus far, their paths guided by lit lanterns that covered the city enough to almost compensate for the limited grace of the sun. Only two of Chariot had any particular reaction to the grand capital. One was Mujin, silently taken back by the sheer scale of his first real city. The other Yen, overjoyed at the sight before her, positively beaming in excitement that was just recently disappointed indifference. ¡°Why¡¯re you so happy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s victorian!¡± Yen exclaimed to the knight¡¯s question. ¡°Basically the same, innit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s completely different. Bleak atmosphere, vampires, creepy elegance, this secret feeling. It¡¯s perfect! A brand new theme.¡± Yen let her passions flow unrestrained. ¡°There¡¯s so much possibilities.¡± ¡°Theme aside¡­¡± Jean paid far more focus on the many, many paladins lining the towering walls and patrolling the stone streets. ¡°There¡¯s a lot¡­¡± ¡°We should assume at least five times what we see.¡± Kamala spoke. ¡°If they are all monarchs, which is likely¡­ this is not something we can overrun.¡± ¡°Just have Ashley make a ton of ghouls and vampires, which she can definitely do,¡± Yen voiced her accusation pointedly at the teasing reaper. ¡°And throw them at the paladins. We slip right in during the chaos and take out the leaders. Easy.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin objected casually. ¡°What? ¡­oh. Right¡­¡± The several towns they had taken out so casually thus far had made Yen forget one of Shin¡¯s ¡®rules¡¯, and she didn¡¯t think or trust that Ashley could be too precise with the targets of her thralls. ¡°It is also naive.¡± Kamala criticized. ¡°Let us at least try to learn how strong the other side is before we storm the center of their base¡­ It would be best to split into two groups. Shin, Dante, Jean and Basem will be the infiltrators.¡± ¡°No.¡± Basem objected. ¡°Send the death woman.¡± ¡°Ashley will likely cause an incident.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be good~ Promise~¡± ¡°...without Mesmerize," Kamala continue. "Shin will be needed for interrogation, and in case they are caught. Dante¡¯s skills are needed to slip past the guards, while you and Jean are needed for stealth and surveillance.¡± ¡°No choice, younger.¡± Basem clicked his teeth in frustration at Donny¡¯s support of the plan. ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡± ¡°Not really suited for scouting, Yen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I want to see the city.¡± Kamala glanced silently to Shin for his input, who took notice and casually replied. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Well¡­ She won¡¯t listen anyway¡­¡± ¡°Idiot woman.¡± ¡°Eat shit, both of you. Let¡¯s hurry up and get started.¡± Jean seemed as though he would almost sigh as he listlessly cast Greater Obscuration on the five designated members of the infiltration team, shielding them from magical detection up to legendary tier. Dante shawled them in a cover illusion and they headed off. Swiftly and deliberately they rushed with Shin at the helm paying close attention to the lines of sight of those who seemed most formidable atop the walls. The five drew near and Basem shot an arrow in a burst of speed, striking one shot towards them halfway which exploded into a sphere of flames. ¡°Invaders!¡± A black haired man of grim complexion in white and red paladin captain¡¯s gear bellowed. In an instant a volley of arrows and spells rained down on them from the guards who whipped into action. Yen cast her shields alongside Mara¡¯s, and Jean brought out several shield puppets as the group made a hasty retreat under the deadly fire in a different direction than they came until they reached the cover of the forest. ¡°Bastards must have people with truesight posted all over¡­¡± Yen grumbled, though not all that concerned. ¡°We won¡¯t get past if that¡¯s the case.¡± Jean seemed equally unconcerned, aside from the slight annoyance he paid to his newest line of destroyed puppets. ¡°This is stupid!¡± ¡°This is the plan so stop wasting time and let¡¯s figure out a way over the walls.¡± A whirling shearing sound captured Yen¡¯s attention to the three spiraling spirit orbs carving out a tunnel in the ground. ¡°...under it works too.¡± In the empty quiet of a dingy alley, dancing green orbs ate a hole to the surface and five players emerged, not a single sound escaping the entire ordeal. Basem immediately focused his second line of sight high in the air and made full use of his Perception stat. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Clear¡­¡± ¡°How are the people in the city acting?¡± Yen asked as she lightly inspecting the design of the street they found themselves in. Basem glanced at her in disapproval before turning his focus over. ¡°Weird.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Everyone is wearing the same clothes. Rich people clothes. Except the paladins.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be natural loot. Are they trying to make things how they were?¡± Yen pondered. ¡°Control.¡± Dante spoke for the first time since the start of the mission. ¡°The strong are made soldiers. The rest get to reside in the capital as long as they play by the rules. Stops the people from being able to revolt and makes it harder for outsiders to blend in.¡± ¡°I mean, maybe, but you don¡¯t know that for sure-¡± ¡°The rich people are rare, some epic.¡± Basem informed. Yen looked at Dante¡¯s refined air of less than humble excellence. ¡°...lucky guess.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to borrow some of those clothes to fit in¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just have to hide in the alleys then.¡± Yen looked at Shin. ¡°Why?¡± He tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What do mean why, we have to use disguises.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°Huh? Why is¡­ Nevermind¡­¡± Yen focused on the more pressing matter than the mystery that was Shin¡¯s mind. ¡°How do we get some without blowing out cover?¡± Basem dropped five bodies on the floor, his absence unnoticed until now, his scowl obvious even behind his black silk mask. ¡°Clothes.¡± ¡°There you go. Not so bad to be proactive, hm?¡± The hunter turned his head away in annoyance at Yen¡¯s slight teasing. The group quickly swapped their normal gear for what seemed to be the enforced fashion of the capital, along with their normal statuses for false ones to not give themselves away immediately. For the men a three piece suit, the thicker coat over a vest and undershirt with a handkerchief tie. Dante and Jean wore top hats while Shin went without nor the coat either. Basem wore a different outfit based on others compared to his age, shorts with trouser straps over a simple dress shirt with high socks and a ribbon tie instead of handkerchief. An outfit he disliked immensely. As for Yen, she wore a modest dark blue dress, tight at the waist and top over additional layers, a bit too reserved and simple for her liking but lace and frills to have its own charm. ¡°Its not bad.¡± She spoke as the party calmly entered the street to join the crowd which made no stir. ¡°Mostly victorian with a little bit of renaissance, and a fantasy flair. Not great but the actually nobles should be better.¡± ¡°Late baroque. It¡¯s more ornate.¡± Dante corrected. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re an expert now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen couldn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t a bit annoyed at being shown up but did her best not to let it show. ¡°Apothecary. Might as well stop here first.¡± The party entered the store and approached an elderly man at the counter. Yen took the initiative, speaking in a pompous tone but not overly so. ¡°A guidebook, of epic tier. And all the material you can sell.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to get permission from the church for that.¡± He adjusted his monocle as he informed them with prim and stern bearing. ¡°Long day?¡± ¡°Not long enough.¡± ¡°Limits on quantity, I¡¯m afraid. 3 gold, 50 silver.¡± The man place a bag of items on the counter which Jean inspected, finding no oddities in the rare items. Shin handed over the money and the five left without delay. ¡°We should walk around a little after we get everything. Figure out where they store the good-¡± A flare burst from the building they just left, and the atmosphere seemed to shift around them. ¡°Halt!¡± A squad of paladins charged them and a quick Combustion turned them all to ash. ¡°Shit!¡± Yen cursed as she and the rest followed Shin back in the direction of the tunnel, all re-equipping their normal gear. ¡°What did we do wrong?!¡± ¡°Epic might be off limits.¡± Dante reasoned as he threw two knives into the heads of paladins at their flanks. ¡°Screw this. Let¡¯s just kill them all-¡± Shin glanced left and a chaotic blast of Pulse shredded away a searing slash of pure heat. A red haired man in a white coat flickered next to him faster than anyone he had ever encountered and severed clean through his body with a molten blade, shards of mystic protection shattering around him. And at the same time, white draped Shin¡¯s body as he slashed his own blade burning with duality. It ate through the gong of Bastion but barely did more than wet his combed hair in blood. A meld of Paralytic Mindfray struck the fire swordsman as Shin slammed his fist into his chest, sending him sliding back as the prismatic fractures of truestrike spread across his body. The warrior grit his teeth and a force rippled from the bottom of his foot, surging back in a sudden fissure to collapse their tunnel. [Human Flame Knight (legendary) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Wall!¡± Swords clashed just in front of Basem as Shin blinked to meet the swordsman, duality and Pulse just enough to contain the concentrated power of whatever mythic tier skill the man used to strike. A curving knife soared towards the man¡¯s eye and clanged harmless off as he called Dante¡¯s bluff. He flickered again and Shin followed, preventing his blade from reaching Yen as she blew up another squad of paladins. All over he flickered, forcing Shin to blink after as he targeted the others. ¡°There¡¯s too many! We can¡¯t stay here!¡± Yen yelled, three more paladins emerging for each one the four slayed, with no end in sight. Basem put a hole in another paladin¡¯s head and a dark cloaked assassin struck from the shadows, silently and with masked intent. The strider blinked to the side, blood spurting from the fatal attempt at decapitation he just barely managed to avoid. Basem fired the arrow he had nocked already but the reaper casually slipped his head effortlessly past with sneering eyes. Lethal intent glinted in the daggers he wielded, and a boulder crashed down like a meteor, flattening the assassin the paste before he knew what happened. The flame knight glanced right at the struggling archer, and a molten blade came down on Jean¡¯s head instead. But a wooden puppet severed in his place and a prismatic fist slammed the swordsman in that opening, sending him crashing away as his soul started to crumbled. Shin charged but a stone faced man with wide eyes in cardinals clothes appeared at the swordsman¡¯s side, repelling him with frenzy of mana. With one hand, Hans forced the damage to the swordsman¡¯s soul to heal and with the other, incredible power swelled. ¡°Ward.¡± Dante warned. Without hesitation, feathers bloomed on Shin and his hair flowed red. A ward empowered with duality erected around the five and Pulse coated it. But in an instant, white light crashed down from above. The rippling layer of Pulse melted away and cracks spread through the greater ward as the raw power of the cardinal¡¯s attack slipped through Duality. A sudden Combustion forced the cardinal to focus on defense and the white light faded away. A gap in the ward opened up and the group fled without delay. The paladins were more now than they ever were and the threat of more like the two before the appearing was too great to remain. They carved a path of blood through the enemies and Shin sent a surge of Pulse to blast open the gates to freedom. Basem sniped an arrow straight at a watchman¡¯s head, the very same that discovered their first attempt but to his frustration it claimed nothing more than part of an ear. Under hail of attacks once more the five of them fled back to the others at once, but they were greeted only by the forest. The rest were nowhere to be seen and not a trace of them remained. Chapter 99 ¡°I don¡¯t see them.¡± Basem reported, tension and vigilance straining his presence sharp. From the perch of vision of Vantage Point and with the aid of Farsight, the hunter could see for hundreds of miles with extreme clarity. For there to be no trace of them anywhere boded poorly. ¡°There¡¯s no way they got taken out this fast, not with Karla and Ashley.¡± Yen¡¯s words held confidence even in the situation they found themselves, but worry could not be banished from her face nor the trace of urgency underneath the confidence. ¡°No sign of a fight¡­¡± Donny added. ¡°Kamala wouldn¡¯t move unless they really needed to, but they would have left some clue. There has to be something here.¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s here¡­¡± Jean had been checking as much from the start and for all his efforts he gained nothing. Instead, he had been solemnly racking his brain to solve the mystery. ¡°Forced teleportation.¡± Dante spoke suddenly from a crouch, his deep meditative eyes focused on the ground beneath them. ¡°What, like Blink? No way there could all be teleported away, not without a fight. Blink¡¯s range isn¡¯t even that much, even if enemies caught them off guard, they couldn¡¯t get moved far.¡± ¡°If someone prepared a trap, like molten lava and brought them in¡­¡± Jean suggested a grim scenario. ¡°Can¡¯t blink into stuff.¡± A scenario Basem refuted immediately to the puppetmaster¡¯s very subtle relief. ¡°A portal.¡± Dante informed them. ¡°Remember. The one that brought all the mindless in the festival.¡± ¡°And what, they were just thrown in?¡± Yen didn¡¯t buy into the theory for a second. ¡°They went willingly.¡± Jean calmly realized. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They had no choice, and weren¡¯t allowed to leave a message. Someone was taken hostage. Kamala would be the easiest. Donny took control and got them all to walk through.¡± Jean spelled out his theory. ¡°No footprints.¡± Basem criticized. ¡°Multiple people. Someone cleaned up afterwards, made sure there was nothing left to learn from. Not as simple as kicking over dirt, a rogue spell.¡± ¡°Okay, so someone vanished everyone away and left no clues, what the fuck are we supposed to do?¡± Yen grew increasingly worried. ¡°It had to be one gate. Different locations are too dangerous, they would have risked it and attacked the one holding Kamala hostage. Donny would have checked it wasn¡¯t something instantly deadly, and insisted the enemy move with Kamala at the same time as the last person.¡± Dante rose to a stand, a loose seriousness about him. ¡°Going to a different spot doesn¡¯t change anything, unless it fundamentally gives them the advantage. Allies or favorable ground¡­ We¡¯re not that far, but the paladins aren¡¯t chasing us.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Yen looked back at the capital as Dante did, and Shin sped passed with deep prismatic eyes, unshakably focused. ¡°Hurry.¡± Dante spoke as the rest of them followed, Basem more reluctantly. ¡°Before it¡¯s too late.¡± --- Remus strolled through the corridor of the underground prison, hands held dignified behind his back causing his large stomach to jut even further pronounced. A slight hum drifted from his lips, the remnants of joy having just left a newly inhabited cell. The appearance of otherworlders might have sparked fear in many of the church but Remus himself could only feel delighted at the opportunity to interrogate new types of heathens with a medley of new responses to his work. The system was not entirely welcome to him, however. Mind reading and mind controlling spells had taken much of the fun out of it lately, though he didn¡¯t need to use the, at least not right away. Charm wouldn¡¯t work on the first he had tried, regardless, and she showed no respond to the torture. He left her half dead, just to be sure, but if she held no value as a source, then she could be a catalyst. Remus had interrogated many like her, so while he was somewhat disappointed, it would not ruin his day. After all, he had four others waiting for him. The stout interrogator withdrew an iron key for a magical lock and opened the door to a red headed young man bound with chains to a chair, striped of his gear and clothes to take his sense of security and dignity. Although by the blood knight¡¯s hardened and patient expression, it would take much more than that to break him. Just as Remus liked his guests. ¡°I do apologize for the wait.¡± The interrogator asked with a pleasant tone and ill fitting oblivious smile that easily grated on ones nerves. ¡°I hope the room is, to your liking?¡± ¡°Not really my style though, you get me?¡± Donny glanced as the man withdrew a cloth to wipe the fresh blood from his hands, dumping the red soaked rag on the table next to the instruments of torture waiting for him, ignoring the obvious provocation no matter how concerning it was. Remus looked over and gave a slight humming laugh of courtesy before turning back to comb through his tools, inspecting them one by one at random, calmly and slowly. ¡°Wonderful tools those chains are, aren¡¯t they? Less than comfortable, I know but without it, well we, we would have our drainers running around without end.¡± He finally chose a thin scalpel and walked over to Donny. ¡°It¡¯s calm, fam.¡± Remus paused before him for a moment before giving a slight chuckle and lowered the blade to Donny¡¯s hand as he leaned forward. Donny lurched, suddenly and violently, his strength not enough to break out of his confinement but enough to make the interrogator recoil on reflex. ¡°Sorry.¡± Donny settled back in his seat. ¡°Had to shift over, innit.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I do understand.¡± Remus gave him an empathetic look and resumed his work. He picked a finger on Donny¡¯s hand chained to the armrest and prodded it carefully with the scalpel. The Blood Knight¡¯s face twitched just slightly from the pain far greater than it should be, endlessly attacking his senses as he willed it not to show on his face as much as possible. ¡°Good, you feel pain. The first one did not so I was, well I¡¯m embarrassed to admit I was a little worried.¡± Remus spoke as he moved on to the next finger, the first wound still inflicting the same amount of agony. The two sources compounding on one another to the point where Donny couldn¡¯t fully hide it anymore. ¡°How many are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t understand the question.¡± Donny strained out the words to sound mostly unbothered. Remus put down his tool for a moment and raised his hand quickly, enthralling force molding Donny¡¯s mind compliant. ¡°How large is the force you came here with?¡± ¡°...ten¡­¡± Remus dropped his hand at the response and Donny crawled back to his senses. ¡°...why don¡¯t you just charm me and get it over with?¡± The interrogator beamed at the question. ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked. You see¡­ these heretical powers have taken away the¡­ sport of it all. But I am allowed my methods so long as I get results.¡± ¡°You¡¯re demented, mate.¡± ¡°Now there¡¯s a word I do get a lot. Albeit usually in more colorful vocabulary.¡± Remus¡¯ expression switched back seamlessly to one of casual understanding, as one might find on an old confidant. ¡°Is it because you have such faith in those other five that you remain so calm? The, ah, mhmh, two ¡®geniuses¡¯? No matter how highly you think of them, there is no hope of them finding you. Let alone in time.¡± Donny became stiller at those words. ¡°Ah, yes, I forgot to mention. I read minds now as well. These new powers aren¡¯t all bad. Now I can know when my work is truly having an effect.¡± Before Remus resumed his work, his expression shifted as he pursed through new information of significant importance. ¡°The champion¡­ Well now¡­ This is certainly a significant discovery. I should very much like to have a guest of such importance.¡± The interrogator paced around slowly as Donny¡¯s eyes followed him, doing his best to think surface thoughts of no importance. ¡°Alas. Work before pleasure. The blue haired one does not seem the type to give much. I think I will bring you her head.¡± A whirling disk of three green orbs ate a hole up through the ground and Remus was severed in a flash of white before he could even speak. Shin kicked off the air and raced down the corridor, followed by Dante, Basem, and Jean. Sudden yells were silenced before they even fully formed, replaced by the sound of doors being carved or broken into. ¡°What are you doing getting captured, dumbass.¡± Yen said bluntly as she burned away his chains with a thin concentrated stream of fire, careful not to hit him with it. ¡°Did you even have a plan or were you just counting on this team being full of freaks?¡± Donny rose to his feet and the molten chains hit the floor, blood from the slain interrogator flowing into his body, restoring some of his lost energy, as he equipped some spare gear from a spatial bag Yen tossed him. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s always the plan, innit?¡± ¡°Time to go.¡± Basem informed them at the door, and left with haste. The two headed after them, regrouping with the rest of the party, the captured five all sporting spare gear. The party moved swiftly through the catacomb like maze of the prison, giving enough time to allow those able to restore aura and mana through the slaughter. Donny glanced at Karla, her injuries fully healed but the evidence still stained her skin. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± Karla returned a cheery smile, no different than how she always was. It was a good thing the order of interrogation started with them, Donny thought. Yen floated some raw mana for her to absorb as they spoke. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. They¡¯ll swarm us again soon.¡± Jean warned. ¡°Need to get back our gear first.¡± Donny insisted. It was far too valuable to leave behind. ¡°They took it somewhere. We didn¡¯t have time to find out where that is.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you find us then?¡± ¡°Brute forced it.¡± Yen answered. ¡°Dug under the walls again and tortured paladins until we learned where they keep prisoners. You¡¯re lucky they prioritize reducing the risk to themselves, since it isn¡¯t in the cathedral or barracks.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel lucky.¡± Ashley dropped a shriveled body with fang marks on his neck, flesh quickly writhing until it rose as a pale purple skinned vampire of the same rank. The paladins who weren¡¯t slaughtered for Donny¡¯s Bloodthirst were Ashley¡¯s to drain and turn, a platoon of vampires quickly formed behind them, following their gleeful maker. Chariot rushed into a great hall and found themselves flanked by dozens of paladins armed with ranged weapons aimed right at them. But their arrows and ranged stopped short on the ward Mara formed and gaps opened up as the party burst off at their whim to slaughter them all. With a mighty roar, a bearded man in captain¡¯s uniform grew three times larger and rushed them, only for his attack to stop short on Donny¡¯s Bastion and his mind wrack with pain at Shin¡¯s Paralytic Mindfray. Ashley¡¯s mesmerizing eyes enthralled him before he could move again and soon he was under her control. ¡°Where¡¯s our things~?¡± ¡°...armory¡­¡± ¡°Where~?¡± ¡°...north¡­ the walled fortress¡­¡± ¡°Thanks~¡± Ashley thrust a dagger through his throat, the vile energy of ghoulification transforming him with horrified agony into a legendary tier death knight. ¡°We should go!¡± Basem argued. ¡°Gear first.¡± Shin said. ¡°It¡¯s decided.¡± Donny tapped the hunter on the back. ¡°Might get some good gear out of it.¡± Shin flickered out of the exited and with a swipe of black and white ripples, burst a formidable looking legendary tier paladin to a puddle of blood. In the second moment, he struck out on all sides except the others behind him to send the paladins crashing away. A few well timed explosions decimated what was left. Ashley sent her disposable minions in all directions to wreck havoc indiscriminately as the party slaughtered their way north, none more viciously than the hollowed eye invoker of outward composure. A firebolt blasted open the walls surrounding the armor and a rapid volley of arrows put down any guards standing in their way. The party broke through the vaults and treasuries, scouring for any trace of their gear. One by one they found them, most in the process of being recorded and itemized by clerks who met the same fate as the paladins beside them. Donny tossed Kamala a ring, allowing her drain enough mana to cast her wings, who then handed it to Mujin, giving him access to the ever important Greater Swiftness if needed. ¡°That everything?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We leave now!¡± Basem truly demanded. A giant cross slash of molten red severed through air and ground towards them the moment they stepped out and Shin blasted it away once more. The red haired flame knight appeared again, pushing himself beyond what was sensible by his strained expression and the remnants of truestrike still visible. But Shin had no mercy to spare. Pulse draped his body, and he burst before the greater monarch in an instant. Prismatic mana swirled off his fist as the paladin realized his own sword would fall too late. Shin struck, but his fist landed on a woman mage that blinked between, taking the soul destroying strike in the flame knight¡¯s place as both were sent crashing through a building. Shin paid them not even a second glance as he followed after the others fighting desperately through the sea of enemies. Yen took the form of fire and scorched through the air, burning away waves of enemies unable to withstand the sheer might of her flames. Kong lept from paladin to paladin, tearing and breaking with nearly as much vigor as Karla did by the sheer durability of her bones, as Mara shielded and warded as they fled. A flying dagger tapped a magic arrow off course before it could reach Yen, to the grim faced Warden¡¯s intense chagrin. But there was nothing he could do as the party broke through his wall a second time and escaped. He vowed, deeply to do anything it took to see them took apart in the name of Sol, and Basem sunk an arrow in his unwitting head. None of those around even registered his existence before the Warden fell dead and the Strider had already bounded down the walls too quickly for them to catch. As quickly and destructively as they came, Chariot disappeared over the horizon as swiftly as the wind. Shin glanced back as the grand city faded away, deciding with just a whim and casual fleeting emotion, that he would kill nearly all the people that resided there. Chapter 100 Johan frantically paced the halls of the cathedral, his expression a mess of nerves and misgivings. So deep in thought, he would find himself down the wrong path and need to turn back, over and over. So forgetful of his surroundings that he nearly bumped into a fellow cardinal with a familiar face. ¡°Ah, Cardinal Hans. Forgive me, I am not minding myself properly¡­¡± ¡°There is nothing to forgive.¡± Hans returned bluntly and genuinely as the two walked naturally down the same path. ¡°What has trapped you so deep in thought, cardinal?¡± ¡°The otherworlders earlier today¡­ I have just come from bringing guidance and sermon to the people besides themselves in fear. The carnage those invaders left in their wake¡­¡± Johan recalled the bodies littered the war torn streets. ¡°Yes, those heathens were frightfully powerful. Had I arrived a moment later Sir Reinolt may well have perished. Such vile magic. Even I could not fully restore him. I must lecture him at a later time. His rash attempt at a second conflict would surely have seen his end if not for Agathe¡¯s noble sacrifice.¡± Hans spoke bluntly, pausing in a moment of silence out of respect. ¡°...while I am not certain, i believe that among them was the one who defeated the Vampire King.¡± Genuine shock spread on Johan¡¯s face, his volume of his response raised a notch. ¡°The champion?¡± ¡°Indeed. I have already reported as much to His Holiness. Fortunately, in his wisdom he has elected to take measures so that such a thing will not happen again. Now, I must return to my duties.¡± ¡°Yes, of course¡­¡± Johan bid Hans farewell and turned down his own way, the frayed state of his bearing quickly melting to an unremarkable calm. Hans was ever the asset of the church and a good man, but more relevantly a true devotee of the faith in the highest degree. Johan hoped that once he found proof for the insidious true nature of it that he would be able to adapt. However, there was something of far greater concern to him at the moment. He had accounted in his plans for the some of the invaders to be powerful, but this surpassed his expectations. It may likely prove more difficult to manipulate them and their situations than he previously thought. Although, if they were not so powerful, he might not have had a chance to begin with. The road ahead was perilous, a single misstep could spell his end. With the new information he gained, Johan decided he would first gather the lesser otherworlders and band them together before approaching the more formidable. And above all, he must find a way to get the Champion on his side. --- A party of paladins patrolled the small town in the dead of night, all of them vigilant and moving in formation ready to act on a moment¡¯s notice. Two faint arrows shattered the heads of the casters before any could sense them coming, and before any of them could fully shift to realize their situation, four enemies flickered through. Shin and Ashley reaped three heads each in a blur of aura and metal and Mujin¡¯s spear punctured holes in the faces of two others with deft perfect strikes. The middle aged woman donning slight additions to her gear that designated her as the leader drew her sword and a swift jab of concussive impact dropped her like a sack of flour. Karla hoisted the paladin over her shoulders and Chariot fled the scene, none within the town the wiser due to the veil of Silence masking the commotion from them. She threw the paladin leader against a tree in the distance outside the town and vines ensnared her, hardening and strengthening from the mana and aura they drained. They waited for a little while until the draining stopped. Donny lightly smacked the paladin¡¯s face but she showed not a single sign of stirring from her stupor, Karla¡¯s skill of Greater Concuss simply too pervasive. With their time valuable, Jean cast Greater Disrupt and the paladin came to her senses only to be immediately captured in Ashley¡¯s mesmerize. ¡°How many paladins in the capital?¡± Donny asked. ¡°...I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°Rough estimate.¡± ¡°Thousands¡­¡± ¡°How many rankers. Ranked initiates?¡± ¡°...more than half¡­¡± ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°What about the other half?¡± Donny continued. ¡°...heretics and heathens¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, we need someone a bit higher up.¡± The knight rose to his feet as the interrogation seemed hardly useful. ¡°Where can we find higher ranked members of the church than you, outside of the capital?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°...captains lead companies within the larger towns and cities¡­ Bishops manage the churches¡­¡± ¡°A large town is our next goal then.¡± Kamala stated with stoic bearing and a hint of something else. ¡°What we learn out here may not be applicable, but it is a start.¡± ¡°I wanna go back to the capital~¡± Karla voiced. ¡°It is too risky. We¡¯ll whittle them down gradually while improving ourselves, then eliminate the rest when they are weak enough.¡± Though unsurprised, Kamala denied the battle maniac''s request. ¡°So violent~¡± Ashley teased, earning herself a cold emotionless look. ¡°...we should cooperate with other invaders for now, since they will find themselves in the same situation.¡± ¡°And share the rewards? No way.¡± Yen objected. ¡°It is the safest method.¡± ¡°Fuck safety. Let¡¯s find out exactly what we¡¯re up against and figure out a plan to win this thing. Look, we got too careless, yeah. But now we know better. Don¡¯t forget the real goal here, we need the best reward or we¡¯re gonna fall behind.¡± ¡°How bout we go find a few higher ups first, then argue about the next move?¡± Donny interjected. ¡°Fine.¡± Yen answered, while Kamala¡¯s silence was her approval. ¡°There might be someone strong in the towns.¡± Shin cheered Karla up. ¡°Yeah~¡± Ashley turned the paladin party leader into an epic tier wight and sent it off towards the town, for no particular reason or gain, and Chariot sped off in search of a town in their path of carnage. --- Basem scouted the large town from a bird¡¯s eye view in the early hours of the day. ¡°Two hundred paladins.¡± ¡°How many blues?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Ten times as much.¡± ¡°Doable.¡± Donny considered. ¡°How are we doing this? Lure them all into big attack? Hit and run?¡± ¡°Just kidnap who you need. Don¡¯t fight when you don¡¯t have to, less risk of dying, idiots.¡± Basem asserted himself more strongly this time, the dangers of the capital abundantly fresh in his mind. ¡°We won¡¯t die.¡± Shin spoke. ¡°You are the biggest fool of everyone.¡± He snapped. ¡°Only stealth goes. We find the VIP and leave.¡± ¡°Even if this is not the capital, it would be best not to split up again.¡± Kamala reasoned. ¡°That many, someone will be a scout! They will find us and then we have to fight.¡± ¡°True.¡± Donny agreed. ¡°But it¡¯s also a good chance to test things. We might all have to move through somewhere like this as a group at some point. Best to see how to handle that.¡± ¡°You-¡± Basem paused for a moment as something caught his attention. ¡°Someone came through a portal.¡± ¡°Local or invader?¡± Donny asked, his demeanor turning slightly more serious. Basem watched as the mundane looking old man in spellcaster robes stared at a locket for a few moments, then morphed into a moderately intimidating man in blue uniform. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But he turned into a blue soldier.¡± ¡°Probably an invader, right?¡± Yen posited. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Donny asked. Basem followed the man carefully, moving his vantage point as needed and making use of the all encompassing sphere of vision from his Third Eye to read the lips of the target as he spoke to others one by one throughout the town. ¡°Talking¡­ Mostly to other blue soldiers. Dis¡­lusionment with the church¡­ talking bad about paladins. They abuse their power. People need to protect themselves. Worry about danger. Complaining about the church. Says they''re hiding something.¡± ¡°Recruiting.¡± Dante surmised. ¡°Long term intrigue strat?¡± Yen mused. ¡°Waste of time¡­ eventually they¡¯ll have to fight and a mob of random goons gets wiped by an army of elites.¡± ¡°Causing a rebellion would be ¡®impactful¡¯.¡± He pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s moving." Basem reported. "Going back to where he came through.¡± ¡°Might be part of a bigger group. Catch him.¡± Yen insisted, and the party moved. The fastest of Chariot tore through the guards on a section of a wall in crude brute force and the target in question didn¡¯t realize what was happening until after a large rust colored palm pinned him to the ground. ¡°We¡¯re moving. Don¡¯t try to escape.¡± Shin warned and the man gave a compliant nod wracked with nerves. Spells and arrows crashed against the wall of wards Mara formed as she appeared, barely enough to break through just the first layer even in their quantity. The clanging of a tower bell resounded throughout the whole town as warnings of enemies erupted as battle cries charging towards them. Yen strained every ounce of her willpower channelling spells in her hand to their maximum and unleashed two giant explosions on the small army stampeding their way. Their roars turned to ash and screams, those within range dying in scores and even more on the range of the skills had their flesh burned to the bone and those bones broken by force as they crashed away through buildings. Ashley sped off into the fray with a giggle outside of the plan, forcing the party to adapt. Without hesitation, Donny, Karla and Mujin followed, as well as Inari who had her own demands answered by Shin. Together the five slaughtered with abandon, three more eagerly than the rest. Karla broke and ruptured her way to a blond man in red and white who met her charge with forced intensity behind a piercing thrust of his sword. A thrust effortlessly parried away as a flying knee destroyed his head. Karla landed with mellowed enthusiasm and stepped back from a lunge, her spine bending kick rupturing the organs of the paladin before returning to her search in the fray. Dante watched the massacre calmly from behind the kinnara¡¯s ward with the others until he found the flow of battle needed. A sharp whistle signalled the five to fall back, Ashley the first to return and Inari the last with reluctance, and the party fled together back over the walls, disappearing over the hills in moments. They changed directions twice once out of sight of the walls before coming to a stop, Shin pinning the shapeshifting captive to the ground once more. Ashley leaned over with mesmerizing eyes but it had no effect on the man. She walked off without a care, leaving the others to form their own deductions. ¡°Regular interrogation, I guess.¡± Donny sighed. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± The black haired man in blue soldier¡¯s attire pleaded. ¡°You are otherworlders, yes? There is opportunity for a mutually beneficial deal here.¡± ¡°You a local?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With the time afforded him, the man immediately dove into his pitch. ¡°You must have some inkling of the state of this world by now, yes? But the church is more powerful than you realize. The capital hordes most of the power that has risen from the trials. It is there that has what you likely seek, but its security is near flawless. Trespassers fall into their many traps, they brutally detain and interrogate anyone suspicious.¡± ¡°Yeah, we have first hand experience with all that.¡± Donny interrupted him. The man paused as a realization formed in head. ¡°You were the ones¡­ the ones who broke in and escaped.¡± He looked at each of them before resting on Shin¡¯s rust colored face. ¡°You, you¡¯re the Champion¡­ the one who defeated the Vampire King, yes?¡± The form of a mangani faded from Shin and he allowed the man to sit up, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°He¡¯s a dhampyr?¡± ¡°...whatever the system deems to call him, here is the King of the Night. The enemy of many that leads the forces of evil to prey upon them in the dark.¡± ¡°If the church is so powerful then why is this vampire still running around then?¡± Donny brought the conversation back to their main interests. ¡°Because the church is compromised.¡± The man spoke with a severity about him. ¡°Told you.¡± Yen said matter of factly. ¡°...I don¡¯t know who answers to who, I suspect the Pope and the Vampire King cooperate in some form.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the pope.¡± ¡°Shut up for a bit, yeah?¡± Yen soured in slight annoyance at the knight¡¯s words but kept her silence. ¡°Got any proof of that?¡± ¡°None as of yet¡­¡± The man admitted. ¡°But while the church may be free of vampires, there are other kinds of monsters¡­ What you saw in the capital is only the surface. You must realize how powerful the Theocracy is. It serves us all to ally, and grind them down from all sides until its heart is exposed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hearing everything except why we need you, specifically.¡± Donny said bluntly, with a subtle intimidation about him. The man paused and started to open his mouth, when Basem whipped around and fired a surging arrow that clanged off the head of an attacker to no effect. At the same time a second similar being lunged from the other side, and met the Dynamic fist of Karla. A prismatic fist struck the unidentifiable assailant but Shin felt the resistance of an indestructible soul. Shin swatted away an cleaving axe and broke through a breath of frost as he struck twice more with duality flared and the man shrieked from behind his cloth wrapped mask. The second, bloodied under the attacks of the amazon and a joining reaper did the same. The two beings emanated a fiendish presence as their bodies morphed into monstrous amalgamations of foul creatures. ¡°Heresy!¡± ¡°Heathens must die!¡± Grisled voices that grated on the ears screeched dreadful words as their charged but their onslaught was more dreadful still. Another snipe from Basem did as little as the first, nor did a stream of flames or the swing of a scythe fare any better. The chimeric warrior burst towards Yen with blinding speed but an explosion from an invisible mine held it at bay. Dante¡¯s Trick Mine inflicted no damage either but it deterred the creature enough for roots to spring up and ensnare it still. Karla flickered with surging fist but the creature blinked away, crashing its clawed fist down on the wings of shields she formed just in time. But the sheer impact send her flying back. The grotesque head of a dragon stretched out of its shoulder as lightning gathered in its maw, and Donny sent it crashing away with a shield charge, but powerful sparks of lightning from the contact left him stuck in a spasm. The chimera sprung to its feet and Karla¡¯s fist cratered it into the ground again. Barbarism surged through her body, enhancing her martial fist as she struck twice with Dynamic that damaged its face bloody. But she didn¡¯t want it to damage. She wanted it to break. A sharp tendril impaled her heart as light shattered off her body as she slammed down a fist of baleful aura. Half the chimera¡¯s face disintegrated and with a pained shriek it blinked away, straight into the reaper¡¯s blade that severed it in half at the waist, light shattering off her smiling form as well. Tendrils shot out between the two halves pulling themselves back together and Ashley blurred, severing it in a dozen parts. Still, the creature stitched its flesh back together and a hail of black and white prismatic strikes broke its soul to pieces with ease. The creature fell dead, joining the other Shin left behind, their statuses laid bare. [Chimeric Human (legendary) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 3000 Agility - 3000 Constitution - 3000 Vitality - 3000 Dexterity - 3000 Perception - 3000 Force - 3000 Spirit - 3000 Control - 3000 Willpower - 3000 Skills: Maul lvl. 7, Lightning Lordship lvl. 4, Voltaic lvl. 5, Greater Haymaker lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Blink lvl. 8, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Lacerate lvl. 10, Traits: Indestructible (mythic), Indomitable (mythic), Unfettered (mythic), Amalgamation (mythic), Lightning Overwhelming (mythic), Voltaic (mythic), Truth and Lies (mythic), Golden Body (mythic), Golden Mind (mythic), Golden Soul (mythic), Poison Immunity (mythic), Disease Immunity (mythic), Curse Immunity (mythic), Fire Immunity (mythic), Frost Immunity (mythic), Lightning Immunity (mythic), Charming Immunity (mythic), Weakness Immunity (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Cryptic (legendary), ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Yen murmured as she inspected its traits along with the others. ¡°Inquisitors.¡± The captive man answered. ¡°Hounds of the church who answer only to the Pope. Tell me¡­ how can the one who holds the leashes of corrupted hounds be pure. As for my usefulness¡­¡± The man¡¯s body started to morph, taking the shape of a pale young man with coarse light brown hair. ¡°I am Johan von Stein, one of 43 new cardinals of the church, and the only one who can get to the truth.¡± Chapter 101 Kamala silently appraised him for a moment. ¡°...what is your proposal-?¡± ¡°You saw the Truth?¡± Shin asked, with no regard for the situation. ¡°Glimpses¡­ But I will uncover it all soon.¡± Johan seemed somewhat confused by the question but responded genuinely all the same. And Shin lost interest. ¡°But first, it would be best if we leave.¡± A swirling dark and purple portal opened up next to him, similar to the doors of a dungeon. ¡°The church knows when and where its inquisitors die. This place isn¡¯t safe anymore.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not really keen on going through portals right now.¡± Donny said. ¡°...I can understand your apprehension towards using a Gate, but there¡¯s no faster way to travel great distances undetected.¡± ¡°...Karla with me.¡± Donny paused a moment then walked to the gate. ¡°Kay~¡± ¡°If we¡¯re not back in 30 seconds, just kill him.¡± Donny left the group with casually dire words that caught Johan a bit off guard as he and Karla walked through without hesitation. Seconds passed which seemed to drag on like minutes to the cardinal, worsened even more so by the fact that he seemed to be the only one affected by the tension. But the investigating pair returned before the allotted time, unharmed and unconcerned. ¡°Don¡¯t seem like a trap.¡± Ashley hopped through first and the rest of the party followed unhurriedly. Shin went last, passing through the same time as Johan, who didn¡¯t need to be told why. The party found themselves in a damaged but usable house within a deserted as far as they could tell through the windows. ¡°Where is this?¡± Yen asked. ¡°A ruined town. One of many.¡± Johan¡¯s eyes lingered on it for a moment before turning back to them. ¡°A testament to the church¡¯s selfishness, but they no longer pay them mind so places like these make for suitable bases of operation.¡± ¡°The proposal.¡± Kamala inquired once more. Johan took a slight breath as he steadied himself for convincing and serious words. ¡°I am spreading and organizing dissent against the church in the form of a new belief. Faith in Solarism is crumbling. So much of what has happened is not spoken of in the scriptures and the people are more willing to gravitate to the thing that gives them power.¡± He seemed to grow more invigorated and certain as he spoke. ¡°The church¡¯s forces are great¡­ They monopolized nearly all power and authority before and while that unshakable control is lost, they are taking measures to restore their iron grip. But the situation is larger than they can contain. At least at the moment. Most of their forces are concentrated in the capital and they now rely on commoner militias as the bulk of their might to police and protect the towns and villages. The aristocracy is growing in power as well. I can muster a force enough to bring down the church but I need time and I need someone who can weaken the church.¡± ¡°Which is where we come in.¡± Donny tracked. ¡°Yes. Fortunately, they have their hands full with the otherworld invaders. The capital is their priority above all. I have already raised a number of branches of the new faith. I can handle recruitment on my end. What I need you to do, is to eliminate the paladins throughout the lands of the theocracy. The less influence the church has, the easier it will be to turn the people. Do so overtly, and if possible stoke dissent against the church as well. The more reports of insurrection and heresy, the harder it will be for the inquisitors to find the source.¡± ¡°What is the military might of the church, currently?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°The Order of the Paladins number 100,000. All monarchs with at least epic tier classes. That is all they can sustain for now but their capacity will grow as they find new sources of wealth and the crafters they monopolize improve their skill. More pressingly, they have a large number of legendary tier monarchs as well. Roughly 600 of the ranked initiates served under them.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°They all jumped straight up to monarch?¡± Yen was taken back. ¡°Are they stupid? Did none of them listen to their patrons?¡± ¡°Patron gods are declared false deities and forbidden. The ones who became apostles likely left for a new life in the other worlds, though many within the church have secret patrons. Even if it was allowed, the church is not interested in the long term ideal path of its followers. All are made to be as strong for the church as they can immediately. A problem for those individuals but it makes the church more formidable now.¡± ¡°I take it your recruitment centers mainly around the militiamen?¡± Kamala resumed her questioning. ¡°Exactly so. They number fivefold of the paladins and nearly all are weaker, but they are half mercenary, given equipment and some small power to abuse in return for protecting the outskirts. Paladins are deployed to lead them and maintain the influence of the church, using them as tools. If they are removed, the militia will be free to act in their self interests.¡± ¡°How are the paladins distributed?¡± ¡°A party for villages, a guild for small towns, and a company of 200 to 300 for the larger towns and cities, those ones led by a ranked initiate Captain. A third of the order make up these forces, the rest reside in the capital. ¡°Very well. We will ally with you.¡± Reassurance spread across Johan¡¯s face but Kamala continued before he could speak. ¡°But we will require payment of sorts in return. Epic tier knowledge and supplies for Runeforging, Artificing, Alchemy, Inscription, and Blacksmithing.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about the smithing.¡± Donny interjected. ¡°Why not?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Don¡¯t plan on spending any time on that here. I can get it later back home.¡± ¡°I can get what you ask. But it will take some time to obtain it without being caught.¡± Johan withdrew a map of the theocracy and points to a small village far to the south. ¡°We will meet back in two weeks at Eiffen. I¡¯ll have what you need by then. We are currently here, near the borders of the westmost region. I¡¯ll leave it up to you how and when you take out the paladins, but I advise you to do so erratically. And also¡­ Please do not expose my identity to anyone. I will be no help to you dead.¡± With that the traitor cardinal turned sudden ally opened a new Gate and stepped through, leaving Chariot by themselves. ¡°Are we going along with this seriously or just using him?¡± Yen genuinely asked. ¡°We will ally for now.¡± Kamala withdrew a book with the cover of a golden sun and started to glean through its pages. ¡°It suits our needs¡­ The goal is to make an impact and overthrowing the ruling authority is quite impactful.¡± ¡°Guess so¡­¡± Yen glanced at Shin. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Shin returned a slight smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go kill the paladins.¡± --- Reinolt made his way up the stairs and through the halls of the highest floor in the grand cathedral, his expression grim and laced with guilt. He had been summoned the moment his condition had healed, of which phantoms of that baleful ache still plagued him, but less so than the sight of Agathe dying in his arms. Death that was meant for him. He came before the carved wooden doors before he realized. Two paladins of the Pope¡¯s personal retinue guarded the sides, each on par with a captain. They said not a word to him and the door opened on its own. Reinolt walked through into the study and was met with the eyes of ten inquisitors, hostile and otherly. The Pope himself stood with his back to him, overlooking the capital from a window. A large portly man with a broad face of overbearing poise that even the thick face of his neck and chin couldn¡¯t mar. Magnificent white robes lined with golden adorned his body, free of unnecessary jewelry and a matching papal crown rested upon his head. ¡°Your Holiness.¡± Reinolt greeted him with a kneel. ¡°Over a thousand paladins.¡± Pope Gregor spoke without regard. ¡°Nine captains of the Order. The South Warden. A Black Hand. Our best Interrogator. And a Maiden of the Sun¡­ Do you understand how heavy of a blow this is, Sir Reinolt?¡± Guilt racked his face once more. ¡°...yes¡­ Your Holiness.¡± ¡°I am disappointed, Reinolt.¡± Gregor turned to face him properly, the weight of his eyes felt even without meeting them. ¡°Twice heretics have slaughtered within the sanctum of the church, and twice they have escaped. That has stained the church¡¯s reputation grievously. Our people, even paladins are starting to lose trust. And that makes them vulnerable to the wicked whispers of heresy. Are more going to fall under your watch, Commander?¡± ¡°I!¡± Rage and grief swelled in Reinolt¡¯s words such that he could not suppress it, even in the presence of the Emissary of Sol. The intent dripping off the words of his vow so strongly that it put the inquisitors on guard. ¡°...will never¡­ let it happen again.¡± Pope Gregor stared immovably at the trembling knight for a moment. ¡°Then go¡­ and see that it does not.¡± Reinolt rose to his feet and took his leave, the rage and grief already started to meld into an unwavering resolve. With the core of his soul, with every fiber of his being in the purest extreme, the Flame Knight swore to intensify the security of the capital and condemn every last heathen and heretic that entered these hallowed grounds to the eternal dark. Chapter 102 A vampire in paladin¡¯s uniform lunged through a desperate soldier¡¯s slash, pinning his mad resistance to the ground as its fangs bit into his neck and drank his blood dry. A fireball burned both to ash but the claws of another reaped the head of the mage who cast it. In the chaos of cries and bloodshed the three dozen vampires set upon the militia like helpless lambs. ¡°This is madness!¡± A man yelled as he turned tail and fled, causing more to route with him. ¡°Stay in formation you cowards!¡± Another roared as he fought with all he had to slay one of the foul creatures. And three more lunged towards him. In the slowed vision of despair, a stream of flames surged over the vampires, more powerful than he had ever seen. His eyes turned on their own along with hundreds of others to a woman that emerged from the shadows. The frilled gown of a noble mage and a witch¡¯s hat, black as the night that made her orange hair stand out even more than usual. Her blue eyes deep and enchanting nearly stealing one¡¯s gaze from her beautiful face. In one hand she carried a staff with a lit lamp hanging at the end and in the other she channeled fire in her palm. The vampires bolted towards her all at once and with elegant lips she breathed on the tiny sphere in her palm and the flames streamed out turning all to ash. [Lady of the Lamp] She turned to the remaining crowd, dazed in awe, her divine gaze enchanting them once more. ¡°I am Yendolin, the Good Witch. True Messenger of Sol. Hark, ye faithful. The church has closed its eyes to the Light. They cannot save you. Do not despair, ye faithful. Take the power Sol has granted you into your own hands and save yourselves.¡± In a flash of warm light and flames, the Lady of the Lamp vanished, and Yen appeared by the others. Dante erase her false status as she switched her costume for her usual gear. ¡°Another flawless performance.¡± Yen bragged to no one in particular. ¡°It would be better if you did not insist on calling yourself a witch, or using a name outside of the current conventions¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a core part of the persona. Matter of fact, change my title to Witch of the Sun, the potential is being wasted.¡± ¡°The Lady of the Lamp is a central character in the Solarian faith.¡± Kamala calmly retorted again. ¡°Prominent and not fully explained, which means it is ripe for reconstruction.¡± ¡°My concept is better. Lady of the Lamp, my ass. This is fanfiction tier¡­¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­ Solarism is strange.¡± Jean commented. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It holds the basic structures and tenets of a faith but is far too shallow.¡± Kamala elaborated on his behalf. ¡°The mythos is simple and clearly explained with no contradictions. It reads more like a fairytale, one revised from a point of pragmatic oversight.¡± ¡°Because the church is corrupt and the pope could not more obviously be the main villain.¡± ¡°This is a waste of time.¡± Basem nearly spat out his words, his temper having worsened since the fight against the inquisitors. Kamala glanced over, choosing not to ignore his complaints. ¡°We still have two and a half months remaining here. There¡¯s no need to rush. Though it is about time we head over to the meeting.¡± --- Chariot arrived at the ruined village of Eiffen with nothing but the silent tattered cottages to greet them. Only a few moments went by before a gate opened up, and Johan stepped out. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to see our alliance is holding. Trust is key for this.¡± Yen scoffed. ¡°Acting like you weren¡¯t spying on this place in advance before you decided to show¡­¡± ¡°...the careless are long dead.¡± Johan handed a spatial bag to Jean who designated himself the one to take what little risk there might be. A cursory glance found the goods they desired. He took the artificing books and materials for himself before handing it next to Dante. ¡°Your exploits are having an effect.¡± Jonah informed them. ¡°The church will soon decide to abandon the outskirts and consolidate all power to the capital and key major towns and cities.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the next step?¡± Yen asked. ¡°I have a mission for you.¡± The brown haired cardinal handed them three parchment scrolls, which contained portraits of two men and a woman. ¡°The church is growing more suspicious of the aristocracy, or at least more wary. The paladins are taking the brunt of the chaos while the aristocracy only grows in might. I need you to take out these three nobles who are commonly rumored to be opposed to the church.¡± ¡°You want to stoke the aristocracy¡¯s resentment, so they continue to siphon potential military might from them and pose a distraction.¡± Kamala deduced. ¡°That¡¯s right. But also¡­ some are attacking the cults I raised. Showing a surface level loyalty to the church to avoid its ire and scrutiny while pilfering wealth and enslaving soldiers. Two of the nobles are misdirection of sorts. The true target is Duchess Lorraine, who is rallying the aristocracy faction together far too quickly.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the church taken her out?¡± Yen questioned. ¡°The aristocrats have no place in the Theocracies governance but they are not powerless, especially now. They have never been freer to expand and most are taking advantage of that, not to mention enlisting the services of otherworlders as mercenaries. Plus¡­¡± Johan paused for a moment. ¡°The church has their hands full with attacks and infiltration on the capital daily. They cannot risk going to war with the aristocracy, not at the moment.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t her being alive a good thing then? Who cares if a few branches get wiped out.¡± ¡°...she is too capable. And strongly opposed to reformations of any kind. It¡¯s better if to gain the aristocracy on our side at a later date, than see them yield to the church in a failed revolt and add its forces to their ranks.¡± Johan¡¯s body language changed slightly. ¡°I must go. Security measures in the capital are far stricter now, I cannot be away for too long. Continue to do as you have after dealing with those three nobles. We will meet again at the end of the month in Bamberg at dusk, in the south east. Luck be with you.¡± Jonah headed back through his gate under the calm eyes of the party. ¡°I guess that settles it¡­¡± Jean murmured. ¡°Yes¡­¡± The priestess agreed. ¡°Settled what?¡± Yen asked. ¡°He did not mention our bastardization of the faith, nor did he tell us how best to lay the groundwork for his ¡®reformations¡¯ for a second time now.¡± Kamala spoke. ¡°He does not care, which means his cult is just a tool for something else.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ So what do we do? Capture and interrogate next time?¡± ¡°No. He is still useful. We should make him more reliant on us, to force closer cooperation. The first step is the nobles he tasked us with. The duchess¡¯ territory is closest.¡± --- Lady Katherine joyously penned a letter by quill in handwritten that was not her own. Her word choice precise and deliberate in its lies. She folded the parchment and sealed it in an envelope with one of the many false sigils she recently had made and stored the note away. The letters, of which she had written dozens just this day alone, were meant for the many noble houses and dignitaries that remained, and almost all with guileful intentions. A ruse to uproot traitors and spies within her midst. Some of them genuine, as they needed to be, designed to bring houses into the fold of the aristocracy faction. The duchess used proxies of proxies to deliver them, with none knowing from whom or to why they were even being sent, but there was no such thing as too careful in regards to the Theocracy¡¯s eyes. She put quill to parchment once more, and the notice of one of her letters combusting to ash from being opened too soon alerted her mind. ¡°Route 17.¡± She gave simple and succinct notice. ¡°I shall have them disposed at once.¡± A tall aged man in butler¡¯s attire replied, as he paused for a moment to deliver a telepathic message. ¡°My lady, it has been some time since you last slept. I fear these long nights will ruin your health and complexion¡­¡± ¡°Such things are no longer an issue, Walter.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ my apologies.¡± ¡°It is fine. We all still need time to properly adapt to the Change.¡± The system had brought more benefits than could be counted, higher Vitality among them. Although hardly relevant to her class, it did allow her the ability to work for days on end to no detriment. However, she did suppose she had been at her socializing and scheming for some time now. Perhaps it would do her good to take a short break. ¡°I will be retiring for the night. You have successfully persuaded me.¡± ¡°Your chambers have already been prepared.¡± Walter informed as he followed behind at the appropriate distance. He had almost certainly seen her room tended to all the nights before, she thought. She did like how competent and devoted he was to his work. As she was to hers. ¡°My lady¡­ I must also once again voice my concerns as to entrusting your safety so wholly to outsiders¡­¡± ¡°They are far better than my own, and we have an understanding. There is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady¡­¡± Walter stepped ahead briefly to open the doors to her bedchambers and closed it gracefully after she alone walked through. Renzo emerged from her shadow, donning clothes meant more for a warrior or an assassin than the King class he sported. ¡°Our loyalty does rely on results.¡± He reminded. ¡°Men of ink and paper are not the especially popular sort.¡± She teased, placing a hand on his chest briefly. ¡°But I assure you, you will have your results.¡± Katherine glanced around the room as she changed instantly into more comfortable attire for rest. Half a dozen ¡®Igarashi¡¯ guards waited silently throughout, and more she could not see, she knew. A risk, she had no illusions of it being otherwise, but a necessary one. They were strong, highly skilled in espionage and assassination along with measures against the same. She could hardly ask for better, especially when her own family retainers could not be trusted. ¡°I think I am starting to get use to living like a prisoner.¡± She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good.¡± ¡°I am aware. Now, off with you. I will tolerate female guards but I can¡¯t very have uncouth rumors spread about me at this time.¡± She shoed him away in another plausibly deniable flirtatious manner, and Renzo yanked her away from the black and white blade slashing through the air. Two of the guards burst towards Shin with attacks from perfectly opposing angels, and he severed them in half, weapons and all. Renzo acted immediately and boldly. A strange magic locked him to Shin and shadows burst from his feet, crashing them both out of the windows to the ground below with their positions unchanged. Shin rushed him before he even had a chance to speak, a blade passing through his form of shadows. Two spiraling green orbs sped after Renzo as Shin hounded him through shadow spikes blooming from all around, the eldest sibling of the main family barely manage to weather the natural disaster before him. ¡®Why are you attacking?!¡± Renzo yelled after his sixth sense warned him to blink away rather than let a blade pass through his shadow mimicry again. ¡°Need to kill the duchess.¡± Shin¡¯s response came casually and plainly as he tried to kill Renzo again. ¡°We¡¯re losing members.¡± Kanda¡¯s telepathic communication informed him in the face of creeping death, and Renzo made a decision. ¡°What would make you stop?¡± Shin paused where he was in thought. ¡°Wait.¡± Mara appeared above and let out a loud sweeping shriek, somehow melodious on the ears. In no time, the rest of Chariot appeared at his side, followed by two parties of Igarashi that reinforced Renzo. ¡°Renzo wants to make a deal.¡± Shin told Kamala. The priestess held silent for a moment. ¡°We will renege on the duchess¡¯ assassination if she stops targeting the rising cults.¡± The Igarashi heir paused himself for a moment. ¡°Alright. I will get her to agree.¡± The commotion throughout the city spurred by their fighting threatened to reach them soon, and so Chariot left, just as quickly and vainly as they arrived. A red haired young woman gritted her teeth as she glared in their direction, her gear stained with blood. ¡°Are you just going to let them do this?!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± She forced herself silent at Renzo''s commanding words, as he flickered off back to the bedchamber. The duchess, guarded by the remaining of those assigned to her, appeared noticeable shaken, but held herself together, even more so upon his return. ¡°We need to change our plans.¡± Chapter 103 Shin sat in front of a brand new inscription desk, one finely crafted, gilded and furnished to grandeur bordering on excess. In his hand he wielded a brush equally as luxurious, carefully painting symbols on a talisman of far more complexity than he had before receiving the knowledge. Shin still didn¡¯t like learning from books all that much but with no one around to teach him, he had to make do. Mujin dodged and deflected the blades of a puppet, scythe-like with bent segmented arms. Insectoid in appearance and Jean fittingly named it the Mantis model. One of the joints spun and Mujin vaulted over a slash from the side as the end of his snow white spear parried the other away. The dragoon actually had some difficulty against it, albeit with the caveat of not trying to destroy it in the process. The Mantis puppet was epic tier, but puppets operated more like equipment than monsters. Provided the model well designed and the puppeteer skilled enough, it could be more threatening than creatures of the same tier. However, that potential was still yet unlocked. Jean had managed to build the base but he lacked the supplements to bring it to the next level. To that end, Kamala and Dante were training their alchemy and runeforging, Kamala developing various poisons to be use in both liquid and gas form and Dante painstakingly carving runes on hundreds needles to give them all a passive rare tier Greater Keen Point. Jean also needed spell scrolls to take his puppets to the next level beyond that, but Shin had hardly any experience with them, thus he had to wait for the Invoker to practice a bit more. The others were nearby training their skills normally. The group had decided to no longer split up unless absolutely necessary but Ashley decided she was bored and left to rectify that, with Donny electing to join her. Basem aimed an arrow at the tree with great strain on his face, the sparks of progress flickering from his bow but a massive barrage of fire blasts in the distance shocked him out of his concentration. ¡°Use your whore magic quieter!¡± ¡°If you wanted peace and quiet, you should have went vampire hunting.¡± Yen wholly unbothered by the insult with the last vestiges of light shards fading around her. Basem clicked his teeth and burst further away to resume his attempts in a foul mood while light sparked off of Shin¡¯s talisman as well. An epic tier Blast talisman, similar to Yen¡¯s combustion skill rather than a fireball, albeit much weaker. Still, they had their uses. ¡°West.¡± Karla shot in the direction at his words towards the lurking vampires. Dark red aura surged in her fist as she slammed it up into the chest of one. In an instant, the aura swam through its upper body and burst it all away. Three more strikes gave the same devastating result. Karla¡¯s latest mythic tier skill Crush, upgraded from her amazon class skill Smash, was not mere damage but complete and utter destruction. What she destroyed with the skill disappeared entirely, an incredibly dangerous skill. If she found a way to destroy the whole body at once, then even those with Unfettered like Shin could be killed at any time. Whether she could in the near future remained to be seen, however. Her sparring partners were mostly epic tier vampires, usually between the ranks of Greater Lord and Intermediate Monarch. They had intelligence and tricky skills but even then, they weren¡¯t much of a threat. Even their innate ability to inflict vampirism was a non issue as it counted as a curse. More importantly on the subject of monsters, Shin had yet to find the right monsters to upgrade Mara and Kong with. Naturally, he was looking for rare and lower tier monsters to fuse up, making the most of his Vestiger ability, but none gained the abilities he envisioned. Still, he did not find that much of an issue. This was only a new world like theirs and they had only been here for less than a month. He would find the right ones, he knew. Inari appeared besides him carrying several snarling vampire torsos removed of their limbs, and killed them with a single stroke. Shin raised a hand and casually harvested their souls as she sped off again in search of more. The kitsune throneguard had been especially keen to kill vampires ever since they first encountered them, making it her mission with a vengeance. Shin let her do as she pleased. Few were her equal and for anything that was, she had a safety net. [Mana Projection has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.] [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (420) Agility - 600 (1260) Constitution - 50 (105) Vitality - 152 [228] (479) Dexterity - 33 (69) Perception - 300 (630) Force - 24 (50) Spirit - 793 [1190] (2499) Control - 150 [225] (472) Willpower - 100 [150] (315) Skills: Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Throneguard lvl. 10, Ultimate Martial Combat lvl. 4, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Greater Harvest Soul lvl. 5, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Pulse lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Greater Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 10, Sense Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 10, Meld lvl. 10, Mana Projection lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, Vestiger, You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Another talisman succeeded before him, his ninetieth in a tenth as many days, thanks in part due to his greater control over the flow of mana. From Emission to Coating to Infusion to now Projection, and according to Dante, Harnessing afterwards, each had given him greater control and options over the handling of his skills than ever. Soon he would be able to move onto scrolls for Jean and then focus on training a few specific skills of his own. He needed to kill the so called King of the Night, something they all agreed would cement an impact. Shin wielded his brush against a talisman once more. He hoped Virgil understood what he had told him now. --- Donny and Ashley mowed down a tribe of Hill Giants with ease. Large and brutish epic creatures, but lumbering to their eyes and slow of mind, fitting their lopsided features. Aura of higher quality shrouded Donny¡¯s axe as he cleaved through flesh and bone like paper. The giants just threatening enough that he couldn¡¯t relax entirely and of hardy stock, making for excellent training dummies, though his partner held not a trace of seriousness or tension at all as she severed all in her careless dance. Reap, her mythic tier skill, a fusion of Greater Assassinate and Grim Blade, bypassed all material objects and even lesser tier skills as to cut only flesh with souls, and did so with extreme sharpness. A massive Hill Giant Wrecker swung down its destructive club and she stood still with a smile, failed attempts of upgrading a skill sparking off of her. Donny caught the attack on his shield in a burst of movement. His dull golden one handed axe cleaved through the monster¡¯s knees, bringing it low and a second took its neck. Blood splattered lightly on the still very tangible Ashley to her amusement, who wrapped around his back in a giggling flash. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a city~¡± ¡°Off limits right now.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon~¡± Ashley tightened her squeeze and leaned her head against his lightly. ¡°I won¡¯t tell~¡± Donny jolted alert and shifted around in a blur to behead a wiry vampire clean that lunged from behind. But his vigilance did not slacken, as they found themselves surrounded by two dozen vampires of superior presence and among them an elegantly dressed man, pale skinned with vampiric features. [Vampire Stalker (epic elite) - Greater Monarch] [Vampire Duke (legendary elite) - Greater Monarch] ¡°We¡¯re in trouble~¡± Ashley beamed, though Donny did not share her levity. The vampires lunged without warning and a Thunderstomp knocked them back a step. Serenity washed over Donny¡¯s face and was quickly replaced by surging rage. Donny shattered the skull of a leaping vampire with his shield and carved another in half but a second swing missed and claws shredded his throat. His wound healed in an instant but a stalker darted through the chaos to thrust its piercing palm at Ashley¡¯s back. Donny caught the attack on his axe just barely, weathering the weight of the blow as a second vampire clawed out his eyes. ¡°Attack the girl.¡± The Duke ordered from a distance as slight realization found his face. Immediately all the vampire underlings swarmed. Through the shadows and carnage, Donny fought like a focused madman. Ashley clung still to his back with the utmost amusement, forcing him to take blows in place of her, just as the duke foresaw. He was at a disadvantage. The vampire stalkers were faster than him by half a fold, only his raw combat skill and well timed use of skills enabling him to fight equally. But his energy was draining and he could gain nothing back from these bloodless creatures, the duke smart enough to push the fight away from the hill giant corpses the moment he saw Bloodthirst in effect. His own red blood coated his axe and hardened in razor sharp jagged brutality, making each lethal swing less draining on his aura. But still, his mana drained rapidly. Flesh tore around and his blood split over the dirt, and he fought on still. With a charging swing, he cleaved through the last of the stalkers and the duke made his move. Three times as fast and striking at the perfect moment. Donny shifted in turn, bringing down his weapon with a mighty swing, and the duke sneered. His clawed palm shattered the knight¡¯s head but to his shock the orichalcum axe cut into his skull through Greater Phase, the raging blood knight chose to strike with greater spellbreak over any attack. The passive skill Mangle mutilated the vampire duke¡¯s head as Donny¡¯s body fell to its knees. But with the last of his mana, his own mortal wound recovered faster than the vampire¡¯s, and Donny carved the vampire to pieces until its body turned to ash. ¡°Go to a city~¡± Ashley whispered in his ear. Donny took a step in that direction and strained against himself, brute forcing his way out of greater rage with the little sanity he had remaining. ¡°No fair~¡± Unbothered by the smiling reaper¡¯s antics, Donny assessed the situation before him, and headed back, Ashley still clinging to his back. This had been a significant step up in quality of vampires, a circumstance he decided best to share with the others. --- Johan paced quickly within the cathedral, no particular target in mind this time. He had other more pressing things to concern himself with. Too many. Chief among them was Duchess Lorraine¡¯s continued existence. She had proven to be a bigger threat than he thought, and worst still she was growing more powerful by the day. A common enemy of the church in all but official decree. While she lived, the cardinals had reason to cooperate and restrain their worst desires. This could not be. He needed the church to gain complete control, and with it the landscape for individual strife and intrigue to rise boldly from within. ¡°Cardinal Johan.¡± A sly voice affronted his ears, Johan turning reluctantly to find the person he least wanted to be near. Curled shoulder length dark brown hair and a thin goatee around a sure smile. The egregiously casual arrogance and attitude that he had everything in the palm of his hand but pretended otherwise. ¡°Cardinal Luther¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just received word of the house of Amsberg¡¯s demise.¡± Luther spoke with a casualness almost disrespectful to the unfortunate fallen, but none so much that he could be rightful called out on it. ¡°All living members slain or stolen, every object of value pilfered. No doubt the work of otherworlders engaging in banditry.¡± ¡°I grieve for them¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luther agreed, though he didn¡¯t mean it. ¡°Speaking of which, that troublesome duchess had her own scare, did she not? It seems she had the good fortune to escape with little harm, but one can never know what is in store when handling beasts.¡± Johan did not answer. The cardinal beside him had a deceitful way with words bordering on remarkable. Slyly probing and prodding for information with petty tricks. Even a child could understand the dual meaning behind his words. The duchess employed otherworlders. Only a naive fool would think otherwise. But Johan was sure that Luther¡¯s own family, Krause, did exactly the same. The two were at odds currently, competing over dominance in the aristocracy, both recruiting to their own territories. Cardinals are forced to discard their surnames and secede from their houses, but of course, familial and political ties cannot be severed so easily. Even before the Change, there was no shortage of corruption and cooperation between the noble cardinals and their families. Such schemes had only worsened in the new world. ¡°Such rigorous security Reinolt has designed. It is so hard to get out now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Johan¡¯s heart skipped a beat at Luther¡¯s sudden and dangerous revelations. To admit such things within these walls was nothing short of madness. ¡°The streets of the capital just aren¡¯t safe anymore. I¡¯ve half a mind to lock myself in my study.¡± Luther turned an knowing eye to Johan and Johan knew he made a grave mistake. ¡°Indeed¡­ I must take my leave now, Cardinal.¡± Jonah cursed himself as he briskly walked away. Luther knew now without a doubt, that he snuck out of the capital. Such a simple trick he had fallen for so easily. And from that small knowledge, he would be able to glean many of crucial things. Such was the danger of the wretched fox. As Luther smiled amusedly with deep contemplative eyes, Johan resolved himself to accelerate his plans. Now more than ever, time was not on his side. Chapter 104 Chariot arrived at the meeting place precisely at dusk, a broken and abandoned village, signs of violence abound just as had been for the town before. A gate opened immediately and a blonde woman emerged, glancing at them all briefly. ¡°What happened with the Duchess?¡± ¡°We came to a deal. A truce of sorts.¡± Kamala explained. ¡°...will it hold?¡± ¡°At least until near the end. The other side does not want to make enemies of us.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Johan paused for just a moment. ¡°Things have worked in our favor faster than anticipated. I¡¯m going to bring all the otherworlder accomplices together for the next stage of the plan.¡± He opened a second gate near them. ¡°This will take you outside the range of anyone¡¯s perception who may be there. Head east, to the base of the ruined hill fort.¡± Jonah stepped back through his own portal without delay. ¡°We still cooperating?¡± Donny asked. ¡°Yes.¡± At the priestess¡¯ answer he stepped through the gate first, and the rest followed at his becoming arm. True to his word, they found no sign of anyone but themselves within the barren hills. Silently, they headed in the direction told and soon they came across the designated land. A ruined hill fort, apt to its name. Not quite a castle and even less so usable despite its favorable perch. But of far more importance were the people already gathered there, all of whom turned assessing eyes to the party of ten. Elves, dwarves, gnomes, draconians, nine foot tall goliaths and four armed devi, otherworlders of all kinds stood by in their groups, most at least half a guild strong. Among them was a group of humans not quite a full guild, led by a slightly familiar lightly bearded face. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Kamala said as Mujin drew his spear. ¡°Hey, the reigning champs.¡± Miguel greeted them. Thick black hair combed back donning light warrior gear, every bit the image of his Bandit Leader class. ¡°Sorry about the trap back in the trials. No hard feelings.¡± ¡°It weren¡¯t much of a problem, honestly. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Donny replied casually. Miguel cracked a smile as he glanced away for a moment. ¡°So you¡¯re going along with this cult rebellion alliance thing too, huh? To be honest, I thought you were more more of the, uh¡­ outlaw type, you know?¡± ¡°We¡¯re opened minded.¡± A gate appeared and Johan stepped through with the appearance of a handsome black haired man as he looked around calmly. None of the other groups showed any confusion or wariness, which some of Chariot picked up on, but they kept silent. ¡°We are missing one group, but we cannot wait around any longer.¡± Johan spoke, his voice more impressive too. ¡°You¡¯ve all been doing missions for some time now, and at last the church has been pushed back into a corner enough to take the next step. The capital.¡± Tension and severity spread among the faces of many as Jonah continued to speak. ¡°Some of you already know, but the security of the capital has been greatly heightened, to the point where it is dangerous for even the residents. I would not recommend infiltration. But eliminating the paladins on the walls day after day will create an openings that can be exploited. I remind you. The church has monopolized most of the wealth of this world. You are all here for the rewards of the tower, so cooperation in some small form is to your benefit.¡± Some in the crowd smiled at that, Dante and Miguel among them. Though Johan continued unaware. ¡°The church will grow desperate if-¡± Powerful bolts of elemental attacks cut off the cardinal¡¯s words, crashing against the ward of Miguel¡¯s group. A young woman flickered forward and her whip flickered faster still, shattering the ward in a single attack, allowing for several to be killed as the guild of bandits retreated through a gate of their own. The remaining groups went on edge but no further aggression came from the newcomers. Brown skinned all, some lighter than others, most with rich black hair, and standing out more than any other was a man in stunning golden partial armor with a white lotus on his forehead. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it [Human Justiciar (legendary) - Greater Lord] [Human Beastmaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Father isn¡¯t tolerating your tantrums any longer, baby sister.¡± The whip recoiled neatly into the beastmaster woman¡¯s hand as she walked arrogantly towards the party, her face one of graceful mockery. Hair parted to the sides and tied back elegantly, a stunning beauty enhanced further by clothes more silk than leather, adorned with jewelry tasteful and majestic where might otherwise be gaudy. ¡°We were going to retrieve you after this anyway, so this saves us the trouble.¡± Kamala¡¯s response was only a cold stoic stare, one that did not dissuade the woman from her wicked taunts, one hardly masked by the veneer of tenderness. ¡°If you¡¯re still worried about being passed around by the Atreus, there¡¯s no need. That deal is off. Why waste you on those fools when there are so many better options now. You should be happy, Rani. We¡¯ll find a nice god for you.¡± ¡°We do not have time for further conflict.¡± Johan spoke up, doing a fair job of sounding authoritative and in control. ¡°Priya.¡± The woman smiled slightly more deeply at Kamala before sauntering back over to her clan at Chandra¡¯s words. Johan glanced around, waiting a few moments to ensure things had properly settled down. ¡°The plan has not changed. You are to whittle down the forces of the capital with ambush tactics. The church¡¯s covert strategy against this is to capture hostages and force the rest through a gate to their prisons under that threat. Take precautions against that, and do not concede to their threat under any circumstance. The prisons are nigh inescapable now and all within are interrogated to death. The paladins as a whole are more aggressive now as well, so do not linger with your attacks. Strike and retreat. I will contact you for the final assault when the time is right.¡± ¡°Wait for me outside the gate.¡± All members of Chariot received a direct message to their minds, in Johan¡¯s normal voice. Gates opened up all around for the individual groups and one by one they quickly left through, Priya giving one last taunting smile as both sides entered theirs. Chariot found themselves inside a small church building, damaged but structurally intact. Shin¡¯s eyes flashed prismatic and returned to normal in a moment with no further action. Johan followed them shortly after and closed the gate behind him, morphing back into his true form. ¡°What was that fighting about?¡± He asked immediately, some tension in his tone. ¡°Bandit Boss killed someone important to that clan in our trials. Nothing to do with anything here.¡± Donny told him. ¡°Will he be a problem?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t really know much about him. But no, probably not.¡± Johan sighed some of his stress away, seeming to relax just a little. ¡°...we need to discuss our situation.¡± ¡°Laying the groundwork to finish things off, yeah?¡± ¡°On the contrary.¡± The gravity of Johan¡¯s bearing returned. ¡°The Pope has taken no action. I had expected something to show by now¡­ which means the power under his control runs deeper than I thought. I¡¯m also concerned that the vampires have made no noise yet. If things are as I fear¡­¡± ¡°Ran into a duke and some elites, actually.¡± Donny informed without warning. Johan looked up with obvious interest and vigor. ¡°When? Where?¡± ¡°East. Couple days ago.¡± ¡°Are we to do something differently?¡± Kamala interrupted the cardinal¡¯s silent contemplation. ¡°No¡­ Attack the capital as planned for now. I need to learn more about the situation. It¡¯ll be a little while. A few cardinals have be assassinated so the number of scrutinous eyes have increased.¡± He opened a gate for them. ¡°Lure and kill the ranked if you can. The shallower their well runs, the better.¡± The party left without further word, and Johan paused for rest of mind where he stood, then withdrew the bodies of those killed by the Pandavas attack. Murky necrotic mana enveloped them and they rose as undead. Wights, liches, death knights, and vampires. He stared at the monsters of his own creature with some slight revolt and disdain before reaffirming his resolve once more. Things were slipping out of his control and he knew that must respond with more drastic measures. This world must fall into his hands, so he could experiment more freely. --- Luther sat in his study with a smile on his face, calmly contemplating his next move. Duchess Lorraine¡¯s faction had gotten quite bold quite quickly, to the point of near rebellion. Key figures of the extremist cardinal faction and capable members of the church¡¯s operations were being targeted. Effectively. He took some small joy in the certain vexation Odwin must be feeling now, but he did recognize the danger that arose in the differences of the otherworlder¡¯s powers. The Krause had weathered the worst of it under his guidance, but only just. Luther leaned back in his chair slightly. Things seemed to be going quite according to Johan¡¯s plans, he mused. He suspected his guilt the moment he pushed for such power to be given to the militias but he had to admit the upstart was bolder and smarter than he had given him credit for. Though of course, still green in the matters of intrigue. It would be small issue to have him eliminated, if he was prepared to lose a few valuable pieces, but caution stayed his hand. He needed to know how connected he was, and who exactly was supporting him. A woman appeared in his sights so uneventfully and undetectable that it froze his thoughts for longer than he thought possible. Slender, draped head to toe in black leather and cloth, her cold purple eyes staring straight through him as though he were the mere furniture beneath him. ¡°I have gotten people to talk, and they seem to think you are someone with ambition.¡± She spoke emotionlessly, but a weight held her words. ¡°Are you ambitious?¡± Luther regained the poise and confidence he had slightly lost for a moment, and smiled at the solution that just fell into his lap. ¡°Some would say so, yes.¡± Chapter 105 Mujin weaved through the top of the capital wall, every thrust and flourish of his spear ended the life of a paladin in his endless violent dance. Half a dozen of the zealots charged towards him from all sides and he charged lightning in his palm, letting it backfire and surge over them all. The paladins fell dead from the impact but immunity kept Mujin safe. A large blur barreled his way and in response he lunged with the surging aura of Greater Pierce at the head of a captain in sight. His spear stopped short on the familiar gong of Bastion and a Dynamic fist slammed into Mujin¡¯s side, sending him crashing a short distance along the wall until he regained his stance. Blood splurt from his mouth as Greater Dragon Scales couldn¡¯t absorb the full impact on the blow, but at the other end, the captain spasmed in place as lightning surged over his body. The product of Greater Electric which delivered high voltage to anyone who made contact with him. Mujin lunged again, ignoring his injuries as the image of a dragon¡¯s head wrapped around his spear and impaled the captain¡¯s torso, the viciousness of true magic destroying his soul. Four paladin spellcasters charged magic in the air towards him and Shin flickered in front. A swirl of mana violently consumed the blasts and streams of magic, but soon the skill was overwhelmed and the attacks broke through, tearing his mystic protection and his body with it. [Greater Mana Absorption has reached lvl. 10. 250 Attribute Points rewarded.] An arrow for each split open the heads of all the casters and Mujin burst left towards another captain. Shin regenerated in an instant and stepped to the side as a legendary berserker class paladin split open a ravine down the giant city walls with a swing of his greatsword. Violent ripples wove into themselves as Shin compacted a layer of Pulse over his hands like gloves. The berserker swung with a surge of aura and the mighty blade repelled away with a flick of his hand. A palm slammed on the berserker¡¯s chest, sending him barrelling through a crowd of paladins to devastating effect. [Mana Harnessing has reached lvl. 10. 250 Attribute Points rewarded.] Shin glanced around at the state of the wall vanguard. Basem was picking off paladins in rapid succession with no issue and a shadowy spectral monster reaped the souls of the ones below. The team at the back had no issue, so Shin hopped over to Mujin who was still faring just fine and cast Heal. A paladin lunged and he changed the nature of his pulse, popping the man to nothing more than a pool of blood. Shin kept his focus on the city, searching for his next target of importance once Mujin was healed. The other seven members of the party watched from a safe distance, uninvolved with the battle on the wall save for Kamala¡¯s High Wraith. Dante blinked without warning, his glowing tattooed body tapping away one of the church¡¯s ¡®Black Hands¡¯ that tried to take Kamala hostage, and Ashley diced him apart in the blink of an attack. A second cloaked assassin found herself holding a blade to the throat of a wooden puppet and Karla destroyed both their heads in a shatter of splinters and blood. The third found the only real success in taking Yen hostage but before he could even issue his demands, Yen took the form of flames, and the man burned to ash with it. This system was one the party had found the most success in. The rearguard group essentially serving as bait and executioner for the troublesome covert agents who sought to take hostages from them, while those who were not needed were tasked with the siege on the capital walls. Yen raised focused her mind on a spot away from the three head and failed sparks fell from her body once again, with a slightly annoyed expression. ¡°This grunt work isn¡¯t enough¡­ We need to take more risks.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been nearly five minutes since one of us almost died.¡± Donny agreed in tone. ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s Will that upgrades our skills and I¡¯m pretty sure Will isn¡¯t static. You all felt that at some point, right? So we just need to get in a situation that gives us a big surge of will.¡± Yen glanced in disapproval at Basem in the distance as he sped off to a new attack after several of his attacks failed to kill a regenerating target. ¡°Or we could try practicing the slightest degree of prudence.¡± Kamala suggested. ¡°Easy for you to say. At least you¡¯re getting regular action.¡± Yen glanced at the high wraith now scaling through the walls. An undead monster intangible to physical attacks with clawed hands that inflicted nasty curses and more importantly soul damage, something the priestess upgraded from the Summon Wraith skill she chose for her third trial reward. ¡°Why¡¯d you pick this anyway. Kinda fucks up the nature angel thing you have going on.¡± ¡°I do not have a ¡®thing¡¯...¡± ¡°Not with that attitude.¡± Yen¡¯s attitude shifted in annoyance as she caught a glimpse of Basem¡¯s arrow ricochet off the head of a captain who appeared to be indestructible, and once again abandon the fight with frustration swelling to a boiling point. ¡°Hey, Baz, stop running away!¡± ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Light shattered off his body as the arrow he fired bored clean through a paladin¡¯s head and destroyed part of the roof of a watchtower, disappearing beyond the cloudy sky. Basem clicked his teeth and continue on exactly how he was. ¡°See.¡± Yen gestured to the incident that just proved her point. A thunderous clap from Shin in the form of a purple gorilla signalled the retreat of all three at the walls, and a swarm of paladins followed shortly after. Yen snapped into gear, swelling her spell to its most powerful and unleashed a Greater Combustion that blasted hundreds away. The result of her one mythic skill, Maximize, upgraded from Greater Channelling, which now at max level boosted the power of her spells tenfold, power which she could only handle with her Control thanks to her Loved by Magic trait. With that devastating destruction slowing down the capital¡¯s full rally, Chariot made their escape as they had many times over these last few weeks. They couldn¡¯t be sure exactly how well the other groups were doing, but little had changed on their end. No matter how many they killed, there was always more to replace them. ¡°We¡¯re in a rut.¡± Yen spoke bluntly. ¡°Siege work is for footsoldiers, we need to do something that makes a real impact.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kamala agreed to Yen¡¯s surprise. The priestess herself glanced over and took the effort to explain. ¡°If someone else delivers the final blow, this would all be for nothing. The other groups are rivals, not allies.¡± ¡°The city is still too strong.¡± Mujin informed them. ¡°So we can¡¯t push in here¡­¡± Donny mused. ¡°Might be time to check out the vampire base?¡± ¡°It may be good to scout them at least.¡± Kamala said, though she came to a stop along with the others as a dark blonde elf woman with lazy eyes and mellow demeanor casually approached them from the front. [Half-Elf Shifter (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Not here to fight.¡± She held out her arms with no sign of hostility or wariness. ¡°The guilds involved here have been talking. Decided to hold a meeting, since it¡¯s not going all that well. You¡¯re invited if you want.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°...how much is the human guild of those who look like me involved?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°Ah¡­ they¡¯re not invited. Some have reservations about them, since they did attack another group. At least for now.¡± ¡°Where will this meeting be held?¡± ¡°Ten or twelve hours that way.¡± She gestured to the side with her finger. ¡°We will consider it.¡± ¡°Alright. I hope you join.¡± The half elf shifter flickered away in an instant, contrary to her air of calm lethargy. ¡°We actually going?¡± Donny asked. ¡°It may be worthwhile to broaden our options.¡± ¡°Honestly down for anything that isn¡¯t just grinding siege, right now.¡± Yen said. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± --- Chariot arrived at a small town late into the night. No guards or checkpoint of any kind manned the entrance, allowing the party to just stroll right in without issue. Lanterns and lamps covered the streets and buildings bustling with activity. Bartering, drinking, fighting, and socializing continued without end between the various races foreign to this world. ¡°You came.¡± The half elf from before called out to them from a table under the cloudy sky, a mug in her hand like most others around, which she downed before walking over. ¡°A refuge for otherworlders?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°Something like that. It was abandoned a while back, then the Stoneshield dwarves took it over as a base to sell wares and information freely. People call it Safehaven for now. An otherworlder capital basically. You should set up a gate here if one of you has it.¡± ¡°Is epic tier sold here?¡± Jean asked. ¡°Items, yeah. No shortage of that. Crafting material is harder to find. Not easy stealing from the city and everybody wants that.¡± ¡°What¡¯re the rules?¡± Donny asked as he glanced around. ¡°Just play nice and try to get along. You can call me Lynn by the way.¡± ¡°Donny. Alcohol any good?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t get drunk if you have immunity, but the taste is alright.¡± ¡°This meeting?¡± Kamala inquired their purpose for being here. ¡°Not long now. It¡¯ll be at that townhall over there. They¡¯ll ring the bell once to let people know.¡± ¡°Got some time then. Show me around?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Lynn turned around with a welcoming smile and Donny followed next to her. ¡°Seriously?¡± Yen called after him. ¡°I won¡¯t go far.¡± Ashley headed off on her own as well, to Yen¡¯s further headache. ¡°As it¡¯s come to this, we may as well divide our tasks.¡± Kamala spoke up. ¡°Karla, Dante, and I will gather information. The rest of you trade for anything we can use.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin agreed without question. ¡°Might as well¡­¡± Yen agreed with a trace of complaint. ¡°Some of our stuff is obsolete.¡± Shin, Yen, Jean, Mujin and Basem walked through the crowded streets with an atmosphere similar to the bazaar of the second stage. Stalls had been set up all over, even with all the buildings that could be repurposed as stores. Yen immediately headed over to one with a red silk vest that caught her eye. ¡°Anything else with Blink?¡± ¡°This dress.¡± The gnome running the stall withdrew an earthy green dress. ¡°Don¡¯t take coin.¡± Shin handed out the cobalt spellbreaker sword he had outgrown, which the gnome gave a scan. ¡°Four items of that quality. Swiftness one of them.¡± Yen took out the remaining from her share of the horde they had plundered thus far. All of them had either the swiftness skill or an item for it already, and no shortage of extras. ¡°Anything with windwalker?¡± ¡°Just this.¡± He showed her a pair of feathered anklets. ¡°Fits Karla perfectly.¡± Yen traded two more items for it. ¡°How many?¡± Jean pointed at a small pile of needles the same color as the spellbreaker sword. ¡°Little over two hundred. No enchantments. I¡¯ll trade them all as one item.¡± Jean made the trade immediately and the group continued on. They scoured the market and overpaid without hesitation for anything that caught their eye. New shoes for Dante. A yellow robe for Mujin with Lightning Affinity that Yen insisted he get. A quiver that conjures epic tier arrows for Basem that seemed to pacify his foul mood just a bit. And purple corinthian plate metal leg armor for Donny with the same windwalker trait as well. They scooped up any and all material the crafters used as well, from rare to epic tier. Jean also bought a few bits and pieces here and there to serve as parts for his puppets. Ashley was much harder to buy for since she still hadn¡¯t revealed a number of her traits, a fact Yen voiced complaints again over, though they guessed at the items she did use and found no better alternatives to them. Half an hour passed and as promised, the town bell rang once. The party all regathered at the hall along with several to a full party each from various guilds, only vaguely recognizable, if that. Ashley arrived last with a quiet smile as though she had added another secret to her vault. Dante put a silence around them so they could talk freely amidst the crowd. ¡°Haymaker. Blink. Windwalker. Also Windwalker.¡± Yen told the others what items they had gleaned for them, which all switched for. ¡°Nothing for me~?¡± Ashley leaned by her. ¡°We did look¡­ It¡¯d help a lot more if you told us your build.¡± ¡°Nevermind then~¡± ¡°The other guilds are taking more losses than they can bare, the fair skinned elves and goliaths aside. Hence this attempt to find a solution." The representatives of each guild started entering the building and Chariot followed, finding a spot for themselves on the row of long tables that had been arranged for an equal council. Needless the say, Chariot was unfamiliar with the others, though some did stand out. Lynn was present among the elves, though it seemed another woman with a dark blue bobcut led them, her class Shadowhunter. A drearily dressed Witch Healer noticeable among them. Joining them in presence was a large muscular goliath Berserker, bald and clean shaven, an arrogant young blonde with long ringlets bearing the Enchantress class, accompanied by nine zealous eyed men, and a red haired dwarf with a thick beard and the Warlord class. The dwarf rose to speak, though his height didn¡¯t change from his seated one. ¡°The city is too strong to fight independently. We need to coordinate.¡± Words of approval returned from most. ¡°Coordinate how?¡± The smug enchantress asked. ¡°With you giving the orders?¡± The fiery haired dwarf shot her a glare, though the leader of the elves spoke first. ¡°The leaders of each can decide the general strategy to follow. It¡¯d be better to stick to our groups in battle than to try and fight as an roughshod army.¡± ¡°So you can take the main prize yourselves?¡± It was the elf¡¯s turn to glare this time. ¡°Then we prevent anyone from taking advantage of battle and heading in too deep.¡± ¡°Someone still has to win. What if the outcast guild exploits our hard work¡­ or one of the groups here doesn¡¯t follow the rules.¡± She glanced confidently over at Chariot. ¡°You must have been asleep for the tournament to be acting this bold.¡± The bearing of a queen took over Yen as she spoke. ¡°Oh my. Such overt threats are a sign of lower class, you know?¡± The tense staredown was broken by an elf barging through the town hall doors. ¡°Velduin is dead!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The dark blue haired elf exclaimed in shock. ¡°How?!¡± ¡°We do not know¡­ It seems he was assassinated in vacant chambers.¡± ¡°Was he strong?¡± The goliath asked, his voice more measured than his appearance would suggest. ¡°One of our strongest¡­¡± The elf leader replied. ¡°The old necromancer. You¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± Ashley spoke up. ¡°That was me~¡± Silence filled the room and hostility mounted towards her from fair elves. ¡°...why?¡± Their leader strained out composed words. Ashley gave a bashful smile in response. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask a girl her secrets~¡± ¡°You!~¡± ¡°Okay, slow down a bit.¡± Yen dropped her persona. ¡°I call for a trial.¡± ¡°What trial, she has confessed!¡± ¡°Shin, you¡¯re the judge.¡± She glanced over to him, ignoring the elf¡¯s sound logic. The elf broke her table from the sheer power she that slipped from her hand in her ire. ¡°Do you mock us?! A needless trial with one of your own presiding!¡± ¡°Right of the Champion. Anyone who wants the spot can fight him for it.¡± Yen flippantly decreed as she glanced at Jean. The puppetmaster understood her silent request and quickly fashioned a simple gavel for Shin. ¡°I will be representing my client, the frequent murderer Ashley Gray. I take it you will be the prosecution?¡± ¡°What in the nine hells are you talking about?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first to give you time to gather your case.¡± Yen poised herself to the crowd, most of them confused and guarded. ¡°My client almost certainly without question did kill the creepy old man¡­ However she is clinically insane and therefore cannot be held accountable for her actions nor is her testimony valid in a court of law, thus she is innocent and free to go.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Shin was met with silence at his decision. He tilted his head in thought then tapped the gavel on his table. ¡°Dismissed?¡± Ashley giggled at the absurdity of his personality, which only served to further incite the shadowhunter. ¡°Are you down playing this sick game¡­?¡± Her words now seethed rather than stormed. ¡°He was a valuable asset and we have been slighted. You will compensate us.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Shin supposed she had a point. ¡°Hey, you already closed the case~ You can¡¯t change your mind now~¡± Shin looked to Yen for confirmation. ¡°You did close the case.¡± ¡°If she will not pay then you must. A legendary item for a legendary life.¡± The elf leader directed at the invoker. Shin stared at her blankly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why? Your person has wronged us, you must rectify this grievance! How can we trust you with this hanging over our heads? You need this alliance too!¡± Shin looked at her as though she just said something foolish. ¡°No?¡± Mujin rose to his feet, thoroughly annoyed with the conversation that held too many words he was unfamiliar with, and started to leave. ¡°This is a waste of time. I¡¯m going to train.¡± Basem silently followed after with a scowl at the strangers. Ashley rose too with a lighthearted smugness behind strangely deep eyes. ¡°Bye~¡± With that, Shin glanced at the other parties with pleasant nonchalance. ¡°I need to train too.¡± Chapter 106 Frederick awoke prematurely in the middle of night and soon found the cause. The window of his chambers had been left wide open, allowing a chilly breeze to invade his quarters. ¡°Servants.¡± He called, quite displeased with their derelict of duty, but as he waited, none came. With a scowl, Frederick rolled his fat body out of the comfort of his bed and closed the window himself. Now more than ever he was awake and beyond a little displeased. He would not return to his peaceful slumber without chastising the valet and maids that should have prevented this situation from arising in the first place, that he vowed. Frederick exited his chambers into the hall and found neither hide nor hair of anyone at all, even the guards with orders never to leave their posts. More reason to lecture, he thought. He rounded the corner in his night gown and met with the bloodied bodies of dozens of his retinue, powerless maids and capable guards alike. The count¡¯s mind staggered for a moment, then his attire changed to robes for combat as he stumbled over himself, rushing to the other end. Through the twists and turns of his mansion he ran, flinging open the doors to another room to find his wife and children dead. His expression froze, but then he ran off again, with something else on his mind. He opened a secret door in a wall and headed deeper in, turning to an unassuming part of the hidden corridor and opening that too with his bound connection. A safe in which he stored the bulk of his contraband valuables and crucial information too dangerous to keep on his person. He reached out and a dagger stabbed him in the back. As the lethargic energy of death overtook the cloudiness he now recognized on his mind, he wondered fearfully, why he had acted as he had, but only for a moment as his thoughts became no more. A light blue elf pocketed the contents of the safe and the dozen of them fled the silent estate as smoke rose from the windows from the flames soon to consume it all. --- ¡°Lady Margarete, I presume?¡± A handsome man nearing middle age greeted Mai. ¡°Indeed I am.¡± Mai smiled back with the pleasant grace of a noblewoman not far removed from her debut to high society. ¡°May I know who I have the pleasure of speaking with?¡± ¡°Wilhelm von Rauch, Count of Ludbeck. And the pleasure is all mine, my lady.¡± He cast an eye over the beautiful blonde with subtle desire. ¡°I was wondering if you care to join me for conversation in the lounge.¡± ¡°Count Rauch, how wonderful to see you.¡± Lady Katherine interrupted as she walked by Mai¡¯s side. ¡°The feeling is quite mutual.¡± Wilhelm smiled at his host. ¡°I simple must give my praise for this luxurious paradise you have built so quickly, Lady Lorraine. Such a ray of light in these dark times.¡± ¡°There will be more rays in short time, I assure you. Now, I do apologize but I must borrow my cousin for a moment.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Katherine led Mai away unhurriedly, wrapped arm in arm. ¡°A philanderer to his core¡­ There¡¯s no need to be more than tactful towards him. The might under his control is less than substantial.¡± Words directly entered Mai¡¯s mind. ¡°There¡¯s someone more important you have to meet.¡± She led the Igarashi scion to an old man of average height with a hardened face and neatly trimmed large beard, bearing the legendary class Crusader. ¡°Baron Guiscard.¡± She greeted with flawless grace and flair. ¡°Duchess Lorraine.¡± The man¡¯s own greeting in return was curt and direct, though neither animosity nor deception could be felt from his tone. A firm and honest man by any measure. He glanced silently at Mai. ¡°My distant cousin, Margarete von Auslander.¡± Katherine gave additional information to Mai mentally at the same time. ¡°One of our ¡®high rankers¡¯. He commands a significant force of locals and is less than fond of the church.¡± ¡°A pleasure.¡± ¡°Likewise, my lady.¡± Guiscard. ¡°Forgive me, I am unfamiliar with the house of¡­ Auslander.¡± ¡°That is quite understandable. We are only laynobles of the outskirts. Fortunately, Lady Katherine had the kindness to take us in with the dangers of the Change.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Guiscard clearly did not believe the lies, and that was the point. This was a way for Katherine to openly parade her connections to powerful otherworlders to the members of the noble faction, without violating the law of tact and formality that plagued it still. They would whisper among themselves and learn of the Igarashi¡¯s power from information planted in some, and come to realize that the house of Lorraine alone held the key to their safety and prosperity. ¡°Speaking of the outskirts, I hear the church has fully abandoned them to their fate.¡± Katherine deftly changed the topic. ¡°It seems they are finding much difficulty weathering the siege the otherworlders¡­ Even should they succeed in repelling them, the order of the paladins are sure to be severely weakened.¡± ¡°I have heard similar reports.¡± Guiscard was not surprised by the information. ¡°I have also been told¡­ that the Champion is part of the siege.¡± This time, the baron¡¯s eyes raised slightly and his attention sharpened at her revelation. ¡°I¡¯ve even received sound word that Reinolt the Red twice failed against him, almost perishing in the process. The church may well be on its last legs.¡± ¡°...will he not be a threat to others as well?¡± Guiscard asked, and Katherine understood his unstated concern. ¡°That is unlikely. I have it on good authority the Champion seeks only the demise of the church, and of course the dreaded King of the Night. The time to act will certainly come in the aftermath of their destruction as the otherworlders return with the end of this ¡®event¡¯.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Hm¡­¡± The old baron mused. ¡°Still, we must bolster ourselves further. Carelessness is the downfall of the mighty.¡± ¡°Fortunately, I am neither mighty nor careless.¡± The Duchess smiled knowingly. ¡°We must speak again on the matter.¡± ¡°Indeed. My ladies.¡± Guiscard bid them farewell as the two took their leave. Mai glanced at the duchess leading her by the arm. For all intents and purposes, her aristocracy faction was essentially in revolt of the church already, merely waiting for the right opportunity to strike. With the church¡¯s forces and image of invincibility diminished as it faces peril from all sides, there was no better time to stoke the fear and ambition of the nobility to rally as one in pursuit of a return to power. And of the two emerging aristocratic factions, most had rally under Katherine¡¯s banner, relocating to her city entirely to consolidate military might, but more accurately for their own safety. Between otherworlders and vampires and the church, there was no shortage of peril on their side either. The Lady herself was nothing special, in Mai¡¯s opinion. A socialite and schemer of passable quality, a visionary and intellectual but only by the standards of this world. Without the backing of the Igarashi, she would not have accomplished all she had, but Mai did suppose they benefited from this cooperation as well. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now.¡± Katherine spoke mentally to her. ¡°Finally¡­ the Solarian faith will be removed for the sham it is, and with it the last vestiges of tyranny. Just think of it. A scholastic leadership. The council of cardinals replaced with a council of exemplars. Educated, experienced, and principled.¡± Mai held her opinion to herself. ¡°The assassins facing us are skilled. There is a limit to how much we can do. Many are getting cold feet, some already secretly in defecting to either the Kraus or the church.¡± Katherine seemed unbothered. ¡°It is unavoidable¡­ Useful fools will act in their nature. I had no illusions that a return to the aristocracy would be any better. But such constructed borders and distinctions are crumbling away, even if few have yet to fully accept it. Nobles can be removed and peasants granted status. Power. True individual power. That will soon be all that matters.¡± She turned to Mai, her idealistic eyes deepening into astute resolve. ¡°That is why this must all be settled before you return. The tyrants lying in wait, greedy and ignorant, all eliminated. Only those vested in the good governance of this world permitted to rise, only then can light shine of this grim world. No one must be king.¡± Mai looked back into the duchess¡¯ unwavering eyes. When they had first met, she thought her only a naive idealist with little to offer, and questioned Renzo¡¯s direction. And in truth, the burden of success still fell heavily on their shoulders, but in times like this when she laid her true thoughts bare, Mai could see the value she might provide them. --- Shin diligently painted sigil after sigil on the scroll atop his desk. Short tube shaped in size with one long sheet of parchment rolled tightly around a single rod, the total width of which not much larger than the shaft of a spear. The process for scrolls was much simply for the most part compared to talismans, although far more tedious. The entire length of the parchment a dozen feet long had to be filled with perfect glyphs in the right order. The scroll coiled itself as Shin wrote and soon he neared the end. This time, he etched lines of glyphs towards the center of an empty diamond shaped outline with flourished borders. Light shards rained off the rare tier scroll signaling its success, but it was not complete. Shin equipped a ring and held his hand to the empty center, and cast the spell. Mana flowed into the scroll and markings etched themselves in the blank space with a single glyph. Greater Acid Splash was the skill Shin used, as per Jean¡¯s request for fire, frost, and acid elements specifically. Jean was in the middle of training his skill manipulating puppets for combat, Donny his opponent this time, so Shin returned his focus to another scroll. He had to become proficient in epic tier. Anything less would find a severe lack of value against the level of opponents they were to face. Yen glanced at Kamala who stared out at the various guilds launching an organized and successful raid into the capital and retreating the moment their objective was met, their losses few. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± ¡°We have lost some options and gained enemies where there was no need¡­¡± The priestess did not take her eyes from the city in thought. ¡°Blame Ashley.¡± ¡°You played a part.¡± ¡°I was bored, sue me.¡± Yen settled into a casual stance. ¡°Besides, they¡¯re all rivals anyway. If they get in the way, they get in the way. Just sweep them like everyone else.¡± Kamala held her tongue, knowing full well further lecture would fall on deaf ears, her time and effort better spent thinking of new solutions to their predicament. Just then, a fluttering paper bird entered a number of the party¡¯s scope of vision. Quickly and directly it flew straight into Shin¡¯s carefree hands, and turned into a scroll. Shin scanned his eyes over the brief contents once and turned to the party. ¡°We need to leave.¡± --- Johan headed down the hallways of the cathedral towards the high chamber once more. Worry wracked his mind such that he could not contained it from showing on his face entirely. Eleven cardinals had been assassinated and half the order fallen in the constant siege, such that they were forced to conscript militia to replenish their ranks. The church had lost control of the outskirts and banditry was rampant. The people within the city were also plagued, many succumbing to corruption in the face of peril. Paladins extorting the commoners, false reports to eliminate rivals and settle grudges, strange new tonics trapping soldier and citizen alike to hollow bliss. The stability of the capital was teetering on the edge of a cliff. He needed to push further so that the Pope sticks out his head, but the knowledge of what that would entail made him hesitate. ¡°I so often find you deep in thought, Cardinal Johan.¡± Johan turned to find Luther and his sly smile, who took it upon himself to walk side by side. ¡°This constant siege¡­ May Sol smite these wretched heathens. Or are they heretics? I find it so hard to tell the difference these days.¡± Johan gave nothing in response to Luther¡¯s taunts this time, however a widening smile indicated the cardinal was not done. ¡°No matter. Heathen and heretic alike won¡¯t be a problem after today.¡± Johan watched his smug smile with thoughts racing as they both entered the chambers along with the other cardinals. The Arbiter slammed his gavel the moment the last was seated. ¡°There is but one item to discuss. The rampant assassinations of clergy and paladins.¡± ¡°It is those blasted nobles!¡± Odwin bellowed. ¡°We have suffered their treachery long enough. We must march upon them at once.¡± ¡°They are faring no better.¡± Luther spoke up. ¡°This is the work of otherworlder heathens.¡± ¡°They walk hand in hand!¡± Odwin retaliated. ¡°Perhaps you know better than most.¡± ¡°Cardinal Odwin, refrain yourself from unfounded accusations.¡± The Arbiter warned. ¡°There is a solution, regardless of who is to blame¡­¡± Luther drew all eyes back to him. ¡°Unchain the inquisitors.¡± A stir arose in murmurs among the cardinals. Some quietly paid it lipservice as an option while others warily restrained a reaction. But amidst it all, the old Albrecht stood up.¡°I fear we have run out of options, and no amount of discourse will find a suitable alternative. I support Cardinal Luther¡¯s proposition.¡± ¡°As do I.¡± ¡°The time to act is now.¡± Over half the remaining cardinals, most of them the newer replacements voted in favor one by one, to Johan¡¯s horror. The move he had been struggling with just passed before his eyes so easily and now more than ever, he felt real the atrocities it would bring. His eyes followed the sound of a gavel and he wished the words to remain in the arbiter¡¯s mouth but such thin desperate hopes went answered. ¡°The restraints of the inquisitors will be released.¡± The world seemed to spin and slow around Johan, as he began to tighten his grip where he sat. He had to act, faster than he planned now, before this world was burned to ash by the ambitions of the wicked. Elsewhere, Shin glanced back at the capital in the distance as Chariot departed under cover of night towards a new goal. Chapter 107 ¡°Praise Sol!¡± A raspy terrifying voice ordered. ¡°I am devoted! I serve only-¡± The cloth masked chimeric human ran its blade through the common man ending his babbling pleas. ¡°Purge!¡± The inquisitor roared. Only the devoted would be spared. The slightest lie, the slightest doubt weighed as heavily as the greatest sin. The wretched hounds held no mercy nor tolerance in their hearts. Inquisitors swarmed the towns and villages with no other order but to purge dissent by any means. The streets ran red with the blood of innocents and heretics alike and whole settlements put to the flame. The people feared. They pleaded and fled and professed and were cut down with the enemies of the church all the same. Only did a fraction of their victims remain, kneeing on the ground with arms raised in prostration among their slain family and neighbors with broken minds. ¡°Unhanded me! I am a count! I am a loyal servant! You- This cannot stand!¡± Lord Kraus screamed in agony as a dagger stabbed into his thigh. ¡°Confess!¡± ¡°I have broken no command. I am faithf-aaahhh!¡± The count foamed from the mouth with bloodshot eyes as agony wracked his body from the inquisitor¡¯s spell. ¡°Heretic! Confess!¡± The count¡¯s cries reached a crescendo as he could not longer bear the excruciation. ¡°L¡­ Lu- Luh¡­ Loo- Lor..raine¡­¡± As the count tried to expose his nephew in his last moments, something overcame him, holding his tongue still when he tried to speak the truth, and forcing words not his own from his lips. With his last thoughts, he cursed Luther and the inquisitor mangled him apart. ¡°Lorraine!¡± ¡°Heretic!¡± ¡°Find!¡± ¡°Purge!¡± The inquisitors wailed grim intentions as they massacred all within the count¡¯s estate, down to last servant. Like wolves in the night they ran as one, searching blindly and madly for their next target. All in their path would be brought before the light of Sol, by this order and this order alone they lived. --- ¡°Stand!¡± Durinn, the fiery haired leader of the dwarves roared as he cast a spell to reveal the location of the vile creatures to all. ¡°Stand and fight!¡± The otherworlder alliance battled fiercely against the small army of inquisitors set upon them, the once lively town now the wreck of a battlefield. They were more but the foes before them too mighty. Few among them possessed skills great enough to kill through the inquisitor¡¯s traits and those who found favorable matches often lost their lives before they could take advantage. Tath slipped slipped between shadows as she sniped arrow after arrow into the relentless creatures, a burst of shadowy spikes impaling them from within following each one. ¡°Durinn, morale!¡± The dwarf knocked away his opponent and let out an invigorating roar that swept over the land. ¡°I can¡¯t do much more!¡± He weathered a blow that buckled his knees, but as the inquisitor raised its weapon again, the claws of a griffin ripped through its head. The mighty beast soared over the battlefield as swift as the wind tearing and mangling in its path. Several chimeric inquisitors lunged into the air and a sonic wave plummeted them to the ground and split open their bodies. Before they could fully regenerate, the greataxe of a the goliath leader carved them in half with baleful aura, ending their lives for good. The griffin swooped down next to Tath and morphed back into the lazy eyed half elf Shifter. ¡°We should probably run.¡± Lynn casually suggested. ¡°So they can hunt us down like wild game?¡± Tath snapped back as her arrow reaped only an inquisitor¡¯s ire. It lunged and a jagged black sword impaled them. A fearsome knight of towering size and grim black armor that reeked of death battled the chimeric human to a disadvantage, until a second appeared to aid, and the creature fell to their necrotic blades. The veiled pale Shandral emerged at their side in smoke, a muddled smile on the Necrotic Healer¡¯s face as her undead swarmed forth to change the tide of battle. Tath spared her a glance before returning herself to the fight once more. ¡°Damn humans. Curse the both of them.¡± It was Chariot and the Pandavas the target of her ire, and no one needed to ask why. The former had vanished before the chaos unfolded and the later fled by themselves in the middle of discussions for an alliance. And it was them alone who were left that suffered the consequences. ¡°We are strangers, after all.¡± ¡°You would defend them?!¡± Tath snapped at Lynn once more, her carefree attitude grating on her more than usual in this dire time. An inquisitor leapt from the shadows without warning and the fist of a minotaur shattered it apart, its body morphing into a gorgon that petrified the regenerating remains with its gaze, and returned to Lynn once more. ¡°Where is the Enchantress?¡± ¡°Long gone!¡± Durinn shouted back. Tath spat another curse, this one more spiteful. The other two groups¡¯ actions could be reasoned as Lynn said, but Carmen was allied with them. To betray that oath and escape with her safety alone was more than the shadowhunter could bare. She made a silent promise to be an arrow between the seductress¡¯ eyes the moment she saw her again. --- A carriage fled down a deserted path at high speed, drawn by two golems shaped like horses and accompanied by half a dozen loyal guards, all former retinue before the change and now legendary tier monarchs Antoine had personally vetted, whether by mind reading, sensing the truth of their words, or espionage of his own. There could be no failure in the wardship of his young master. The Change had exposed his true name and with it, the house''s ambitions. The elderly butler turned his focus to boy in question, sitting stoically beside his most trusted and closest maid. Only nine years of age, but Antoine could see the makings of king already. Everything that had happened in these last cursed months would have broken most grown men, yet he had preserved and even now endured the fright upon them with a stiff upper lip. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now, Master Clovis.¡± The old butler assured. ¡°The duchess is sure to take us in. It is quite safe there, I am told.¡± The boy did not speak, but he nodded in response. And shed not a single tear nor cry word of fear, of which Antoine found himself pleased again, some small joy in this peril they found themselves. What he had said was not a lie. The duchess had ambition, that much was obvious. Thus there was room to come to a deal. Should she desire power herself, then engaging herself to Clovis would cement her legitimacy. Such an alliance would not have been possible before the Change, but with great upheaval also comes ample opportunity. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. A blast crashed against the ward coating the carriage, shaking it terribly. Antoine refilled the carriage with mana as he glanced to ensure the boy¡¯s safety, currently cradled by the arms of the maid. ¡°Inquisitors!¡± One of the guards yelled. ¡°Fend them off!¡± Antoine implored back as another impact assaulted the carriage. ¡°There¡¯s too many! You must flee ahead, we will hold them off!¡± Antoine did as advised, with a heavy heart. The guards outside were loyal assets of quality rare even now. They would fare worse in the negotiations without them, and without stable support, would find it harder in the future to secure authority solely within Clovis¡¯ hands. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to fear, young-¡± The carriage exploded with force that strained and broke through the protection around them, sending the three inside the carriage flying away. The vile chimeric inquisitors lunged towards the boy and a gallant hero struck a mighty blow, a destructive force obliterating the inquisitor whole. Chandra raised his other hand channeling a spell and a white light crashed down on the four others charging his way. Excruciating shrieks rose from those captured within as Smite reduced them to nothing. A whip lashed out and struck the soul of another that lunged and two more ended its life. Chandra glanced around as the rest of his clan swept the remaining inquisitors. ¡°Disgusting creatures.¡± Priya smiled as she lashed the remainings of one in a dire state purposefully stalling its pathetic death. Hardly ideal behavior but Chandra let her be, turning his focus to the injured boy sitting by a dead maid, his attitude near catatonic. Chandra healed his wounds as he crouched down next to him with a patient empathy. ¡°...we shouldn¡¯t linger.¡± ¡°You must¡­¡± Antoine spluttered from among the wreckage, his body badly injured but more importantly was his slowly decaying flesh. A member of the clan raised a hand to heal but stopped and shook his head at Chandra. ¡°You must protect him.¡± The butler mustered the last of his life. ¡°He is¡­ a true descendant¡­ of the last king of Styria. The rightful heir! He must reclaim the throne¡­ he must¡­¡± Chandra watched as the old man fell quiet then turned in deep contemplation to the boy, along with the scheming eyes of most others, Priya especially. Chandra too, schemed, of that he would not deny. But he was not heartless. ¡°Come on.¡± He picked up the child and looked to the others. ¡°Contact the alliance. Invite them to something new.¡± --- A ghostly woman, pale and haunting rose a head to new arrivals, black tears streaking down her face as her visage turned more horrifying. A wail fell on the area, grating the soul but only an instant before Shin ran a blade through her, harvesting the rare elite¡¯s soul as he continued on the party¡¯s hunt. The banshee was useful, not for his own spirits, but useful still. ¡°Why do you need so much?¡± Basem criticized. ¡°Too greedy.¡± ¡°Needs to be right.¡± ¡°We talked about this.¡± Yen added. ¡°The most important thing is our builds, it¡¯s not something you half ass-¡± ¡°Because we are kings and will rule, you say this all the time, I know, greedy woman!¡± Yen frowned. ¡°You better be putting thought into your build, too. Don¡¯t let me catch you making a dumb decision again.¡± Basem clicked his teeth and turned his focus elsewhere. ¡°It has been a while.¡± Donny commented. ¡°We should have done this way back. I don¡¯t know about you, but I think powering up our ace is a pretty good fucking move.¡± ¡°Not arguing against that. Just saying we could multitask.¡± ¡°You mean like the training we¡¯re getting?¡± Yen countered. ¡°I mean like I don¡¯t really think killing mobs makes a lot of impact.¡± ¡°The letter was quite clear.¡± Kamala interrupted. ¡°Things would become too dangerous even for us.¡± ¡°What does the priest know¡­¡± Mujin complained. ¡°At the very least¡­ it is best to avoid the initial chaos and assess things for ourselves from safer standing.¡± She reasoned. Basem came to a sudden stop and the rest stopped with him to varying degrees of alert. He looked out to the horizon on their left with a tense expression. ¡°Chimera people. Ten!¡± The first of the inquisitors lunged as the party shifted into formation. Basem blinked back as one cratered the ground and aimed a surging arrow. Karla landed thundering kick without warning that turned half the creature¡¯s upper body to dust as Basem shot past her, sinking an arrow into the skull of an indestructible. The inquisitor did not die but the pause the arrow caused made it helpless to the speed of an eager assassin. Ashley severed and bisected as she pleased with no thought for the flow of the fight. But the others were used to that. She slipped into the shadows as lightning clawed the air and Donny cleaved off its head. A second swipe of its arm broke through his cover of bastion, but the knight did not move. A sudden thrust of his shield knocked the headless creature back into one of its own and roots ensnared them in place. A blast of frost and fire freed them from their chains and Shin stepped in front, pulse densely coated the whole of his body. The two inquisitors struck with mythic lethality and their weapons rebounded off him. Shin pulsed forward in a blur and sent one crashing away with a single thrust. ¡°Heresy!¡± The remaining shrieked as its body exploded into a collection of limbs that rained down on Shin. But none even made a dent in the armor of pulse. Shin stepped inside its dozen strikes as black and white swirled in his palm. A thrust sent a countless waves of vibrations echoing through its body, and in an instant its bones shattered and flesh burst from its skin. The inquisitor reformed in moments as the second returned in furious charge. And Shin calmly focused on the vibration around him. Slowly, he unwove the dense layer of armor into strands of flowing streams that enveloped him like silk. The inquisitors struck, and he stepped behind them. Three impacts each followed and prismatic mana crumbled their souls away. Blood burst from Shin¡¯s body from the sheer impact of movement, but his wounds recovered in an instant. A spray of acid melted Donny¡¯s head and his body hit the floor, opening the path in. The inquisitor lunged through Basem¡¯s pinpoint arrow, and struck down on Kamala, but its fist stopped short on her wings of divine majesty. Two pairs grew from her back, each with feathers like shields, able to guard and absorb the impact of even these fearsome creature¡¯s mythic skills. Kamala stared dispassionately from behind her Shieldsaint Wings as molten heat swirled in the mouth of the shifting monster. Plants erupted from the ground, launching it helpless into the air in an instant. Shin appeared by its side as his veins burst once more and struck it dead. A spear thrust with the visage of a dragon but stopped short on the inquisitor¡¯s flesh and thus neither could the attack on its soul pass. A clawed hand swiped the scaled spearman away and Mujin¡¯s senses flared as the creature was upon him in an instant, only able to evade by virtue of his reflexes and the warning in advance. But the inquisitor charged again, putrid aura gathering in its hand, and it struck a hollow image of himself. Mujin¡¯s confusion lasted only a moment before Ashley reaped it in quarters. Roots wormed into its pieces at once and ravaged away its mana, regeneration unable to outmatch the damage. Mujin grit his teeth in disappoint and turned in search of a new opponent, but the battle was already over. The peerless powerhouses of Shin and Karla having crushed most of them to death. But just as the lull started to set in, Dante blinked, full bodied purple tattoos covered his body as a dagger meant for Yen pieced his chest. He kicked off a phantom platform with Yen with him as the inquisitor¡¯s body started to bloat. ¡°Ward.¡± Words reached Shin¡¯s ears the moment the charlatan had moved, and he took Kinnara form and erected layers of duality enhanced prisons around the hidden inquisitor in the air just in time to contain an explosion of foul miasma. And a second hidden inquisitor lept from the shadows. Yen didn¡¯t think. Her mind moved on reflex alone. Vector sent the unmoving Dante crashing into the hands of Kamala¡¯s vines as her body turned to flames. She willed desperately for every threat before her to be erased by fire and force, and an explosion detonated in the air. The inquisitor crashed down, its charred and broken form fast regenerating, and with the shards of light still falling from her body, Yen channelled a second explosion, far greater than the first and reduced it to ash. She lingered for a moment then soared down to the regrouping party, where Kamala healed Dante with uneasy expression. ¡°It¡¯s not an affliction. It may be his soul¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Shin stated without concern as the prismatic color faded from his eyes. ¡°Is that your general optimism or do you actually have some basis for this?¡± Yen asked, fairly concerned. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Shin reaffirmed. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dante confirmed. ¡°You don¡¯t look fine¡­¡± Dante rose a finger at her words, signally them to wait as he laid on the ground with his eyes closed and calm smile. A few moments passed and he suddenly vaulted to his feet with showy performance to an awkward silence. ¡°This fucking party¡­¡± Yen glanced at the wreckage of the battlefield. ¡°These things are such bullshit.¡± ¡°You did want more risks.¡± Donny reminded, to which Yen couldn¡¯t bring herself to retort. Still, her wallowing lasted no more than a moment before she brushed it off. ¡°Fuck it. Another month and they won¡¯t be a threat anymore.¡± ¡°We should still wait until the designated time to learn more about what we face.¡± Kamala spoke and none disagreed. ¡°Yeah, I guess we have to¡­¡± Yen rested a hand on her hip. ¡°When are we gonna stab him in the back anyway?¡± ¡°That hasn¡¯t been decided yet.¡± ¡°I mean¡­" Yen turned to the priestess with deadpan look and a callous glint in her eyes. "C¡¯mon, we definitely will.¡± Chapter 108 Chariot stood around in an old village far in the outskirts of Styria, some more patient and in better moods than others. And for good reason. They had weathered no shortage of attacks by the chimeric inquisitors, none any less dangerous than the first. There had been no other scares but some among them harbored frustration at their lack of ability to contribute to the fight effectively. And in truth, only Shin, Karla, and Kamala had the means to reliably kill the persistent creatures. Yen¡¯s now maxed Explosion could do the job but the sheer sound and impact brought them additional trouble more often than not, so some restrictions were imposed upon her, to her more than significant annoyance. A gate opened and Johan walked out in the handsome black haired form he had used for the meeting of allied guilds, though he bore little of the composure. ¡°How have you fared?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good, tell us what¡¯s happening.¡± Donny told more than asked. ¡°The restraints of the inquisitors have been unleashed¡­¡± A grim concern took Johan¡¯s expression. ¡°They are free to raze these lands and enact whatever ¡®justice¡¯ they see fit. These things are worse than monsters. They would rather have a village of 100 faithful than a town of 1,000 among 10,000 undevoted.¡± ¡°Get to the useful part.¡± Yen pressed. Johan paused for a moment. ¡°...we are losing too many cultists and dissidents. At this rate, a full scale revolt will be impossible. The otherworlders have retreated from the lands near the capital, leaving them freer to act. Worse still, the house called Pandava has defected from the alliance and taken all of the other groups with them. They now claim to champion the true heir to the former dynasty before the theocracy usurped control.¡± ¡°Smart¡­¡± Jean lightly praised. ¡°Is it true?¡± Yen asked the cardinal. ¡°It does not matter. People will flock to a beneficial lie in a crisis. If these inquisitors are truly so brutal to the people here, then they will have no difficulties raising an army.¡± Kamala answered for him, before turning with a question of her own. ¡°Are there any other factions?¡± ¡°The aristocracy. One faction as fallen but the stronger, Duchess Lorraine¡¯s is holding out against all attacks.¡± ¡°Not surprising¡­¡± Yen along with the others had first hand experience fighting the Igarashi, however briefly. ¡°So what now. This is what you wanted, right? With all the chimeras out, we take the capital. ¡°Not yet¡­ no, I fear the Pope has a deeper hand to play. Our target is the inquisitors. They are many, but also divided all across Styria. As an army it may not have been possible but now they can be eliminated. If the hounds are put down, the Pope will finally be forced to come to the forefront.¡± ¡°And?¡± Yen asked to Johan¡¯s confusion. ¡°While we do all the work, what are you doing? We need a little more value than vague information.¡± ¡°I am raising an army-¡± ¡°We can get fodder ourselves.¡± The mage stated firmly. ¡°What are you, Johan von Stein, doing that will actually help us win?¡± Johan hesitated, with tension sneaking onto his face as the eyes of the powerful otherworlders before him questioned the need for his existence. He knew, instinctively, that his next words could not be vague. ¡°I have¡­ pawns¡­ hidden throughout the four corners of the map. I can use them to shepherd the inquisitors towards the aristocracy and the rebel army, to deplete the might of your rivals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Yen smiled. ¡°And the might of the church?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°They will split their own forces, I am certain. But only when the inquisitors are dead.¡± Kamala gave him a brief look, but not because she needed the time to think. ¡°Very well.¡± A subtle relief seemed to come over Johan as turned towards his gate. ¡°The Sunlight Company, the rebel army, is currently operating in the south east. Good luck.¡± The cardinal disappeared through the gate. ¡°What?¡± Yen shot back as Kamala silently glanced her way. ¡°I got results.¡± ¡°...the duchess is to the far west¡­ It would be best to head north.¡± --- Chariot walked through what could best be described as a destitute refuge camp. There were no tents nor shelter of any make at all, only a few lucky enough to have carriage space to sit. Rather than a camp, it was as though a moving mob had stopped for rest. ¡°What is this?¡± Yen casually asked a passing man, a mere rare tier class to his name. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear? Inquisitors about, all over. Some managed to escape them and warn other towns and villages in time¡­ Those damn monsters. Not a heart in any of them. We¡¯re heading east. Heard it¡¯s safer there. Best you do the same.¡± With that, he continued on his way. ¡°Sounds like we should go west.¡± Yen noticed something in her sphere of vision and glanced over at Shin crouching down next to a sobbing child. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The girl, no more than five or six, glanced up with snivelling hiccups as she wiped her eyes, though on seeing his slight smile the question seemed to reach her thoughts properly and her face scrunched up as she cried again. ¡°My mama¡­ and papa¡­ got t-turnded¡­ the bishop told us¡­ the uhdead hurt all the time¡­¡± Crying overtook the words she managed to stutter out. ¡°Where did you live?¡± ¡°...um¡­ umberg¡­¡± ¡°Ulmberg?¡± Kamala asked to confirm. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Near the northwest border.¡± The priestess informed the others. ¡°That¡¯s way too close to Dracula¡¯s castle.¡± Yen spoke up. ¡°Hey, Shin, I feel bad but we should try and focus on one enemy at a time.¡± As Shin seemed to acquiesce to the general consensus, the little girl reacted lightly to the conversation and started to take off the amulet around her neck. A cheap wooden amulet bound by string, hard pressed to warrant even a copper coin in value. The girl placed it in the hand Shin opened in response and stepped back with small confidence, emotion starting to quiver her expression again. ¡°I don¡¯t want my mama and papa to hurt anymoooooree¡­¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Shin stared at the worthless necklace, a strange sense of depth about him, and he clasped his hand. ¡°Okay.¡± The child opened her eyes to his calm slight smile through her tears. ¡°I¡¯ll help them.¡± Shin rose to his feet and headed off, quickly followed by the others. ¡°No complaints?¡± Donny asked Yen. ¡°I have a heart¡­¡± --- A lumbering ghoul turned to a charging sound and a saber sliced clean through its head. Chariot rampaged through the town overrun by low tier undead, mostly damaged walking corpses. Even without the bulk of their primary skills, the monsters were no match and soon the town fell still even to the dead. Yen glanced around, their charity quest over in moments after a full day of travel. ¡°Maybe we could try heading further in?¡± ¡°What happened to sticking to one enemy?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather fight flammable vampires than those bullshit chimeras¡­¡± Yen complained, for fair reason. The party had several battles against squadrons of the things on the way over and although they suffered no losses, it never felt easier. ¡°Would be good to at least find out what the mid boss actually has waiting for us.¡± ¡°It probably would¡­¡± Jean glanced at Kamala in agreement. ¡°...very w-¡± Dante jolted into action, throwing four knives that shot through the air with impossible trajectory. A large gate opened up in nearby and a figure burst out, only to stop short as a white haired pale skinned boy in regal casual wear caught the knives with slight surprise on his face as he slid back. [Vampire Prince (legendary elite) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Unfortunate fools.¡± Surprise that immediately turned to a mocking smile, and four others walked through. A burly red haired man with thick sideburns, seven feet tall with a fierce composure. [Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord] A calm smiling woman of pale ethereal beauty with something essential lacking within her eyes. [Dhampyr Seer (legendary) - Greater Lord] A tall thin aging man in butler¡¯s garbs, standing with an elegant sternness. [Human Spymaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°My, my. What an unexpected boon.¡± A young pale man exited last as the gate closed behind him. Blond hair dressed in a white suit and top hat of similar victorian fashion though one covered in symbols of playing cards haphazardly, he twirled a gold topped cane as he spoke. ¡°We shall have you enter the fold first then.¡± [Human Magician (legendary) Greater Lord] A thunderous kick landed on the burly amazon¡¯s palm as Karla attacked without hesitation. But the man¡¯s arm didn¡¯t even budge an inch. Knives forced a halt to the vampire prince¡¯s lunge as the amazon pair struck again. Crush landed clean on the burly man¡¯s side but only pulverized the surface of his flesh, as all but the bones in half of Karla¡¯s torso turned to dust. Vines separated the two and a maximized Explosion detonated on the sudden enemies, only to be dispelled away the instant it began. Walter¡¯s own shadowbolts crashed through Yen¡¯s mana shield and against her armament as she tried her best to dodge. Basem boldly aimed a surging snipe from hidden cover at the old butler, and a huntress aimed at him. Shin blinked between, knocking the arrow away with pulse and slashing a sword of duality at the blacked haired Shadowhunter, hidden from all but him before now. Her eyes widened only slightly before her body slipped into the shadows and she was hidden once again. Basem clicked his teeth and fired at the old man anyway, and the magician smiled. A portal opened up in front of the spymaster¡¯s head and the arrow passed through to another right behind the strider¡¯s. A hand pulled him back as Dante acted just in time before Basem¡¯s own arrow pierced his head. Ashley flickered suddenly in front of the spymaster whose wires passed harmlessly through her body as her scythe forced him to dodge, and her assault drove him further away. The vampire prince burst forward with a laugh and shredded his claws over Mujin¡¯s scales as the dragoon just barely managed to react in time. The residual lightning spasmed the prince¡¯s body just slightly, so Mujin fired a lightning palm blast as he took to the air. And the prince appeared right beside him in an instant, speed twice as fast as Ashley¡¯s. The urge for survival and rejection of failure swelled within Mujin and the prince¡¯s claws scraped down the plate scales that spread over Mujin¡¯s whole body like draconic armor. Mujin held back his spear and the prince sent him crashing into the ground. The earth cratered further as Mujin shot back up, draconic energy surging around him, and a clawed hand pierced him from behind. ¡°How did it feel? So close to hope.¡± The vampiric seer whispered calmly to him as she pulled her arm from his chest. ¡°Intoxicating?¡± Vines surged forth, forcing the two away as golden light enveloped Mujin, rapidly healing his wounds. A sneer found the prince¡¯s face again as he burst towards Kamala. Rage empowered Donny as he shot forward with a cleaving swing, one the prince effortlessly dodged with glee and swiped off the blood knight¡¯s head. But that time paused his actions just enough. Half a dozen mantis puppets appeared around the prince in an instant and swiped their scythed blades from all angles. And in another instant, all six puppets shattered apart. The prince shot forward and splattered Jean, his creeping smile falling as the blood and flesh around him turning to splinters. Three knives soared towards his back and a portal opened in their path. But at the same time, Basem sniped at the magician¡¯s head and Yen rocketed a firebolt along with it. Portals bloomed and Chariot¡¯s eyes widened as their own attacks fell on them with insidious haphazardness. The dust settled and by ward or shield the damage was weathered, but they were no closer to victory. ¡°Ramsay. Adelaide.¡± The magician called, and the vampire prince and shadowhunter flickered by his side. Shin flashed back to the group, no longer needing to stand guard against the silent huntress, joined by Donny and Mujin fully recovered. The magician Pierre raised his arms and nonsense fell on the land. Strange objects and beings bloomed into existence within a backdrop of fantasy. The dangerous vampiric pair shot into action, the shadowhunter¡¯s form melding into shadows that oddly lingered in a deformed state as clones of the vampire prince appeared one after the other. A trick mine detonated on the real Ramsay but did no damage as he changed his target. Shin blinked in front with prismatic eyes but blinked away just as fast sending a wave at the soul emerging from the shadows that slipped away again having done her job. Vines lashed out but struck nothing but illusions, Kamala unable to see through the mirage of the magician. Vines covered her for a brief moment then shot out in deliberate perfect reconnaissance, but a light shone from a floating top hat and the vines turned to stone. Ramsay attacked relentlessly and ruthlessly, forcing them all to defend without break, but neither could he find success in his attacks either, with Dante¡¯s unsurpassable Foresight. Still he charged, and the prince and magician smiled at the same time. Greater Protection around Kamala shattered and her ophanim summon died in her place from the residual impact, but Dante blinked elsewhere, pulling Mujin away from a bloodred clawed hand that sliced right through his Dragonplate to sever an arm. The seer thrust her hand again , this time through Kamala¡¯s heart. She started to open her mouth but froze as the priestess¡¯ form flickered to that of a puppet, the tangible morph around it faded with its destruction. And Shin had enough. Sacred Fire surged over the ground like an inferno as black and white flared within, viciously targeting all souls not with him. Ramsay burst forward despite the seer¡¯s warning, and the flames burned his flesh and soul. She severed his leg and jumped away as the rest of him turned to ash, his body regenerating in the next instant, but a smile nowhere to be seen on his frustrated face. ¡°Return.¡± A woman¡¯s voice spoke to the minds of the sudden enemies and the mirage disappeared. The old spymaster Walter returned at the same time as a smiling Ashley, with guarded inspection and a red furred werewolf did the same, shifting back into his human amazon form, as Karla¡¯s broken body regenerated in the distance. ¡°Our time is up, it seems.¡± Pierre spoke as he held a charging Karla in place with invisible force. ¡°But do despair not! The gates of Nostravania will always welcome you.¡± Gate swirled around them as the six enemies vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind a Chariot worse for wear and with a reignited urge for greater power. --- Ash and mana within empty butler¡¯s clothes dissipated into the air before Renzo. Katherine stood in shock and grief at the sight of her closest confidant, slain like the vampire he was. Renzo took notice of her state of mind, but he could not spare her any time to console her. The prosperity of the clan was at stake and it was he who needed to act. ¡°We will need to inspect everyone in the city.¡± Chapter 109 Terrible shrieks assaulted the land as the chimeric abomination charged, and the fist of an amazon obliterated half of it to nothing. A second charged from the side and Donny cleaved it in half. Rage filled in his face and the aura that swelled around him but his eyes were focused, methodical as he found another inquisitor and charged without a second thought. Mujin weathered the attacks of his own opponent, what strikes and blows he couldn¡¯t react fast enough to parry fell on the Dragonplate armoring his body. An opening appeared as he led the inquisitor to overreach and his spear bored straight through the creature¡¯s torso like the fang of a dragon. Two more followed as the inquisitor wreathed and its soul crumbled away. An inquisitor lunged for Jean and blood splattered as its sword pierce one of its own kind in the puppeteer¡¯s place. Vines and roots clasped them in and instant and dug into their bodies, ravaging their organs into they perished without even the slightest glance from Kamala. An arrow shattered a chimera¡¯s skull from the strider¡¯s bow, shrouded in the colors of his background. Several turned their sights to him and he darted just out of their sights, fading back into obscurity with the effect of Unnoticeable. Like a dreaded hunter in the dark, they knew he was there but could do nothing as Basem tested the limits of Stalk, fused from Greater Sneak and Greater Premediation. ¡°Get the ones that escape!¡± Yen yelled as she maximized Greater Vortex above a group in the distance. The sheer power ripped them off the ground and into the swirling orbit of the skill. Some flew against it and others blinked away who were dealt death. Yen channelled her concentration and brought a skill to its zenith in her mind with a smile of success. ¡°Wait-¡± Realization found Kamala¡¯s eyes too late as Explosion detonated on the center of the vortex and a second explosion within consumed the first along with all inquisitors within. A thunderous boom deafened their ears as trees flatten over and the surface of the ground ripped out by the spherical wave of impact, rattling the ward that Shin put around them. Success that Yen gleefully smiled in. ¡°A nuke¡­¡± Jean mused at the mage. ¡°Is radiation poison?¡± Donny asked as he exited Perfect Rage by his own will. ¡°Should we be here?¡± ¡°Hydrogen bomb. No fuel, just magic. If I can find a way to filter the air and get the heat even higher, I can wipe cities off the map.¡± Yen smiled in victory. ¡°But I can add fuel, just need to fuse something.¡± Since their encounter with the powerhouses of Nostravania, Chariot had dedicated their time to training, more so than ever before. Nearly all of them had some form of mythic tier attack and thus some way to combat the enemies they found, of whom were growing in strength. The abundant inquisitors had become their training partners to this end, progress their priority over elimination, but they achieved both regularly. ¡°Back soon.¡± Shin glanced around then sped off by himself. Searching for fusion material was faster on his own and the party no longer needed to rely on him constantly to survive. Plus a certain kitsune warrior that appeared by his side had grown increasingly impatient for a return to their paired hunts. Through the forest they carved and harvested, following little more than Shin¡¯s eyes and Inari¡¯s whims. In their casual fun under the moonlit night, shadows skewered them from the ground without warning. With blades of darkness piercing his body, Shin invoked Inari in an instant, before her soul broke down to a root. A glowing red eyed black wolf larger than a worg rose from the shadows in wisping darkness, malice and glee dripping from its face. [Shadow Vargr (epic elite) - Greater Monarch] The Vargr lunged and Shin severed it in half with purpled blade. As the severed parts ignited in foxfire and the howling spirit¡¯s body melded down into the shadows, Shin turned his attention to the flesh torn out in his side very slowly blackening with no sign of healing. The vargr remerged some distance away, fur still alight but only for a moment before it was smothered by darkness wrapping around it. The beast stared down Shin, its glee absent now, and retreated back into the shadows. It rose far away and sprinted down the forest in sour contemplation, and Shin beheaded it clean. Its melted into shadows once more and leaped away through the esoteric portals, faster and more urgently than before, and Shin appeared above again. Black and white coated his blade as he slashed the vargr in half. The creature dissipated into the air and Shin pulled its soul into the palm of his hand. [Shadow Vargr (epic elite) - Greater Monarch] Strength - 1635 Agility - 3102 Constitution - 1001 Vitality - 1248 Dexterity - 1927 Perception - 1950 Force - 1899 Spirit - 2015 Control - 1500 Willpower - 1723 Skills: Darkness Lordship lvl. 4, Bane lvl. 3, Shadowmeld lv. 5, Haste lvl. 3, Fear lvl. 2, Sneak lvl. 5, Invisibility lvl. 3, Premeditation lvl. 6, Agile lvl. 7, Rapid lvl. 8, Traits: Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Malevolent (mythic), Malefic (mythic), Darkness Overwhelming (mythic), Loved by Darkness (mythic), Darkvision (mythic), Martial Eye (mythic), Curse Immunity (mythic), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), A strange spirit. Far too strange, obvious even at a glance but Shin could see deeper. Many of its skills that surpassed its station vestiged to its soul. Two among them caught his attention the most. Darkness Lordship gave it complete and all encompassing control over the element of shadows, a blend of most every attack and direct magic skill imaginable. And Bane, which gave one¡¯s physical attacks the potential to kill anything. ¡°Strange human¡­¡± Shin turned to the deep words of another wolf, this one¡¯s fur white and shining, accompanied by emerging worgs of similar appearance. ¡°Why have you come to the forest?¡± [Light Vargr (epic elite) - Greater Monarch] [Light Worg (rare elite) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Harvesting spirits.¡± Shin answered honestly as the form of a fox faded away. ¡°For what reason.¡± ¡°Make mine stronger.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The ire of the pack fell upon Shin but the vargr made no move but to calmly turn and walk deeper in. ¡°Follow me.¡± Shin hopped near the monster and walked beside with the utmost casualness. The worg pack followed behind as they calmly drew further into the forest, its dark branches illuminated softly by the spirits of light. ¡°You take life too lightly, boy.¡± The vargr spoke after some time. ¡°That is a path not easily returned from once ventured down.¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°I have no name to give.¡± The vargr looked at Shin and settled back ahead as he found his words did not truly stick. ¡°Skoldr.¡± ¡°Call me as you wish.¡± An air of time seemed to come about the wolf. ¡°Such troubled times. Much of this world has changed. And much has not. Regardless of power or the passage of stars, humans seek madness. They call it many things. Proclaim their reasons, but madness is what they find. And madness they produce.¡± ¡°Did you get fused?¡± Shin asked. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re strong?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Long ago.¡± Skoldr lingered in distant memories. ¡°That shadow vargr is the same, though after the change. He¡­ is lost to madness. Had you not slain him, we would have. For the safety of the pack.¡± The light vargr turned its head again to Shin. ¡°You possess the same power as that madman. A most evil and unforgivable being. I advise you, do not use it.¡± ¡°I need to make them stronger.¡± Shin refused pleasantly. ¡°Do you feel no sympathy for the creatures destroyed to achieve that.¡± Skoldr looked true into his eyes and saw that the question did not even fully register in Shin¡¯s mind. ¡°I see¡­¡± The vargr picked its pace up, just slightly as it walked ahead of Shin. ¡°You are different from that man. But lost all the same.¡± Skoldr turned, and dozens upon dozens of light worgs surrounded Shin, deep in the forest. Shin himself stopped, the look in his eyes unchanged as he waited. ¡°I will slay madness.¡± Light of indescribable brightness blinded Shin in an instant, and the worgs leapt. Shin opened his eyes again, glowing prismatic, and slaughtered the worgs in a world of colors. A beam of burning light seer his skin and Shin blinked over Skoldr. But his slash found only air as the light vargr slid around his side as fast as though he teleported. Kong appeared and slaughtered the worgs in Shin¡¯s place as Mara enclosed them all in a ward. A flash of light seared them both in an instant, but the veil of mystic protection kept them alive, and Shin gathered vibration around. Skoldr rebounded off him in the blink of an eye and Shin acted. Kong and Mara vanished and violent ripples pulsed over the land. The worgs fell in droves and even the vargr strained under the might of the attack. He lunged towards the ward that remained and blasted pure light towards the cage but the ruthless attack felled the valiant beast before it could escape, and Shin harvested it like all the rest. Its status less impressive than the shadow vargr, but one thing stood out among the rest. Light Shift, the same movement skill Donny and Mujin possessed but once that did so at the speed of light. Attack at the same time was impossible as one also turned to light, and the range was limited, but it was instantaneous movement all the same. He vestiged it and drew the shadow vargr¡¯s soul. The lure of Bane did not tempt him for a second as he chose Darkness Lordship that called him more than any other and pushed the two together. A battle of light and dark raged, each as strong as the other. But one lasted longer, burned brighter, fueled by something stronger. A massive wolf came into being, as large as the giant direwolf. Its fur a ghostly dark, spectral black chains like the embodiment of curses shackled it legs and neck, and its piercing red eyes focused on Shin, glee returning to join its malice. [Dusk Garm (legendary elite) - Greater Monarch] ¡°Fool.¡± Shin¡¯s body crashed away, the moment the wolf sneered. A blur caught his sights only after the garm reached him and a paw swatted him away once more, as shadows stabbed from below. The dark stakes strained and failed to pass the armor but then they spread over like cloth, binding him in place as a ghostly palm passed through pulse and protection to tear out his flesh and inflict new curses. In a blur, Shin was battered around the forest. Dozens of strikes in a moment powerless to combat the sheer speed as the Garm gleefully dove through shadows and glided as light. The curses mounted, spreading through his body as a most vile corruption, but Shin showed no concern. A pulse of black and white channelled in his palm as death slowly crept in and as the beast lunged, Shin grasped its throat, having read the intentions in the garm¡¯s movements. The wolf sneered as Shin¡¯s hand passed through its body but half its body ruptured from within. In a panic, the wolf fled but a cage of ward repelled it back. Shadows rose to carve the walls away and in that time, Shin blinked by its side and struck with prismatic fist. The garm howled as the iridescent cracks spread through its soul and fled through the shadows. And just as the first time, Shin followed wherever he emerged, until the damage to its soul brought it down and it could must its skills no more. [Spirit Communion as upgraded to Greater Spirit Communion.] Shin willed the skill higher and made his offer, and the garm refused. She offered again and again incessantly but was rejected each time. Disdain and hatred poisoned the air around the garm who refused with all its being to fall under his service. Shin tilted his head. ¡°Are you okay with dying here?¡± The words it least wanted to hear fell on the garm¡¯s ears. Rage and resentment swelled within it until the beast begrudgingly accepted. ¡°You will regret this¡­¡± It vowed as Shin withdrew him into his soul to heal. [Dusk Garm (legendary elite) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1635 Agility - 3102 Constitution - 1001 Vitality - 1248 Dexterity - 1927 Perception - 1950 Force - 1899 Spirit - 2015 Control - 1500 Willpower - 1723 Skills: Darkness Lordship lvl. 4, Shadowmeld lv. 5, Light Blitz lvl. 1, Haste lvl. 3, Fear lvl. 2, Greater Sneak lvl. 5, Greater Invisibility lvl. 3, Greater Premeditation lvl. 6, Greater Agile lvl. 7, Greater Rapid lvl. 8, Greater Ghost Claw lvl. 1, Greater Phase lvl. 1, Traits: Malevolent (mythic), Malefic (mythic), Darkness Overwhelming (mythic), Loved by Darkness (mythic), Darkvision (mythic), Martial Eye (mythic), Curse Immunity (mythic), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Necrotic Resistance (legendary), ¡°Name?¡± ¡°...Vicious¡­¡± ¡°Shin.¡± Shin inspected the state of his body. The curses were an issue, but his curse immunity and greater hallowed would stave off the worst for a time, at least until Kamala could slowly remove it all. Just as quickly as he started, he left the forest the same as he entered and soon returned to the party. ¡°Did you actually have a hard fight.¡± Yen glanced at the state of him. ¡°What happened?¡± Shin smiled back. ¡°I got a new spirit.¡± Chapter 110 Hans raised a hand to cure the woman of her affliction, and the bliss faded from her eyes. Again and again he cured as he walked, common people and paladins alike having falling victim to a most insidious substance that found its way into the capital. Those who could not bare these dark nights had turn to the escape of ignorant bliss in great numbers, such that the security of the capital was put at risk by clouded thoughts and sluggish response. Hans knew that what he did was merely treating the symptom. They had to find the source of their troubles and bestow righteous judgement. ¡°Cardinal! Cardinal!¡± A haggardly woman fell to her knees before him, frayed desperation claimed her expression. ¡°Please¡­ I cannot find my children. Please tell me where they are!¡± Hans paused in silent confusion. Before the accursed invasion of heathens the church in all its benevolence deemed it best for those on the outskirts to sent their children to the capital where they would be safer. And their location was never in doubt. ¡°They should be in the orphanage-¡± ¡°I have checked!¡± The woman blurted. ¡°I checked, I checked but they aren¡¯t there. No one knows where they are. They tell me they were never here but that¡¯s not true. I sent them here, to be safe¡­¡± ¡°...fret not, lamb of Sol. I will search for them.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you, cardinal.¡± The woman broke into tears of relief and Hans took his silent leave. A madwoman, Hans suspected. She was not the first he had seen, nor would she be the last, he feared. However, something about it grated on his thoughts. As he neared the entrance to the cathedral, he continued on instead, heading towards a large estate within the city. A foolish action, he admonished himself but the trace of concern that would not leave his mind compelled his steps in that direction. He passed through the guarded gates without so much as a word from paladins and glanced around at the children in the garden. Some concern and worry on a few of their faces, but that was only naturally. They were separated from their families and doubtless were affected by the noise of the heathen attacks. But most seemed well and normal. He entered the building and found more of the same. ¡°Cardinal.¡± A round man with thin hair greeted with a smile. ¡°It is truly a blessing to have you here. Have you come to preach to the children?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Hans turned his attention to who he could only assumed was the head caretaker. ¡°A woman approached me in the streets, claiming she could not find the children she sent here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A look of pity found the man¡¯s face. ¡°There have been many like that, recently. Those poor unfortunate souls who have lost their children since the Change. Their minds cannot bare the grief so they flee from the bitter truth¡­¡± ¡°I see. May they find peace in the light of Sol. I shall take no more of your time.¡± ¡°Light be with you, Cardinal.¡± ¡°And with you.¡± Hans turned to leave, the concern in the back of his mind replaced with condolence for the misfortune. He glanced at the playing children as he left the gates, and came to a stop. A thought entered his mind, one he had not considered until now. The numbers were too few, far too few for what should be children from across the theocracy. Even considering the multiple facilities, even considering their poor chances of surviving the trials, it was too few. Hans continued on, back to the cathedral, the concern in his mind more prevalent than ever. --- A horde of vampires lunged towards Chariot with beastial hisses and the vanguard slaughtered them like vermin. Shin sat out, the amalgamation of curses afflicting him still not cured but Kamala was slowly making progress in that end. In his place, he summoned his spirits to do as they pleased. ¡°Fight worthy of the king, servants!¡± Mara ordered sharply. ¡°Do not allow any harm to befall him as he rests.¡± Her words were largely ignored by increasingly annoyed members of the party. Even Kong fought sparingly, as though he did not have the root of his soul safely stored within Shin. Inari took no head of the inferior spirit, for she was already slaughtering the vile creatures with abandon, as she would do regardless. But she did spare a resentment glance to the latest addition of the party. Vicious swam through shadows with a wicked smile, clawing and biting and piercing the enemies apart such that they would linger long enough to despair their fate. His rank had dropped after joining Shin¡¯s soul, down to Greater Lord as all the others, but the garm was still powerful, the same legendary elite as herself. And she did not like it. ¡°He is no king.¡± Vicious snapped back at her. Cold rage took Mara¡¯s eyes as she blasted the wolf¡¯s mind, and in his seething rage he retaliated. In the flash of an eye, he blurred by her side with open jaw, but halted his fangs still around her as the subtle intent filled his thoughts with dread for a moment. Vicious glanced at the calm hollow eyed boy looking elsewhere and with restrained frustration slipped back into the shadows. Yen failed to upgrade a dense glowing sphere of fire in her palm, and sighed in annoyance as the last of the vampires fell to others. ¡°Fuckers are everywhere now¡­¡± ¡°The attack we accidentally stopped must have been important¡­¡± Jean responded. ¡°Probably reducing the power of this side before trying again.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, it¡¯s free training, I guess. Are we taking out the vampires or the church first?¡± ¡°It depends.¡± Kamala answered. ¡°On?¡± ¡°What the others do.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. --- Hundreds of inquisitors charged with abominable cries and hundreds more charged to meet them. An army of the many races of the initiate worlds and even more local combatants outnumbered and beat back their monstrous foes once again, as the powerhouses among them struck the fatal blows. A burning white light from above erased half a dozen as had been done many times before, and victorious roars filled the air. Chandra walked back over to the side of a boy atop a warhorse donning regal warring armor of custom make and the upright sword sigil of the royal house. Young, overwhelmed, and forlorn, the boy¡¯s impression had hardly changed much from the moment Chandra took him under his wing. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± The boy held silent but Chandra waited patiently. ¡°...what is the point?¡± ¡°Of what?¡± The boy¡¯s eyes glanced over the celebrating army and Chandra turned with it for a moment, though he had already known the answer. ¡°People want to live.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not¡­ Marie¡­ and Antoine are dead. I don¡¯t care about these people.¡± Chandra held for a patient moment then strolled a bit closer to pet the horse¡¯s head. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard. Shouldering this burden.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Clovis snapped back with a little more emotion, however dour. ¡°I have responsibilities too. The lives of many people depend on me.¡± The boy glanced over briefly but said nothing, so Chandra continued. ¡°Losing someone close to you is the most terrible pain¡­ And it never really goes away.¡± ¡°...who?¡± ¡°My mother. When I was around your age. I was meant to die, and she protected me.¡± Chandra reminisced on something in silence. ¡°But an even worse pain¡­ is letting those precious to you who gave their lives for yours go to waste. We must move forward. For those who cannot¡­ and those who still can.¡± Clovis¡¯ eyes followed Chandra¡¯s gaze to the army whose balked slightly under the number of those looking to him with expectations and adoration. ¡°Raise your sword.¡± Chandra aided from the side. Clovis hesitated for a moment, then tentatively drew the sword of his waist high and a glowing light illuminated the world to the rise of even more invigorated cheers. The morale and hopes and passion washed over the boy king, and as he sat there atop a gallant horse, his bleak frozen expression started to melt. Not long after the battle, the rebel army set up camp and festivities begun amongst those not on guard duty, as often happened. A security liability and hardly the most effective use of personnel, but it did wonders for morale and for Clovis¡¯ reputation, which grew by the day whether he wanted it to or not. ¡°How¡¯s the boy?¡¯ Priya walked over. ¡°Is he a king yet?¡± ¡°He needs a more time.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much more.¡± She reminded him. ¡°Why not just storm the capital now. We have the numbers.¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Chandra walked over to a large tent erected nearby, and Priya spared him a dismissive glance before turning back to her wine. Chandra gave a cursory inspection over the row of capable guards around and entered through the flap. Clovis had a bed to sleep in they commandeered from a noble¡¯s estate they crossed, and more guards stood guard around him, most being Pandavas. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°They¡¯re too loud.¡± The boy¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t there yet, but it was getting better. ¡°Just going to have to bear with that, I¡¯m afraid. Soldiers need to blow off steam-¡± Chandra just barely reacted to a blur from the dark. A dull gold dagger passed straight through his mythic tier Fortress but clanged against his skin, protected by his soul armor. The dark elf shadowdancer from the tournament, he recognized. ¡°Enemy!¡± He roared as she dodged his shining fist in counter, and immediately realized that sound was cut off, if a response was this delayed. More dark elves lunged from the dark at the guards, just barely able to hold them off. One guard cast a ward around the boy king and Chandra smited the air to destroy the tent as a signal but his spell was stolen away by one of the elves and crashed down on the ward. A pandava guard teleported the boy out of range just barely in time, but shadowdancer acted. The point of her dagger passed through Clovis¡¯ neck, but to her shock, Chandra blitzed at her side beyond her senses, blood draining through necrotic wound in his neck as a glowing fist struck the mist she became. Her eyes narrowed, just slightly as a chunk of flesh was torn from her side when she reformed. The deadly assassin lingered only a moment before slipping into the shadows and the rest of her kin followed. Silence held for a few moments before Chandra was sure they had left. ¡°You¡¯re wounded.¡± Clovis exclaimed at Chandra. ¡°It¡¯ll heal.¡± Chandra smiled and turned to one of the guards. ¡°Tell the other guild leaders to sent more guards.¡± --- ¡°Those wretched traitors can turn for all I care!¡± Odwin roared. ¡°Then they will add to the scourge¡¯s ranks and threaten the capital even more!¡± ¡°This holy ground will not fall to mere vampires!¡± ¡°We have more threats than vampires, or have you not noticed? The theocracy is in peril!¡± ¡°So then act, damn you!¡± The Arbiter banged his gavel thrice to soften the tensions. Argument rather than discourse had held the council these past few days and hardly anything productive had come of it. All had felt the strain of the danger upon them, the cardinals scarcely numbering over 50 now. Though, Johan had no time nor desire to spare on them. He forced the imaginings of people suffering all across the land from his mind and steeled himself in pursuit of his goal. ¡°We cannot look both ways!¡± The council turned to his raised voice. ¡°We should focus the inquisitors one of them. The Duchess¡¯ faction would be the easiest, then we can focus all our efforts on the heretic army weakened by the scourge.¡± ¡°That is entirely too hopeful, Cardinal Johan.¡± Luther was the first to dismiss his idea. ¡°What do you expect from a greenhorn?¡± Odwin glared his way. ¡°Leave matters of war to those with experience.¡± ¡°What better idea do you have?¡± Johan snapped back. He could not afford to let things unfold as they wished. ¡°My fellow cardinals, the source of the assassins haunting the corner of our eyes is no doubt the aristocracy dissidents. We must eliminate them first, for the sake of the capital.¡± Murmurings rose, more favorable than not to his words. The Arbiter glanced around. ¡°All in fav-¡± The doors of the council chambers swung open and an imposing figure in grand white robes walked through. The cardinals fell silent at the sudden appearance of the Pope, who entered without warning. He walked to the center of the floor under the eyes of all and spoke. ¡°My fellow hands¡­ I have come to make a decree in this most darkest hour. An army, half of those remaining, will be raised to march out and crush the heretic and heathens and any who stand against the church.¡± Johan¡¯s face fell at the Pope¡¯s stoney words. ¡°Cardinal Odwin. I appoint you commander of this crusade. Bring light to the wicked.¡± ¡°I will see the work of Sol done!¡± Odwin couldn¡¯t help but elevate his voice as he stood to accept the position, even a child could see the unrestrained fervor in his face. But few saw the despair on Johan¡¯s nor the sly smile on Luther¡¯s. --- Odwin donned his armor at last, zealous glee unable to leave his face. The Pope in all his wisdom had just given him the power he needed to wrest control into his worthy hands. He had waited so long, bided his time with gritted teeth, and now it would all pay off. He left his chambers and even the sight of Luther could not ruin his mood. ¡°My congratulations, Cardinal Odwin.¡± He greeted as he invited himself to walk alongside Odwin¡¯s brisk pace. ¡°A shame the inquisitors could not see the job done, but¡­ I¡¯m sure you can rectify that. Now that you have an army.¡± An unbearable man, Odwin thought. They had colluded to release the restraints for this very reason. There was no need for the ambitious fox to remind him, other than to gloat and reaffirm where they stood. ¡°I do not have the time to tarry.¡± ¡°Of course. Farewell, Cardinal.¡± Odwin marched on past the detestable wretch, looking only towards the destination in mind. He would allow that fox to continue wallowing in his conceit still, for once he had purged the vampire scourge from these lands and swept away the traitors, he would set his sights on the heretics within the capital. And nothing would stop him. Chapter 111 Cries of terror and agony filled the air as Odwin¡¯s paladins ransacked a noble¡¯s estate. Not all had fallen under the Duchess¡¯ wiles yet. Clusters of lone schemers still remained, banded together to fend off the inquisitors, only surviving through the unjust fortune that the hounds had not set upon them in larger numbers. His goal was plunder. Wealth, weaponry, women. Anything he could use to strengthen the loyalty of the soldier sunder him. Nobles and peasant alike fell victim as his forces ran through them like bandits. But as directed, he left the bulk of their might enough room to escape, doubtless to seek refuge with either the rebel Sunlight Company or the Duchess¡¯ faction. And while Odwin conserved his strength, focusing on the scourge, those wretched forces would be free to exhaust themselves upon one another. And when they were weakened and low, his army would appear to reap the spoils, and the papal throne would be his at last. ¡°Show no mercy to these heretics!¡± He bellowed, inciting his soldiers more radical and ruthless with a smile upon his face. --- Shin sat in the quiet of night, finally having found the souls he wanted. He drew a Redcap elite and vestiged Quicken then drew a Skraeling and vestiged Greater Agile. A rare tier Drude elite emerged from the fusion and was swiftly killed and harvested, Shin vestiging the Hawkeye it now possessed. Next he took a hobgoblin with Greater Flex and a lizardman with Greater Rebuff, the same spell deflection Yen used to make Armament, and fused them together into the soul of a Grendel. Without hesitation he chose the Regeneration is naturally obtained, and fused it with the drude to create and elite troll. Shin summoned Kong who emerged without fuss this time and vestiged Greater Mana Eater. From the troll he chose Survival State and fused the two together. The battle was swift and lopsided, with Kong dominating his opponent without issue. A great ape emerged, leathery gray face, chest, and hands, and shaggy black fur, he stood ten feet tall now, upright with limbs as thick as trees, with piercing green eyes aimed directly at Shin. Shin sent him an offer and Kong accepted. [Yeren Magecrusher (legendary elite) - Greater Lord] Strength - 3500 Agility - 1890 Constitution - 2397 Vitality - 2548 Dexterity - 1555 Perception - 2101 Force - 526 Spirit - 1041 Control - 1189 Willpower - 1253 Skills: Crush lvl. 1, Anti lvl. 1, Greater Haymaker lvl. 7, Greater Rebound lvl. 1, Greater Thunderclap lvl. 1, Greater Momentum lvl. 1, Greater Shift lvl. 1, Greater Swiftness lvl. 1, Greater Overpower lvl. 1, Greater Agile lvl. 1, Greater Barbarism lvl. 1, Traits: Mana Devourer (mythic), Unfettered (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Greater Hawkeye (legendary), Greater Leather Hide (legendary), Greater Weakness Resistance (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), A physical powerhouse by stats alone, but his abilities had greatly improved to match. He had lost Blink but Shin had plans for that, and what he gained made up for it. Spellbreak had become the mythic tier Anti, affording Shin a soon to be much needed defense against magic. Maintaining Greater Barbarism was a bonus, and the combination of Rebound and Thunderclap provided much in the way of utility. Haymaker had not become Dynamic but instead it seemed his type of yeren naturally gained the same Crush skill Karla wielded. And with the buff skills to Strength, Speed, and Agility, Kong could now be a threat on his own. A threat that would persist by virtue of Unfettered and Rapid Regeneration. Shin called Mara but Kong remained in silence, and he turned in wait. ¡°...you should have chosen Blink¡­¡± Deep rumbling words whispered from the towering ape. ¡°I am too slow. Even still I will not be able to control my speed. Eyes¡­ fast enough for me¡­ but not for others¡­ No reflexes¡­ No senses in place¡­ You have made me a witless brute.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°How dare you complain.¡± A terrifying presence came over Mara as she lorded in the air. ¡°Ingrate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fix it next time.¡± Shin promised. ¡°Let me roam, you bastard!¡± Vicious shouted from within. ¡°I am sick of seeing through your eyes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fix that too.¡± With that, the garm held his tongue with hatred still on his mind, and Kong returned to his soul after a silent pause, and Mara turned her focus entirely to Shin. ¡°Do with me as you wish.¡± She implored. Shin pulled out a jackalope with Condense and a harpy with Strong Mind fusing them into beast type wolpertinger, an antlered winged hare now with the Vector skill. He drew the souls of a sylph with Greater Disperse and a yeth with Greater Befuddle, forming them into a short lived barghest from which Shin vestiged Blink. And with those two, he fused them carefully into a new spirit. An emancipated bull with a ghastly face pointed directly to the ground. It died as swiftly as the others, but Shin paused a moment on its skills. It possessed great magical stats, despite it appearance, along with the Greater Pressure skill, which seemed a lesser to controlling gravity itself. But still, there was another far more useful ability and Shin vestiged Premonition without further delay. He selected Mara¡¯s Greater Protector and she consumed her opponent even faster than Kong. A majestic and intimidating creature emerged. The body of a bull with dark brown hide and powerful wings and the large head of a beautiful woman, a golden capped crown over long royal red hair, two horns curving up above haunting yellow eyes. Fine jewelry adorned her body with the prestige of a ruler. Like Kong she accepted a return to him and like Kong she remained out, though for a different reason. [Lamassu Gatekeeper (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 733 Agility - 952 Constitution - 1015 Vitality - 829 Dexterity - 791 Perception - 1984 Force - 4201 Spirit - 3187 Control - 2048 Willpower - 2160 Skills: Sanctuary lvl. 1, Mana Barrier lvl. 1, Aurora lvl. 1, Greater Vector lvl. 1, Greater Mindfray lvl. 1, Greater Bewilder lvl. 1, Greater Fly lvl. 1, Greater Channelling lvl. 1, Greater Blink lvl. 1, Greater Disruption lvl. 1, Traits: Guardian (mythic), Greater Psychic Mind (legendary), Premonition (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Greater Protector had upgraded to Guardian as he had hoped, and even better was that the two defensive skills had risen to mythic tier with it. A most reliable warder she had become, and beyond that, she had obtained much needed supplementary skills. Disruption could allow her to cancel the spells of others when inconvenient to defend against and Blink afforded a much needed defensive movement skill. Mindfray had improved and now she gained Bewilder, which would work on those with Indomitable but no immunity to charming. Above all, Premonition gives her a way to sense danger that she otherwise had no way to detect and Psychic Mind was a pleasant bonus. But even more notable, was the emergence of a skill Shin had not seen before. Aurora, an offensive skill native to Lamassu, produced a dense beam of the energy of stars. Shin looked to Mara and she did not need words to understand. Her mouth opened as she turned to the side, a ball of white intensity swirling within. And she fired. The beam of white ripped through everything and anything in its wake, leaving a melted path through trees and dirt. ¡°The fuck, is that plasma?!¡± Yen exclaimed. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The fuck!¡± ¡°Nukes not enough?¡± Donny quipped. ¡°I was looking for plasma too. What tier is it?¡± The frustrated mage turned her focus back to Shin. ¡°Mythic.¡± ¡°Figures¡­¡± As Yen sulked, Mara lowered her head down in front of Shin, piercing eyes locked on his in adoration. ¡°You¡¯re strong now.¡± With a smile bordering on ecstasy, Mara vanished, retreating back into his soul, though her joy was still clearly felt. ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡± Yen called out, half sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s even weirder now.¡± ¡°It is likely monster can take human form in godhood¡­¡± Kamala informed her from the focus of her skill. ¡°...what?¡± --- Luther left the chambers of an exhausted and satisfied ranker, shifting form with immunity from prying eyes to one of his many. He crossed paths with a paladin captain waiting away and deftly handing him a spatial bag. All across the city he walked, in various forms, bribing, charming, a seducing loyalty onto himself. Influence within the capital came in many forms, and his was bought with pleasure. Along the way, he noted the distant expressions of blissful relief. A product of his as well. The potions he had made were not poison so poison immunity had no effect. They gave a great deal of euphoria and ecstasy, which was in high demand in these troubles times, with no true negative effect aside from addiction. That could easily be cured by one of the many healers still available, but his clients did not wish to be rid of the feeling it provided, thus his pleasure spread widely and rapidly with the church unable to do a thing about it. For every underling of his captured that portered those potions, two more would take their place. Even a number of cardinals partook. And when the time was right, he would take it all away and throw the capital into chaos. ¡°We have failed¡­¡± Vestra, the shadowdancer, strongest of her world, rose in the shade of an alley to report. ¡°A small setback.¡± Luther dismissed with a smile. ¡°There are more pressing targets within the walls of the capital now. A few bricks at a time.¡± He mused as he continued on. ¡°That is all it takes to make a castle fall.¡± --- Hans stared at a letter in his personal study, concern may not have reached his wide eyes but it was obvious on his face. Unable to ignore his fears, he investigated deeper and wider, and the more he found the more added to his fears. And this letter was the final straw. Anonymous and for good reason, Hans could understand. The wicked are infiltrated the ranks of the cardinals. Corruption had many forms, and vampires and heathens had blinded him to the newer possibilities. Evil was within the church and he could not wait. With a burst of motivation, Hans walked briskly towards the Pope¡¯s study. This could wait not a moment longer, lest the church succumb entirely to heresy. ¡°Your Holiness¡­¡± Hans spoke as he entered, and stopped in his tracks. Besides Pope Gregor were all the cardinals whose names were listed in the letter, the look in their eyes instinctively apparent, as it was in the pope himself. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hans realized. ¡°Sol is dead.¡± And the mouths of fiends set upon. Chapter 112 A guild of 34 stood outside a cave in the middle of a forest with hardened faces. A legendary greater monarch raid, the only one anyone of them had ever heard of, but two months of strife had dampened the greed and ambition of most. ¡°We should go in.¡± One of them finally said. ¡°It¡¯s too risky¡­¡± ¡°Better than joining the war against those kingdoms.¡± Ezen snapped. ¡°The locals of this damn world are too powerful.¡± ¡°We would be safer with legendary gear¡­¡± Another mused. ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°We go in.¡± Madar spoke after a long stare at the entrance. ¡°Easier to fight the monsters in there than out here. Conquering a dungeon like this would be an ¡®impact¡¯, and we improve our weaponry.¡± An order in truth, but he gave it as a suggestion and none spoke up against it. The lure of what they stood to gain from it was enough for some and others simply preferred it to the alternative. ¡°Prepare yourselves.¡± Madar spoke with heighten vigor to boost their morale and snap them into focus. The pathfinder woman who first voiced doubts appeared in front and the guild entered to find crude stone walls. A dingy brown lit only by torches with no artistry or adornments. A relief to many. By experience, aesthetic quality often meant smarter masters and thus greater danger. Vin the Pathfinder took point and lead them carefully through, though hardly any time passed at all before she stopped to disable the first trap. She continued on and stopped only a few moments to do the same. And again, and again, and again. ¡°There¡¯s too many¡­¡± ¡°Jom, Zune. Take turns disabling them. Vin, point them out.¡± Madar adjusted things immediately and the guild continued. The three scouts did as told without delay. Vin indicated the locations and types of traps along the way as the two others took turns disabling them. Every twist and turn brought more traps without end and all had to be dealt with. ¡°Magic.¡± Vine called, and a mage woman walked forward, but before she reached the vanguard, a round spectral monster suddenly rose out of the ground. A swordsman lunged forward, slashing in an instant, but his blade ran straight through the intangible creature, and the geist let out a grating shriek. A palm of mana pierced the monster true, bringing an shift end to its shrieks. But the creature¡¯s form swelled as its soul detonated in a mighty contained explosion. The dust and gravel settled and the ward around it held, shielding others from the blast, and more giests flew from the floor and walls around them. Piercing wails assaulted the minds of all and explosions set off all around, as the casters were force to contain them all. ¡°Round them up first!¡± Madar yelled. A rope of mana wrapped around several and threw them together as a giant palm splattered their ghostly forms apart and a shield of mana separated their final death throes from the others. But the giests did not stop. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here!¡± Vin yelled, and Madar knew why. The giests were only regular epic tier monsters. There might be an end to them but it would come too late, after far too much spent on them. Their only choice would be to push through the traps as fast as they could. ¡°Move.¡± He commanded, but silently he cursed to himself. Such a devious arrangement was a sign of intelligent monsters, and intelligent monsters was never a good thing. ¡°Blade trap on the left.¡± Vin ordered. A thin man moved to disable it and a click sounded from within. Green acid surged from the same location without warning, melting the man away to nothing within moments. ¡°Zune!¡± Another in the party yelled in despair. ¡°Keep moving!¡± Madar ordered as he killed another cluster of giests. ¡°Vin!¡± The Pathfinder spared a strained glance at her dead comrade and leaped over the puddle of acid to deal with the traps herself. Jom wouldn¡¯t be able to fare much better, but she could at least feel the traps behind the traps with her Sixth Sense. The guild moved swiftly without break, battling every step of the way but there was no sign of an end to their struggles, and many were growing anxious. ¡°Wait.¡± Vin called. ¡°Destroy that wall.¡± The large bearded bald monk smashed it apart with a single slap of his palm and the walls crumbled in the shape of a door, leading out to another path just like the one they were currently in. Vin passed through with a click of her teeth. The maze was shifting, something she would have realized much later were it not for her Internal Compass trait. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. They charged through, as fast as her trap disabling would allow as she mapped their path in her mind with perfect precision. Soon the layout of the circular maze became apparent and she headed straight for the center, through however many walls stood in their way. An open doorway was the signal to her success and the guild passed tentatively through to find a chained monster. A giant imposing creature with tan fur, half man half mammoth. The Ganesh Barbarian struggled in a rage as its chains snapped in half one by one and the veil around it fell. Arrows and spells shot towards it from the guild already in position, and it crashed into the wall before any of them realized, the two unfortunate players in its wake crushed to paste. A Hold restrained his body in place for a moment as attacks shredded its body, but Mammut regenerated in an instant and rammed again, Vin just barely blinking out of its way in time. The monk burst by the floor boss¡¯ side as white energy surged over his fist and struck with Truestrike at the monster¡¯s soul. But nothing happened, and before the monk could respond, Mammut mauled him to death. A spell assaulted its mind, and a vicious trumpeting roar fell on them all as the ganesh rammed forward again and again. ¡°It¡¯s not working fast enough!¡± ¡°Hold it! Burst it down all at once.¡± On his command the floor boss struck stiff once more and a volley of death shredded his body apart. His flesh started mending immediately and streams of fire and frost fell over every piece until finally the monster¡¯s threat finally ceased. Stairs opened down in the center in the lull but none felt the joy of victory as it had come at far too high of a cost. Madar himself glanced around with a grim expression. 8 of them dead on this first floor alone. But they could not leave, and it would do them no good to succumb to panic and despair. ¡°Recover the items still useable. Sharpen yourselves. We will get through.¡± A heavy air held the guild but they were no strangers to loss and suffering this far into the new world. Quickly, they resolved themselves and followed Madar down the stairs into a grim graveyard. Graves marked with tombstones littered the foul land amongst barren trees they could just barely make out through the thick mist. ¡°Detection doesn¡¯t work through the mist.¡± Vin reported, words Madar would have much preferred not to hear. ¡°Stay close. Keep your guard up. We find this floor¡¯s boss and move on.¡± The guild moved carefully and cautiously and the mist moved with them, providing just enough space to keep vigilance but blocking anything further. Aside from the eerie sense of something watching them, no danger arose, neither in the form of monsters now their environment. ¡°Trap.¡± Vin warned as she glided over to a marked grave to disable it. More such graves appeared on their wayward path until her senses detected something from an unmarked grave. She cast her spell to disable it along with the others and it exploded in vile ghostly mana. Vin appeared back besides the group in an instant, and lurched back from an arrow that cut through the mist. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded!¡± One of them yelled as undead of all kinds from epic to rare tier swarmed them. The guild destroyed them all as they came but it their energy was draining and the horde was endless. ¡°Fight as we move!¡± Madar lead the charge as the melee players held the line and the casters within supported them. ¡°Traps, both graves.¡± Vin warned. ¡°Get the other one!¡± Jom rushed to the tombstone marked grave, and the necrotic blast consumed him. ¡°Shit!¡± The guild barely had time to mourn as another of its warriors was knocked over a grave, and giant rotting hand grabbed his foot from the dirt. The legendary tier Corpse Collector, a hulking mass of flesh and bandages, pulled itself out off of its grave and broke the warrior against the ground. It raised its arm again, and Madar sliced it off, one of the others catching the half dead warrior back to the inner circle to be healed. But the warrior opened his jaw with decaying flesh and tore out the man¡¯s neck, an arrow destroyed the turned undead before it could finish him off. ¡°Boss!¡± Someone yelled, and the guild turned to a tailed monster made of golden bones. Madar burst in front and cleaved his greatsword through, only for the terror to shrink into a shriveled Creeper with an unsettling round fanged mouth. Madar cursed but his mind raced in focus. ¡°Chia. Find the right one that looks this.¡± He decided. The seer among them understood, and her eyes went white. Her mythic tier skill of clairvoyance could get through the mist but she had another skill far more important, one that would serve them best she save her mana for. Still, the situation had gone far too poorly far too quickly for them to hold anything back now. Her vision swam through the graveyard floor with the speed of a rogue. Several monsters of the same form she found but all were undone by her truthseeking ability. The other members formed a perimeter around her and fended off the horde as she was left helpless in her search and finally she found the boss. And the boss found her. A shrieking roar filled the land and the Golden Bone Terror charged towards them through even its own underlings. Arrows and projectiles cracked its bones at most which quickly healed and magic had even less effect. A heavily armor warrior stopped the powerful swing of one of its four cleavers and a golden destructive light struck the monster. But the bone terror raised all four of its arms and cleaved the Heavy Knight into parts. ¡°It''s immune to holy!¡± A priest yelled. The guild turned the bulk of its attention to the boss but the bone terror focused only on one thing. It rampaged with great speed straight towards the seer, uncaring of the injuries it accumulate. A player shapeshifted into the form of a giant with all its strength and rammed the golden skeleton away. Its fanged mouth tore into the flesh of the giant and it the opening, its cleaves reaped its second life. Three more took the vanguard before the seer, Madar among them, and the bone terror howled. A concussive force like the clap of thunder struck them away in the blink of an eye. None perished but the path to the seer was broken wide open, and the giant skeleton swung its cleaver. A mage blinked by the seer¡¯s side but mana frayed as she tried to blink them both away again, the blade cleaved them in two. The bone terror ravaged their remains until their were naught but chunks of unrecognizable flesh. Aura surged around Madar as he burst forward with maddened rage. A clever sailed over his head and his greatsword claimed an arm. Again and again he swung with the mythic tier Sever, breaking away the indestructible boss until it was brought low at last and a thrust through its skull ended it for good. ¡°Run through!¡± He roared as the path to the next stage opened. The guild rushed in organized formation, fending off the horde as they escaped the dreadful graveyard, and found themselves within a violent blizzard so thick they could barely see each other. Madar glanced around at the 21 that remained, as frostbite already started to slowly permeate through his high vitality, and a sliver of despair took route in his mind. Chapter 113 The guild trekked with labored steps through the violent blizzard. Not a single monster had shown itself but that only served to heightened their worry over what laid ahead for them, and their focus on the constant creeping frostbite. Epic tier frost resistance items were the only things allowing them to survive and even then, the healers drained their mana frequently to heal its effects away, especially for those of lower vitality. ¡°We need to move faster¡­¡± A healer spoke up to Madar through the swirling noise. ¡°We go at Vin¡¯s pace. No more deaths to these damn traps.¡± ¡°Madar.¡± The pathfinder in question alerted them to a new development, something that boded poorly for them. A vicious ancient frostblood orc identifiable to all stood sealed in a transparent block of ice, the frozen state of the legendary variant¡¯s menacing appearance doing little to calm their nerves. But even more pressingly than that, was the dilemma it presented that many soon realized. ¡°It¡¯s a feint. We should destroy it.¡± One of them urged. ¡°What if that¡¯s the trap? Let frozen monsters stay frozen.¡± ¡°Or they thaw out all at once if we don¡¯t deal with them now.¡± ¡°We leave them.¡± Madar decided, through little more than gut instinct, turning to face the others with serious expression. ¡°Let¡¯s find this boss quickly. Before the frost gets us.¡± They moved as quickly as Vin¡¯s detection allowed, finding nothing but more snow and frozen orcs. Had Madar not pushed down the urge he would have cursed out loud as the death of their seer Tithri stung now more than ever in this fruitless search, but dampening the other¡¯s morale further would do them no good. The monotonous aimless endless journey through the blizzard strained their minds more and more and the minutes passed by, to the point where Madar himself reacted just slightly delayed at the icy glimmer of a giant serpent just barely noticeable. A firebolt melted through the snow towards it and passed straight through like a shadow in the wind, blasting apart the frozen block of ice behind. And snarling roars soon travelled through the raging blizzard. ¡°Group up!¡± Madar yelled, gritting his teeth at the insidious trap. Every moment in this hellish dungeon preyed upon their fear and caution to devastating effect. Just as soon as the snarls erupted, the ancient frostblood orcs all throughout the distance fell silent again, and the guild was left alone with the sound of raging wind. A figure lunged from the cover of snow and Madar severed it in two. A second clawed towards a vulnerable target and was beheaded from a flashy rogue, but a third stole one their members away, his yells and curses lasting only a brief moment. ¡°Move!¡± Intelligent and able to see through the snow, Madar assessed in a moment. The longer they remained the worse it would be for them. The two parties charged blindly through the snow, searching as best they could for the floor boss. Blue skinned orcs pounced at them like natural predators at the slightest opening, straining the focus of those who could react. Another player was snatched and even more gravely wounded by the icy claws of the mauling orcs. One of their mages fell face first into the snow, their flesh turning icy. ¡°Leave him!¡± Madar ordered the priest who stopped to heal him and she did so with guilty expression. They barely afford to keep the group alive at the rate things were going. Prolonging the inevitable of those unable to bare the blizzard would only endanger those who stood a chance of making it. A bolt of frost crashed against the reactive shield of their priest and a second froze a warrior solid, but Madar saw the light at the end of the tunnel. ¡°Rush it! Everything you have!¡± He and the flashy rogue burst before all the others and through the frantic search in the snow for what felt like an eternity, their eyes found their reprieve. A muscular blue man with a wisping lower half. The Djinn Mist King scattered apart at the sight of them but a spell from the Pathfinder forced it whole again and Ezen¡¯s strange mana clad daggers ran through the boss in a flash. As it reformed with a nova of frost, a blazing surging of fire melted away everything in its path to claim the elemental¡¯s life fully, and open the door away from the frozen wasteland of death. None needed to wait for orders as they charged through the icy stairs as Madar held the rear from the frenzied ancient frostblood orcs before following down himself. The 17 of them remaining found themselves in a forest emanating ancient grandeur as if it had been there from the beginning of time. Trees that may have well as reached the sky loomed over exotic plants they had never seen before and the sounds of beasts and birds echoed calmly in the distance. Ezen slashed a creeping vine at his side and scanned over his surroundings with hostile eyes. ¡°No more holding back! Hit whatever¡¯s here with everything from the start!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t have anything left for the boss.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t make it to the fucking boss at this rate!¡± He snapped back at Vin. ¡°Can¡¯t afford to lose much more¡­¡± Madar glanced deep into the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t think about conserving your skills anymore. Fight like every time¡¯s the last!¡± Stolen story; please report. With renewed vigor the guild followed their leader through the giant forest. Creeping vines, snapping plants, and piercing roots assaulted them from all sides, but they repelled every attempt. Spotted flowers spit yellow mist at them but the group bore it without resistance at Vin¡¯s signal, their immunities rendering such legendary tier afflictions harmless. ¡°Easier than the others.¡± Ezen spoke disdainfully of the dungeon. ¡°Don¡¯t drop you guard, hey!¡± Vin warned him just as one of theirs started to wander off with a glazed expression. A brown capped archer loosed an arrow through the trees to slay the alraune responsible for the mental manipulation, and their healer dispelled away the man¡¯s confused. A blurred swiped through the formation in their lull, and the healer was gone. Immediately their attention jolted to a longed armed humanoid beast atop the trees, vine growing through its body down from its head. The seeded mylorang crunched the healer within its jaw as it turned an unsettling passive eye to the rest. A firebolt destroyed the branch it laid on, and the mylorang glanced at them from the other side, hanging by one arm on a new branch, and Ezen claimed its neck. Another within their ranks started to listlessly drift off and Vin disrupted the magic around him immediately, and blinked to the side as the danger she sensed clawed the ground she had just stood on. ¡°They¡¯re going after the healers!¡± Ezen yelled as he reaped life of the second beast, their Unnoticeable skill not escaping his focus. ¡°Burn it down, now!¡± Madar ordered their Firethrower. ¡°Every group up, stay upwind.¡± The mage sent fire down the forest immediately and a second pushed gusts of wind to spread it further. The blaze swept up into an inferno that devoured the forest piece by piece. Immediately a shift in the air fell upon them as the seeded mylorangs bounded towards them from the trees. One unfortunate soul fell in the fighting but the powerhouses among them could deal with the eerie creatures well enough now that they had ceased their stealthy ways. A sense of victory threatened to sneak into the minds of those remaining and roots skewered several from the ash covered ground. A forest bloomed anew from beneath the wooden form of the Dryad Forestkeeper, enraged at the desecration of her beloved plants. Wooden spears and tendrils of vines lashed at them in precision as the forest itself also seemed to come alive and attack them as mortal enemies. Madar and Ezen blurred, cutting through the barricade of plants between them and as the dryad raged her trees harder, they leapt away and a surge of flames turned the leader of the forest to char. The remaining mylorangs spasmed and fell dead to the warm ground with it but the group did not delay, rushing straight through the emerging path down. A grand palace met them filled with natural finery of spiritual splendor but none took any joy or care with the sigh before their eyes, for only 9 of them remained. Madar¡¯s face was especially grim. 34 they started with, and now they weren¡¯t even a full party. Regardless of their reward, this had been an unbearable disaster. But they couldn¡¯t turn back. They couldn¡¯t let their comrade¡¯s lives go to waste. The only path was forward. ¡°This makes five¡­ It has to be the last¡­¡± Madar spoke but even though it was with reason, he found it hard to be too convincing, given what they had gone through thus far. ¡°Shit!¡± Ezen vented his rage and grief. ¡°I¡¯m not dying here! Listen up you bastards! If any of you die without taking something with you, I¡¯ll drop all your families in that fat bastard¡¯s palace!¡± Callous threats but no one spoke in response. Vin blinked away as a furred blur rushed past. Ezen lunged at the creatures and it flickered away faster, pausing long enough for them to get a look at it. Like the pelt of a lion it laid there as those it weren¡¯t even alive, but such illusions shattered as it blurred again, cracking a ward one of the mage¡¯s built around them. A hold stopped it long enough for Ezen to dice it apart, and another appeared within the ward without explanation, and did the same to the mage. The mindless predator paused and lunged straight for Madar, shattered his head as he cleaved it in half. The berserker¡¯s head reformed in an instant but the tension remained. ¡°To the boss room! Now!¡± Vin was the first to move and the rest followed. They fought and survived as best they could but the heartless beasts preyed upon them with ruthless focus. Fight as they might, they battled and battled all throughout the tree trunk palace, but by the time they passed through its doors, only four remained. The doors slammed shut and a flower bloomed in the center. From it rose a most beautiful blonde maiden, ethereal and grand. Pain and confusion fell upon the four as a bandersnatch appeared in midair to burst around them. In the moment it took to slay the creature, the Silah Tyrant¡¯s mana shield blocked the brunt of a firebolt and a serpentine dragon came into existence. Ezen slashed the boss in half and she reformed with panicked anger. Many horned wooly bulls called Kajuta, wind humanoid Zephyrs, rampaging Ganesh, spirits appeared as quickly as they fell while the silah herself flew away from the vicious humans inflicting them all with mental attacks. The Firethrower channelled all his power and exploded the left side of the throne room, his spell the target of nothing and no one. Before he realized why he had acted that way, a bandersnatch claimed his head. Vin blinked into the center, having been the target of the friendly fire and a shenron¡¯s jaw fell upon her. Sixth Sense urged her away but her skill failed with depleted mana, and the jaws tore her to bits. Ezen blitzed in ruthless stabs, severing the silah once more, but her form crumbled into faerie dust and a small fairy watched as the zephyrs sliced the reaper¡¯s own body apart with razor winds. An enraged Madar severed through the elder shenron and ignored the piercing horns of the kajuta as he raised his greatsword to the small fairy, and she blinked away. His despair barely managed to register as the creations of the silah fell upon him, and the last of the guild fell. A silence held the now battletorn and gruesome throne room for several moments before Flutter screamed in unbridled frustration. ¡°Nasty humans! Die before you reach me! I hate this, I hate this, I hate this!¡± The fairy panted in the center of her room, the outburst barely relieved any of her stress. This had been the fifth raid against her and the most dangerous one so far. It wasn¡¯t meant to be like this. She was supposed to be unbeatable deep within her dungeon now. As Flutter began to calm down, her thoughts turned to the stupid orange she witch and the dead eyed human who constructed things this way. She would give them a piece of her mind when they returned for making her dungeon so bad. A pause held the air again, as the trio of fairy handmaidens drifted out from the safety of the houses within the trees and began cleaning up. Flutter herself turned to the core and reconstructed it exactly as it was before, muttering to herself with a foul mood. ¡°I hope they meet all the nasty things wherever they are¡­¡± Chapter 114 Creatures of the night flew over the ground towards the party like preying shadows. A vampire opened his bloodthirsty mouth and a silvery scythe reaped its head. The wooden clacking of ten mantis puppets feuded with violent hissing. The puppets danced around Jean in perfect coordination claiming a undead every other swing of their bladed arms. A vampire noble shot up from the ground below the puppetmaster and her clawed hand shattered the skull of one of its kin. She scarcely had time to comprehend before two puppets ripped her to shreds and Jean continued his routine slaughter. A frozen spear pierced through the mouth of another legendary tier noble and three more regulars followed with deft movements before a fifth met the surging aura of Karla¡¯s kick. The two burst around at the same speed, destroying every enemy in their wake, twice as fast as they were before now that they¡¯d upgraded Rapid to the mythic tier Body Flicker. Almost as fast as them was the blinding flare of a bolt of fire of immense intensity. Yen¡¯s Comet struck a swift vampire and claimed a dozen others caught within its fiery impact. A noble lunged for her and Donny cleaved its head, his eyes of focused raged locking on to the next target as the blood knight joined the carnage in the company of arrows from the hidden hunter, nearly as fast as the amazon and dragoon. And in the center of the chaos, Shin stood in a calm trance, unconcerned with his surroundings. Invoke merely cloaked him with his bonded spirits but as he had felt with Spirit Possession, he wanted more. Deeper, closer, inseparable. Light started to fall from his body as the boundaries of being melded into one. A union of souls. Shin blurred, faster than anyone else, claiming a path of vampires in the blink of an eye. Red marked white hair flowed in the wind as he turned hollow red eyes across the fields, shrine priest warrior¡¯s robes adorned his body but his face was uncovered. Pulse gathered beneath his feet as he waved two swords in his hands and the remaining vampires severed away in an instant, Shin basking in the sense of unity for a moment before his form faded away to normal. [Greater Invoke has upgraded to mythic tier Resonance.] [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (420) Agility - 600 (1260) Constitution - 50 (105) Vitality - 152 [228] (479) Dexterity - 33 (69) Perception - 300 (630) Force - 24 (50) Spirit - 793 [1190] (2499) Control - 150 [225] (472) Willpower - 100 [150] (315) Skills: Greater Restore lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Throneguard lvl. 10, Ultimate Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Greater Invigoration lvl. 10, Greater Harvest Soul lvl. 5, Resonance lvl. 1, Pulse lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Greater Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 10, Greater Sense Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Eclipse lvl. 10, Greater Mana Absorption lvl. 10, Merge lvl. 10, Mana Harnessing lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, Vestiger, Shin scanned over his status once again. In their time spent training he had upgraded and maxed all his skills to at least legendary, and more importantly acquired two more mythic tier skills, along with the recently obtained Resonance. Both were straightforward upgrades, Eclipse now boosting his stats while possessed fivefold compared to overshadow, and Merge enabling him to combine any two compatible skills up to mythic tier. And with that, he now possessed six such skills. One more and he could finally advance to his mythic tier class, but time was short in this event now and his seventh desired skill harder to obtained than any of the others. [Skyward Kitsune Throneguard (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1800 Agility - 2402 Constitution - 1024 Vitality - 1448 Dexterity - 1905 Perception - 1572 Force - 2377 Spirit - 1992 Control - 1539 Willpower - 1941 Skills: Duality lvl. 10, Sacred Fire lvl. 10, Greater Foxfire lvl. 10, Greater Slash lvl. 10, Greater Glare lvl. 10, Supreme Sword Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Traits: Unity (mythic), Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Occult (legendary), Greater Soul Weapon (legendary), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Greater Foxtail (epic), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), [Lamassu Gatekeeper (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 733 Agility - 952 Constitution - 1015 Vitality - 829 Dexterity - 791 Perception - 1984 Force - 4201 Spirit - 3187 Control - 2048 Willpower - 2160 Skills: Sanctuary lvl. 10, Mana Barrier lvl. 10, Aurora lvl. 10, Greater Vector lvl. 5, Greater Mindfray lvl. 7, Greater Bewilder lvl. 4, Greater Fly lvl. 8, Greater Channelling lvl. 6, Greater Blink lvl. 2, Greater Disruption lvl. 3, Traits: Guardian (mythic), Greater Psychic Mind (legendary), Premonition (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), [Yeren Magecrusher (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 3500 Agility - 1890 Constitution - 2397 Vitality - 2548 Dexterity - 1555 Perception - 2101 Force - 526 Spirit - 1041 Control - 1189 Willpower - 1253 Skills: Crush lvl. 10, Anti lvl. 10, Greater Haymaker lvl. 10, Greater Rebound lvl. 6, Greater Thunderclap lvl. 4, Greater Momentum lvl. 1, Greater Shift lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Barbarism lvl. 3, If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Traits: Mana Devourer (mythic), Unfettered (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Greater Hawkeye (legendary), Greater Leather Hide (legendary), Greater Weakness Resistance (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), [Dusk Garm (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1635 Agility - 3102 Constitution - 1001 Vitality - 1248 Dexterity - 1927 Perception - 1950 Force - 1899 Spirit - 2015 Control - 1500 Willpower - 1723 Skills: Darkness Lordship lvl. 7, Shadowmeld lv. 5, Light Blitz lvl. 10, Haste lvl. 10, Fear lvl. 3, Greater Sneak lvl. 8, Greater Invisibility lvl. 5, Greater Premeditation lvl. 6, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Ghost Claw lvl. 4, Greater Phase lvl. 3, Traits: Malevolent (mythic), Malefic (mythic), Darkness Overwhelming (mythic), Loved by Darkness (mythic), Darkvision (mythic), Martial Eye (mythic), Curse Immunity (mythic), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Necrotic Resistance (legendary), He was not the only one improved. With his mana and switching between the Spiritmaster¡¯s Vest and Training Silk Shirt, all four of his spirits had ample time to train themselves, reflected in their skill levels. Most of the truly important ones had been maxed, Haste especially which increased his speed tenfold. ¡°It¡¯s basically only vampires now.¡± Yen commented. ¡°We should leave him alive since he did his job.¡± ¡°What, after you wanted to kill him so bad?¡± Donny jabbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, just pointed out the general vibe of the team¡­¡± ¡°Too many, all the time.¡± Basem interrupted with displeasure.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, we¡¯re kind of easy to find now.¡± Donny mused. ¡°Don¡¯t we have enough?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kamala answered. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to settle.¡± Yen glanced over at Mujin¡¯s brooding, troubled expression. ¡°Hey, stop feeling bad for them. Most of them are enemies and the rest would¡¯ve got killed by something else anyway. We have a goal, stay focused.¡± ¡°...there¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°Because we need a lot. Hey. Goal. Focus. Don¡¯t drop the ball because of something stupid like guilt.¡± ¡°Yeah, way too much compassion around here.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Soon?¡± Shin asked Ashley. ¡°Just a little more~¡± She smiled from a crouch, her head resting on delicate looking hands. ¡°Okay.¡± Shin dashed off on his own. While the plan readied itself, he decided to make one last round hunting for souls, hoping to find something good. --- Johan stared inside his golden locket as he often did when he was alone. His source of comfort and resolve, the bittersweet pain than accompanied it no less than the very first time he found himself stuck in its memories, though lately he found he needed it more than ever to disperse the cloud of guilt hanging over his mind. He lingered for a moment more then tucked it away back in his collar, rising from his seat of debris inside the half destroyed house with firmer expression. The cardinal threw a body from his bag on the ground and focused his mind. First a soul coalesced over the cold corpse until it formed a ghost, whole in form just as the skill should, but its mind recovered only partially. Johan focused further, willing the ghost¡¯s self to return intact as well, with all its memories and personality. Sparks strained against the ceiling of the skill and the cardinal pushed himself further still until the light broke and he stopped with labored breathes, the still unwhole mind of the ghost drawing frustration to his face. ¡°Necromancy?¡± Johan¡¯s eyes went wide as he wiped out to the sudden voice. A hollowed eyed boy stared back at him, sitting on a partially rotten beam of the roof, his unusual nonchalant posture mirroring the tone of his words. ¡°Spirits are better.¡± The cardinal¡¯s mind raced as he imagined flashes of the worst consequences of this most disastrous encounter. The Champion and his party was the strongest hand he had to play and yet now he was caught redhanded practicing the vile arts. With no excuse possible, his thoughts turned to how best to spin this yarn, but as he did, he slowly realized the state of the calm boy patiently waiting. ¡°...do you not take issue with this?¡± ¡°No?¡± Shin tilted his head at the ghost. ¡°Seance?¡± ¡°You know of it?¡± A trace of hurry appeared in Johan¡¯s voice. ¡°I saw it. You want to talk to ghosts?¡± ¡°No¡­ No, that is not my goal.¡± Johan¡¯s face pained again. ¡°There are people I must bring back.¡± ¡°From before the tower?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Before a slightly surprised Johan could respond, Shin calmly hopped down next to him, bearing a slight smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing at mythic. You have to become a god.¡± A mix of emotions found Johan¡¯s face, some of discouragement for his fruitless efforts, some renewed resolve at the information the boy gave with such certainty. Anyone else and he might have dismissed them, but the Champion must of seen more than any other initiate thus far. ¡°Who?¡± Johan hesitated for a moment at Shin¡¯s honest question, then held out a hand and a golden locket appeared. ¡°My wife and son¡­¡± He opened the locket to show small painted portraits of a a young blonde woman with the same green eyes as the young boy who had the cardinal¡¯s hair. ¡°Who do you wish to bring back?¡± ¡°Akane.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Johan smiled wryly at the direct answer with no indication of any further information as though it was meant to be obvious. Though he couldn¡¯t help but admit he felt some odd kinship over their shared goal. ¡°Become a god, is it¡­? I suppose it must be possible. I¡­ have felt for some time that what I seek may not be in this world. But still, I must find that library¡­ I must know for sure.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to the capital soon.¡± Shin admitted. ¡°You can come.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin started to turn. ¡°Ah, the town beside the cliff?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I have a gate there.¡± Johan opened a swirling portal and they entered. Johan passed through the gate, and his mind slowed to a crawl. Before them ambled an army of undead, tens of thousands strong. Many among them recognizable monsters, many mere raised corpses still wearing lesser tier garb of the commonfolk. A baffling amount, almost too much to comprehend, made worse by their disfigured faces making a nauseous mockery of life itself. ¡°Ashley made the undead. If a lot of them stay in one spot, more get created. Some types can control the others. They¡¯ll charge the walls and kill the paladins, then we can kill the stronger ones left. Kamala says we need more but-¡± ¡°Are you insane?!¡± Sweat ran down Johan¡¯s face with unsteady breath. Such atrocity before him laid bare, the very same which he had been struggling for so long to bury within his mind for the thought of it slowed his hand, shown to him now with stifling indifference. ¡°These are people! Innocent people! ¡­Do you feel nothing?!¡± Johan spat out the words, conscious overriding his calculations, as members of the party started to head towards them. He looked straight at Shin, the boy¡¯s calm demeanor remained but a beckoning depth held his eyes now. ¡°How¡­ How are you any different¡­?¡± Johan stood overcome with guilt and shame but firm resolve of a new kind started to take form in his stare. ¡°I¡¯m not like you.¡± Shin watched patiently as Johan left back through the gate and the rest of Chariot arrive. ¡°Why¡¯d you let him go?¡± Yen asked, her expression leaning serious. ¡°He has to understand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to, mate¡­¡± Donny commented. ¡°He will interfere.¡± Kamala stated bluntly. ¡°Did you tell him the plan?¡± Yen asked Shin. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ We should probably change it up a little, right?¡± ¡°Time is not on our side. We¡¯ll make adjustments on the way.¡± On those words, Ashley signalled something and the horde moved. Slowly at first, but soon the higher tiers commanding them urged them faster and faster until the undead army was charging in the direction of the capital. Chariot followed behind at the side, ready for a battle soon to come. And of their thoughts, none were calmer nor more unbothered than Shin. --- ¡°The scourge cannot breach our defenses. We have the men and the supplies, our position is sound. There¡¯s no cause to move.¡± One of the captains reported. ¡°Our cause is the capital. The longer we remain out here, the longer the holy ground is at risk.¡± Another rebuffed. Odwin had not been able to choose all his commanding officers, and this man was among those assigned to him. Troublesome pests interfering with his noble ambitions but ones he had to tolerate. Not only did he require their strength but it would stain his reputation to have good paladins of the church assassinated merely for not siding with him from the start. He would have to take the longer, more tedious route of winning them over. But in order to do that, he needed accomplishments, and he needed Gregor to die. The otherworlder heathens would return in mere days now, yet none of the blasted cowards had even made so much as an attempt on the capital since his absence. Something needed to change, he knew that. ¡°The capital will stand.¡± He spoke, bold voice from a hard face, the look soldiers would desire of one who leads them into battle. ¡°Our duty is unchanged. We will purge those within these lands who threaten the church, without fail.¡± Odwin glanced up at the messenger who just entered his command tent. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Commander. The aristocracy remains under heavy assault by vampires¡­ but the Sunlight Fellowship has just slain the last of the inquisitors battling them.¡± ¡°Their numbers?¡± Odwin asked, showing little surprise. ¡°...over 300,000. Commander. Most are common conscripts from the outskirts survivors, but the scouts report many are capable and half a company¡¯s worth of notables.¡± ¡°Good work. Dismissed.¡± The messenger nodded and left at Odwin¡¯s leave. ¡°We must face the rebel army now. Take them off guard, on favorable ground.¡± ¡°When we are just 30,000?¡± Another of the officers retorted. ¡°We are still the superior in quality. How long will those heretic conscripts last in pitch battle before they rout?¡± ¡°Perhaps long enough for the heathens to inflict us grievous harm!¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Odwin took the opportunity one of his supporters gave him in the flow of conversation. ¡°Send more scouts, deeper in this time. Bring a clearer picture of their situation before we make our move.¡± The officers gestured and left Odwin to his thoughts. The situation was far from ideal. Regardless of their chances of victory, he could not allow his army to meet the false king¡¯s. To weaken himself while the Pope remains unharmed would be the most foolish path he could take. However, he could not stand idling by if the Fellowship marched on the capital. Dissent against him would foster, and should the heathens who doubtless pulled the strings of that blasphemous boy king fail, he could offer no excuse to the church. Odwin wracked his mind for strategy once again. Something had to change. ¡°Cardinal Odwin.¡± A voice entered his mind, somewhat familiar. ¡°What business does a traitorous heretic have with me¡­?¡± Odwin spat back at the detestable lowborn upstart. ¡°The Champion and his party leads an army of undead to the capital as we speak. If not the city, the Pope will at least fall.¡± Odwin remained silent at the information Johan volunteered. ¡°The Sunlight Fellowship will find themselves beset by traitors from within. Their march on the capital will stall.¡± ¡°And why tell me this?¡± ¡°Because you will use it.¡± The voice left Odwin to his thoughts yet again, and this time, he thought more narrowly. That filthy heretic sought to manipulate him, the damnable traitor not even bothering to hide as much. Still, it showed him an opening he could not let slip through his fingers. Odwin rose to a march and flung open the flap of his tent. ¡°Here me, valiant crusaders! Ready yourselves, for we march on Nostravania! To slay the vile King of the Night! His wretched creatures grow fewer and weaker than ever. Now is the time to rid the world of his scourge!¡± A boisterous roar arose from the soldiers. ¡°For Sol!¡± ¡°For Sol!¡± The paladins, his paladins, chanted battlecries of devotion, and Odwin smiled. He would take out that wretched vampire king, and then he would return to eliminate whoever remained from the conflict in his absence. And as for that upstart traitor, he vowed to kill him with his own hands. --- Luther strolled down an empty hallway, and Johan appeared before him with a face of resolve. ¡°You seem rushed, Cardinal.¡± Luther smiled. ¡°I know the capital¡¯s poisons comes from your hands.¡± ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± Johan narrowed his eyes. ¡°The Champion¡¯s party marches with an army of undead. Now would be the time to make your move.¡± Luther¡¯s smile deepened, a little more knowingly. ¡°Are you handing me the papal throne?¡± ¡°...take it if you think you can.¡± Johan vanished back through his gate with only those words. Alone again, Luther mused to himself. Regardless of what the young cardinal¡¯s plans were, this was opportunity like no other. Even more so, was the Champion to play the leading role, something he simply could not pass up. ¡°Be ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vestra spoke from the depths of his shadow, as the cardinal continued his pleasant stroll. Chapter 115 Half of the capital ambled and idled around, listless and desperate. Euphoria had been taken from the streets and just as quickly as it had given bliss, it¡¯s absence delivered a hollow intolerable emptiness. Common residents wandered the city without care and soldiers slumped forlorn against the walls of their posts. Such issues were solely the realm of the mind, normal healers unable to help and those who could long since gotten rid of. So prevalent was this plague of gloom that the army had stopped punishing or enforcing their usual conduct, for no matter how many were made an example of or how many times they forced paladins to stand on their feet, their only gain was a loss of might and a swift return to the miserable state. Luther looked out upon the wretched city with a smile on his face. He much preferred to bestow pleasure than deprive it from others but when the stage called he had to answer it, and such nameless characters fell to the background as the stars took the spotlight. ¡°Oh?¡± Just as he thought as much, a grim horde started to appearing over the horizon. The curtains were drawn and Luther watched from the balcony of the cathedral, excited as to how it would all play out. --- ¡°Undead! ¡± Barnim roared. ¡°Vampires! Rise to your feet, do you want to turn?!¡± Panic and some life found the withdrawn paladin he shook fiercely. ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°Then man the walls!¡± The captain shouted to all as he shoved the man over to the battlements. Addicts, he cursed as he looked over most of his men. Fear and desperation had supplanted their laze at least but they were a shadow of the army once infallible against the forces of the wicked. Still, this was all he had, and he had to make it work. He stopped dead center before the path of the massive horde. Damnable undead of all kinds in greater numbers than he had ever seen, vampires among them. The King of the Night had finally marched his army on the capital in full force, Barnim assumed without doubt. As perilous their situation might be, he would not despair. He would not yield to the night. ¡°Hooooh!¡± An invigorating chant swept over the walls, granting morale and lessening their fears to all paladins. ¡°Archers and mages wait on my orders! We fire on the cursed undead in volleys. Martials combat those who assault the walls!¡± Barnim watched as the horde drew near, steady as a rock. ¡°Fire!¡± Force and elements lit up the sky as the vanguard rows of the undead army were reduced to naught but ash and dust. ¡°Fire!¡± The undead recovered their ground in an instant. Barnim had yet to become used to the sheer speed of battle in the Change, but he had adapted to it. ¡°Fire!¡± With a concentrated and controlled effort, they would systemically wipe out the horde, row after row. The volleys were proving effective and efficient, the greatest tools to wield in the face of raw numbers. ¡°Ahhh!¡± His attention was drawn to a soldier by the wall with his heart pierced and throat ripped out by a vampire noble that lunged from the shadows. More undead all over lunged with it but in the blink of an eye they were slain by the warriors waiting behind. He had lost good paladins, but that was unavoidable. Victory was still within reach. The soldier he had shaken straight saw the carnage around him, and fell in unsteady breaths of panic. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± He cast spell after spell at the horde on nothing but base emotions. ¡°Hold! Stay in the volley!¡± But as Barnim said that, more and more started to fire at will. A bombardment fell on the frontlines of battle as the captain¡¯s words fell on deaf ears. The paladins he saw give into panic were the very same addicts he trusted to prove their worth in this eleventh hour. But fear had grown too strong within them, and swept away their rational thoughts. Panic spread and even the uncompromised paladins fell victim to the atmosphere and joined in. Barnim watched helplessly as their powerful magic destroyed more ground than monster, and his plan crumbled away. Mana fizzled from the first soldier¡¯s hands and as he tried desperately to cast another spell, his eyes were drawn to a decrepit draugr that scaled the walls, its glowing eyes the last thing he saw as the creature severed his neck. All around paladins fell in droves as the undead horde started to swarm over the walls in numbers too great. Barnim himself burst into action blade shining silver as he killed three vampires in his path, and held up his sword in haste as the legendary tier death knight he aimed for shifted around and cleaved a jagged blade down on him. The undead¡¯s weapon recoiled fiercely away as Barnim severed its leg. The death knight swung again as it fell without hesitation and the captain countered again, this time taking its head and caving in its chest with a swift kick, turning it to dust against the wall. He burst again and hit the stone floor. Barnim looked back to see his severed leg behind him, claimed by a scythe wielding robed undead, and the horde fell on him. ¡°It¡¯s going good~¡± Ashley reported. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Yes.¡± Kamala watched the battle unfold with the rest of Chariot on a hill in the distance. ¡°Due to someone¡¯s interference¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yen asked. ¡°They had a sound strategy, then fell apart with the only the first assault on the walls.¡± ¡°They panicked and got trigger happy, what¡¯s strange about that?¡± ¡°...it may be best to head in before this battle concludes. In case there is another party here trying to take advantage.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± ¡°Inquisitors.¡± Basem warned, with some urgency in his voice. From the bird¡¯s eye view of his vantage point, he spotted dozens of blurring figures rushed through the capital and scale the walls in an instant, slaughtering the undead with abandon. ¡°Mythic.¡± ¡°That does suck, but I mean, we can deal with that now.¡± A small contained explosion detonated at Yen¡¯s side, the trick mine hidden away unable to damage the mythic tier chimeric human but enough to knock it away. With a thought, Yen locked the creature in place with mythic tier Hold long enough for a Dragonfang from Mujin to bore a hole in its chest and soul. Karla blurred to a second, its attacks twice that of her speed but she deflected them with raw technique. Savagery empowered her strikes as a flurry of blows obliterated every spec of the indestructible creature away before it had time to regenerate. Vines surged from the ground, trapping them all in a straight line in the air as Shin shifted form. His hair reddened in flowing locks as a golden capped crown donned his head over upright horns. Yellow his eyes and brown the skin of his body below the neck like the hide of a bull. Resonance didn¡¯t change the shape body to match that of his spirits as Invoke did, but altered his appearance while retaining his own shape. He opened his mouth as plasma swirled within, imbued with black and white flames. The plasma swelled and shot out over the mythic chimeras like a beam, the raw power of his channelled Aurora and the consuming nature of duality reducing the four inquisitors to nothing. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t waste your mana. We need your overpowered bullshit for the big bad.¡± Yen said to him as he returned to his normal form. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying how that¡¯s usually right, but still.¡± ¡°If there is someone else besides us, they¡¯re probably dealing with this too right?¡± Donny brought up. ¡°We still changing the plan?¡± Kamala glanced over to Basem, who seemed to understand. ¡°...I don¡¯t see anyone.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s internal¡­¡± ¡°Champion.¡± Chariot shifted their attention to the sudden voice inside all their minds. ¡°Not just me, right?¡± Yen asked the group. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Should you really stall here? Odwin marches his army on the vampire king. Thirty thousand strong and twenty high rankers hardened by battle. The city¡¯s thralls will fall easily to them, and they may claim Virgil¡¯s head before you are able. Your plans here will fail, at least now. Choose wisely, Champion.¡± Johan¡¯s voice left and silence remained only for a short while. ¡°Is he bluffing?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Probably not¡­¡± Jean guessed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know our skills well enough to risk a lie. If anything, he likely instigated it.¡± Kamala surmised. ¡°Even so¡­ It¡¯s the dhampyr that gave Shin some trouble, plus the other ones. It¡¯s not like twenty randoms are gonna beat him. Makes more sense to take out the capital first.¡± ¡°No.¡± Dante disagreed. ¡°It¡¯s not a race, but an opportunity.¡± ¡°What?¡± The charlatan gestured. ¡°That other theocracy army can be our horde.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yen understood. ¡°But are we just gonna give up on this? It¡¯s going well.¡± ¡°Killing the patriarch here is probably more impactful than anything else.¡± Donny offered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shin decided, unrelated to their conversation. Kamala thought for but a short moment. ¡°Pull back the undead remaining.¡± ¡°Boring~¡± Ashley complained but did as asked. ¡°Stash them somewhere for when we come back?¡± ¡°No." Kamala already adjusted the plan the second Shin decided their course of action. "Send them east to the Sunlight Fellowship. They are a bigger threat than the aristocracy.¡± ¡°Not the Igarashi?¡± Yen questioned. ¡°They would have long since assassinated the church leaders if they could. Stalling Chandra¡¯s army is more important.¡± Kamala glanced at the horde returning from the walls and charging away, then glanced over to Shin. Shin rushed northwest a bit faster than their usual travelling speed and the others followed, Nostravania in their sights. --- ¡°So Johan has made his move.¡± Luther calmly watched the undead horde retreat from the walls and the image of Chariot heading away within his crystal ball. ¡°I suppose we should as well.¡± ¡°...Is that not too hasty?¡± Luther¡¯s shadow darkened and stretched as Vestra emerged from it. ¡°The depth of the Pope¡¯s forces are still unknown, and the boy king still lives. We reach for too much too quickly.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I have never been accused of lacking ambition.¡± Vestra blurred the moment the last word left his lips, severing through his neck. Luther smiled as both body and head burst into red mist, reforming into a curly blonde haired man in medieval attire. ¡°How did you find out?¡± Amadeus asked the emotionless assassin, patiently assessing her target. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s made that joke before. A silly mistake.¡± Vestra stilled her mind after the unknown man obviously read it, her wary approach deepening as she sensed not a trace of fear nor change in confidence, not in the man¡¯s body language nor the slightest hint in his voice. She could kill him, she was sure, but perhaps at a cost not worth the reward. ¡°No matter. I¡¯ve had my fun and the stage is set.¡± Amadeus exclaimed as his body slowly evaporated in the wind. ¡°I would advise you to leave the capital. My influence will shut down all at once.¡± Vestra wondered at what point exactly did the switch occur but dispelled such thoughts for a less pressing time. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± Over two dozen dark elven women emerged from the shadows and they left without hesitation. Several mythic tier chimeric humans lunged and just as suddenly were slain by the shadowdancer matriarch. Their plans in the capital were no longer possible, but their goal could not be abandoned. Vestra weighed the options before her as the band of assassins disappeared into the night. --- Blair walked towards Virgil¡¯s throne room with graceful haste. She could just as easily appear in a flash should she desire, but that would be far too disrespectful, whether her king thought so or not. She entered the grand throne room and the sight of her lord gave her some pause. Grace and beauty unparalleled, perfection of body and mind obvious from his unwavering eyes alone. An enchanting red dress that matched her glowing eyes pronounced her pale fair beauty under the moonlight. She had been an object of desire and envy for many years but any who claimed her the most radiant being in the world, she would call a fool. A frequent thought she kept to herself as she stood before her beloved king. ¡°An army of the theocracy heads our way. They number 30,000, some among them capable¡­ but the Champion¡¯s party now heads our way as well. Taking them both on at once would be too much, if we are to protect the Grave Circles.¡± Blair paused for a moment. ¡°I propose something unconventional.¡± Chapter 116 Basem scoped out the silvery moonlit city from a hill in the distance. A different style than the cities they were used to but not something he cared to inspect too deeply. More concerning to him was the fact that it was filled with vampires and other undead, all of which currently were swarming to one side of the wall, no doubt due to the paladin army fast approaching. And even more so the individuals stationed around glowing magical carvings, some of whom he recognized. ¡°Lots of vampires. But they¡¯re going to fight the paladins. The enemy party is split up, by five magic circles- Undead are coming out of them. Strong ones.¡± ¡°Should just blitz them one by one as a group.¡± Yen suggested. ¡°If we did, they¡¯d just gate everyone together.¡± Dante casually objected. ¡°They need to split up to protect these undead summoning circles, but they¡¯ll drop everything if we give them no choice.¡± ¡°They could just as easily target us individually if we were to split up.¡± Kamala argued this time. ¡°It could very well be a trap to prompt as much, and we lack the means to respond as they can.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t¡­¡± The others turned to Jean so he elaborated. ¡°They can¡¯t risk the paladins entering the city at the same time as us. They¡¯ll be too cautious to try and take us down one at a time, plus they probably feel they have the advantage on an individual level. If we split up into groups, they¡¯ll most likely stay the same.¡± ¡°And what if they just decide fuck it and go all in? We¡¯ll get wiped.¡± Yen asked. ¡°They won¡¯t¡­" Jean spoke dispassionately. "The players are Greater Lords.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They think long term¡­¡± Kamala had a realization of sorts. ¡°At least the one giving the orders does. We can trust they won¡¯t become entirely reckless. But to be safe, we should divide ourselves in a way that compensates for each other if the situation changes.¡± ¡°How are they split up?¡± Dante asked Basem. ¡°The vampire prince¡­ and the Shadowhunter. The old spymaster and a short man¡­ Mentalist? A blood witch woman and the Seer. The magician in white clothes alone. The werewolf is outside the castle. I don¡¯t see the dhampyr.¡± ¡°He¡¯s inside.¡± Shin informed them. ¡°Then,¡± Dante spoke up. ¡°Ashley and Jean to the Prince and Shadowhunter. Donny and Basem to the Spymaster and Mentalist. Yen and Mujin to the Blood Witch and Seer. Kamala and myself to the Magician. Shin and Karla to the werewolf and king.¡± ¡°What? No, Shin should deal with the shadowhunter first.¡± Yen argued. ¡°The dhampyr is more important, and Karla is are best card to keep their amazon from interfering. Those two need to be out of the picture. Ashley can handle the prince and shadowhunter and Jean can survive there, supporting when needed. The magician and Spymaster are bad opponents for you. Donny can handle the mind mage and Basem keep at range from the Spymaster¡¯s wires. Kamala has to pair with me and I have to face the magician. That leaves the witch and the seer to you and Mujin. Between Sixth Sense and Truesight you shouldn¡¯t find any surprises.¡± ¡°So you just take the easiest one.¡± Yen grumbled. ¡°He¡¯s the one who needs to be killed the fastest. Thoughts?¡± Donny chimed in. ¡°A lot, actually.¡± Yen responded. ¡°Shocking.¡± ¡°Shut up. Me and Mujin don¡¯t have any healing and that seer put a hole in his chest last time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m stronger now.¡± Mujin frowned. ¡°And you put Jean in probably the most fucked group. Are you fine with that?¡± Yen ignored Mujin as she glanced over to Jean. ¡°Sure¡­¡± The puppetmaster answered, his attitude unchanged from the start, as he cast Nondetection on Basem to the hunter¡¯s confusion. ¡°...these are likely the best pairings.¡± Kamala voice. ¡°Make your fights short and aid the others as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Yen relented. Chariot watched as the paladin army destroyed the south gate and began their brutal battle against the undead. ¡°Now.¡± At Dante¡¯s signal they rushed towards the city. The few vampires patrolling were mowed down by efficient use of skills and the party split into their pairings. Through the streets of the city they raced, coming upon their targeted opponents in an instant. And as they did so, Pierre snapped his fingers with a smile. ¡°Stage Change.¡± Chariot and Nostravania both found themselves forcibly teleported to individual match ups in different locations. Basem darted away from a black arrow shot without warning and blinked as the huntress emerged from the shadows behind. The huntress glanced for only a moment before receded back through the shadows to relocate her prey gone into hiding. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. --- Donny found himself inside a large room, the floor flooded red with blood. He shifted past a shooting blade of blood and stomped away red tendrils as they tried to wrap around him, the shockwave making a clean circle around him. Blood coated his orichalcum axe as he shot forward, cleaving through the pale beauty in a red dress whose body fell as a puddle of blood and another rose in the distance. Donny gripped his axe and charged again. --- ¡°Hello, dear.¡± Mujin stood guarded before the Seer, who sat carefree on a pile of rubble. The calm eyes of the ethereal light pink haired beauty still as inexplicably unsettling as before. But still, Mujin assumed a perfect stance as he readied himself for a fight. Blanche smiled a little wider and more welcoming. ¡°Try your best.¡± --- A fist shattered Yen¡¯s Greater Armament before she realized and slammed into the mystic protection that surrounded her, sending her crashing through the air. She cast the legendary tier Greater Protection again as she reoriented herself in flight as the Vampire Prince pursued. ¡°Just give up!¡± Ramsay laughed as he played their deadly game of chase, shattering her protections once more and passing through her body of flames, unharmed. He turned with a smile, and a blindly fast sphere of fire slammed into him, sending him crashing through a line of buildings. Yen peered in wait from the sky in the uncomfortable lull that arose, ready to attack again the moment the vampire prince reappeared. The ground beneath her exploded as Ramsay lunged into the air, his claws nearly reaching her head before she was able to fling him away by Vector. The skill did no damage and the vampire prince flipped upright as he slid back on his feet across the stoneladen ground and this time a second Comet was swatted away to destroy a large section of the city¡¯s wall in a distance. Ramsay looked straight at her with insidious glee. ¡°So weak. You won¡¯t last long.¡± --- ¡°Ev-everything i-is mad¡­ madness¡­¡± Jean stared dispassionately at the opponent before him. A small short man with a hunchback and patchy strands of gray hair, his body more vampiric and deformed than his status suggested. ¡°Are you m-mad too? You must be.¡± Dudley spoke in jittery stutters. ¡°Everything has gone mad.¡± Four puppets appeared besides Jean, two of the Mantis model with scythed blades for arms, and two of the Hornet model, with long conical spikes and a sleeker build. He knew better than anyone he would be at a disadvantage against whoever was in front of him, but the others were relying on him pulling his own weight. The hunchback glanced up at him. ¡°...are you sane? You can¡¯t be. No one can.¡± The rambling Mentalist flew around his scythes and lances faster than it would seem he could at a glance, and far too certain. ¡°Ah, yes. I can read minds.¡± A strain fell on Jean¡¯s mind, which he weathered, a serpentine puppet bursting from the ground around the hunchback. The jaw of his Cobra model opened, spewing green acid at the man. A flicker of Sixth Sense appeared in Jean''s mind, and a puppet melted away as Jean switched places, his trait having alerted him to the danger that fooled even his senses. At some point he had become muddled enough to target himself with his own attack. It was no mere illusion, but an altering of his very thoughts and how his mind interacted with the world. Jean looked at the mumbling hunchback in the distance and readied himself indifferently for a more difficult job than he previously thought. --- Walter stood with the utmost elegance before his opponent, etiquette befitting, nay required of his station as Steward. He could not wholehearted find it within him to support Lady Blair¡¯s plans but it was not his place to speak out what his king agreed to. Thus he would perform the duties bestowed him as best he could, as he had always done. ¡°Our last bout was left unconcluded. But I assure you this time-¡± ¡°Ah, stop talking, please~¡± Ashley smiled as she skipped towards him holding her scythe behind her back. ¡°You¡¯re not fun~¡± -- ¡°Welcome! My dear misfortune audience!¡± Pierre exclaimed with dazzling showmanship. ¡°My sincerest apologies, but I¡¯m afraid this show must be short.¡± Dante flung two handfuls of throwing knives at the magician that curved in rapid strange trajectories. Portals bloomed to match and the knives sunk through, exiting the ones appearing behind Dante and Kamala. And those sunk through portals once again back towards Pierre who magically deflected them away. Several silver root spears shot up from the stone streets and passed harmlessly through his intangible form. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d improve so much in such a short time.¡± Pierre twirled away to open air as he clapped his hands once. ¡°But then again, the new world has that effect. Things change so very fast now.¡± --- Shin and Karla rushed at full speed towards the castle. Waiting patiently and unbothered at the opened gates stood a large man with red sideburns. Shin did not even spare the amazon werewolf a second glance as he ran passed. Gordon¡¯s eyes slides to the invoker and mauled out his arm but a thunderous kick sent him sliding away as the surface of his face burst to dust and quickly regenerated. Karla¡¯s Savagery enhanced Crush now did more damage to the indestructible man and broke through his immovable state as well. Shin passed through into the castle but Gordon paid him no more mind, focusing entirely on the icy blue haired amazon that burst before him without a shred of hesitation in her mind. Shin rushed through the massive castle with prismatic as if it were his own, passing through the empty hallways and through grand doors that opened on their own to a majestic throne room. Shin slowed to a walk as he came before Virgil, seated with dispassionate eyes. Shin¡¯s hair turns white and his eyes red as a wave of pulse destroyed the carpet and throne in an instant. Virgil reformed at the side in mid air as three silver longswords soared towards Shin. A veil of pulse coated Shin¡¯s own two swords as he shattered them all to pieces. An ethereal energy melded with pulse until his blades were covered in a coat of prismatic ripples as Duality flared over. And he carved through Virgil in an instant. Prismatic cracks started to slowly spread from the dhampyr¡¯s bisected torso as the glimmer of light faded from Shin. And his own bloodied arm fell away, severed by a sword that slashed the moment his Light Blitz ended. Shin slashed with his remaining arm but Virgil shifted away in reforming mist, and the would to his soul started to heal as necrotic energy permeated further into Shin. Shin made his double bladed naginata whole again and let it float in the air as he severed off the rest of his shoulder with a jagged edged palm and his arm regenerated whole. He caught back his soul weapon as Virgil¡¯s silvery swords reformed around him in the air, not once having taken his eyes off him, a neutral expression on his face from the very start, his usual slight smile absent. ¡°You¡¯re still not trying.¡± chapter 117 A wake carved through the pool of blood from the sheer speed of Blair as she flew away from the Blood Knight¡¯s pursuit. He swerved around blood blades and spikes as he drew close enough to cleave through her again, but as before her body dropped as a splash of red blood and rose whole from the pool within the room. Donny charged again but Blair¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. As she sailed away her vision scoured over the individual fights throughout the city. All seemed to be going well enough to plan so her sights turned to the battle that raged at the city walls, directing a portion of the vampires to break off and meet the paladin¡¯s flanking attempt head on as she sparked another suicidal charge of lesser tier to puncture a gap in the accursed humans¡¯ front lines for the stronger ones to take advantage of. A shield of blood hardened before her, stopping the relentless pest¡¯s sudden reckless charge Blair darted back as she returned her attention to this troublesome foe. Blood swirled in waves before her, condensing into an single sphere which writhed and surged forth as a high pressure stream. Blood coated Donny¡¯s shield as the blood jet stream shattered his Greater Bastion and cracked the layer of hardened blood, sending him cratering into the walls of the large hall. Thunderstomp blew away the tendrils that tried to snake their way around him again and he charged, but the sight of the surrounding blood flowing into his body, recovering his aura and mana caught Blair¡¯s eye. Immediately, a cascade of small serrated blades assaulted Donny, doing little but drawing blood from the knight whose regeneration outpaced the harm. Donny planted a firm step and closed the gap in an instant with Shield Charge, pivoting in shift immediately, sliding right next to the fleeing Blood Witch and rending through her torso, drawing a river of blood that flowed straight into him. Blair sailed back as Donny raised an arm, ready to strike again. And Donny froze, his mind clouded almost too long, as his shield charge just barely allowed him to avoid the giant spear of blood. Donny assessed his circumstances in his simple state. She was able to curse him through immunity, meaning she had a mythic tier curse. But at no point did he notice her using such a spell. The blood, he thought. If their was one avenue a curse could be delivered, it was through the wounds she inflicted, and perhaps even the blood he absorbed without a second thought. The thin streams of blood flowing into his blood fell dully back into the pool as he suppressed his Bloodthirst trait. Perfect Rage still active, he thought with focused aggressive, and burst towards the door of the hall. Blood shot up all around the walls from the pool below and formed a cage around them. As Donny drew near, a scythe of blood cut deep into his neck and several more forced him away, the cage impenetrable lest he was willing to take more damage than he could afford. And Blair smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not as foolish as you appear.¡± Currents gathered around the Blood Witch once more. ¡°But you cannot avoid my vile blood.¡± Donny¡¯s body spasmed at her self deprecating words, stakes of blood impaled him from within. The hardened blood mangled his body into parts. A piece of his bloodless head floating in the air recovered in an instant, just in time to burst away from a second attack. The Blood Witch resumed her attack more ferociously and insidiously than before, forcing Donny to expend more effort and aura dodging the constant assault that left not even a chance of reaching her now. Doubtless what she wanted, Donny knew. As a caster type, she almost certainly possessed more mana than he had aura. All she had to do was outlast him. Blair¡¯s domineering arrogance grew further as her attacks came closer and closer to assuring his demise, and her expression fell in shock. Frustration wracked her mind at the failure she perceived, failure of one among those most of all who should not have fallen so quickly. With a thought, she sent all the vampires she kept in reserve throughout the city barrelling in towards the woman. She could not allow her to threaten the others, to tip the balance in these cursed invaders¡¯ favor. And Donny cleaved through her torso again, forcing her to step through the blood and regenerate. In his battle craze, Donny smiled. The Blood Witch was not a fighter, and she was distracted. He charged forward, through the retaliation, piling on the pressure as Blair¡¯s demeanor turned coldly serious. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. --- Ashley stepped out of a mass of pitch black darkness that faded away behind her, revealing a dust within butler¡¯s attire flowing away with the wind. Not a single wound marred her body, her smile as carefree and mischievous as ever as she considered who would be the most amusing to help out next. Her attention turned to the lunging vampire nobles as she gracefully dodging their vicious claws. Her scythe casually reaped the lives of several but they swarmed in greater and greater numbers still. With a giggle, she hopped back leading her undead pursuers deeper into the city. --- Half a dozen Mantis and Hornet models harassed the hunchbacked Mentalist relentlessly, as Jean¡¯s mind raced with endless conflicting plans. The strain on his mind was a danger, but bearable, the same legendary tier Greater Mindfray that Shin¡¯s lamassu possessed, if Jean guessed correctly. Too long under such an attack and his mind would crumbled, but it was bearable. The threat of mental confusion loomed over the fight but one would not recognize as much in Jean¡¯s indifferent eyes. He could rely on sixth sense and Substitution to escape whenever it happened, but that would only trade one mythic skill for another. He needed to force his opponent to use more than himself and at a faster rate. In that regard, the constant base attacks from his puppets had a point. The Mentalist flew in a different way than Yen did. Smoother and more precise, likely the result of it being the upgraded version. Puppetry, even wielding six at once, would consume less mana than mythic tier Fly, and occasionally the hunchback was pushed enough that he had to cease Mindfray in spots. The less strain on his mind, the better it was for Jean. ¡°There¡¯s no point¡­¡± Dudley spoke up in his evasive flight. ¡°I-I can tell which thoughts are the strongest. The m-most real¡­ You will run out of mana before me.¡± The wooden mouths of his three Hornets clacked open, shooting a barrage of needles at the Mentalist as the Mantises continued their attack in the line of fire. Dudley hesitated only a split second before erected a Mana Barrier around himself, the mythic tier defensive skill easily shielding him from all threats. But Jean did not relent. His Hornets puts some distance between them as the Mantis slashed away fruitlessly at the perfect sphere. ¡°You c-can¡¯t win¡­ Why even try-¡± Dudley¡¯s eyes went wide as a large wooden bug teleported within his barrier, and exploded. Dudley soared away unharmed, but he had to cancel his barrier in order to escape the blast of Jean¡¯s Firefly model, a kamikaze type puppet with only the epic tier spells of Blink and Combustion, but highly effective countermeasures for such skills like barrier or ward. Dudley¡¯s head jolted as a rapid cannon exploded violently on him, more powerfully than the firefly puppet before. The smoke cleared in moments allowing the hunchback to see a new type beside Jean, a four legged animal with a long wide snout like the barrel of a cannon. The Anteater model as Jean named it, and it served one purpose, to fire a powerful attack at the enemy. It was the only puppet among his arsenal equipped with a legendary tier attack, courtesy of some of the plunder they obtained in the capital¡¯s vault, though such ammo was extremely limited. Before Dudley could speak, a firefly blinked by his side again, forcing him once more to discard a mythic tier skill after a single use. Dudley¡¯s face tensed as he found deeper thoughts in Jean, the true intentions of the puppetmaster. Wearing down his mana was merely a feint. In truth, he sought a killing blow. With that, Dudley cast a magical slash at the man, an infallible blade that soared with extreme speed and carved the air and ground in its path. And Jean jolted to the side, just barely avoiding it. Tied around his back like a vest was a winged insectoid puppet, the Dragonfly model, allowing him via Puppetry to move far faster than he himself could, enabling him to dodge such lethal blows without the more costly Substitution. ¡°He tricked me!¡± Dudley disregard himself in a panic. The invader¡¯s true intention was the wear down his mana, and he had achieved exactly that with the last exchange. Dudley started to turn, and another cannonball crashed into his barrier and another firefly blinked right beside. Dudley dismissed his barrier as he soared away, but the explosion never came. The firefly retreated away as the Mantis¡¯ flurry of blades resumed. Fear and panic spread deeper and deeper into Dudley¡¯s expression as he read Jean¡¯s mind. The puppetmaster¡¯s thoughts constantly switched between attrition and opportunity, each just as real as the other, and the hunchback could not glean his true intentions. ¡°Calm yourself.¡± Dudley startled slightly at Blair¡¯s sudden words within his mind. ¡°Maintain your initial strategy. The puppetmaster¡¯s attacks are mere bluffs. He can win no other way than a battle of attrition, so do not let him.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Dudley yelled out loud. Blair was the smartest of them all and she was always right. He let his trust fall with her, vowing to let the invader¡¯s tricks fool him no more. ¡°Y-you are mad! I knew it! You must be, a single mistake will lead to your death. N-no one can remain sane in this pit of mad¡­ ness¡­¡± Dudley stared at Jean, the apathetic eyes of informed indifference staring back in the pitch of battle, and in the depths of his mind Dudley found the truth. The man before him was entirely and unremarkably the same as he was before the tower. None of this inexplicable madness that tormented Dudley¡¯s mind so unbearably had sparked the slightest trace of a change. Dudley sailed around the blades and weaponry of the puppets as he remained speechless within the eyes and mind of the puppetmaster, and panic crept in once more. chapter 118 Basem stuck close to the moonlit side of the empty building walls as he moved, careful to avoid open areas for more than an instant and shadows even less. Stalk masked his presence, sound, scent, and even intent while Greater Chameleon blended him nearly unnoticeably with his surroundings. Perhaps he didn¡¯t need to do as much with the power of Unnoticeable, but Basem did not take chances. The vaguest hint of mana washed over him again and flowed past without issue. A radar of some kind, Basem guessed but given that the shadowhunter had made no moves afterwards, the Nondetection spell Jean cast on him before must be working. Still, Basem changed his location, carefully and swiftly. Basem scanned the area from Vantage Point up high, and found no sign of his enemy, just as before. As even his Truesight gave no benefit, he deduced she must have a similar ability as he did, a fact that only made him more wary. This game of hunting had gone on for some time now, without a single encounter. But he knew how this game ends. The first to fool the other wins. Basem nocked an arrow that turned transparent between his fingers and loosed. The arrow curved around blindspots created by the formations of buildings straight into a window, the shatter of glass echoing loudly in the silent warzone. And a black arrow pierced straight through the house he crouched behind, just barely grazing the back of his head. Basem blinked twice in rapid succession and held still in hiding behind a broken wall, adrenaline quickening his breath and breaking a cold sweat in frustrated tension. The bang of a rifle echoed in his mind. Basem grit his teeth and broke into a covert sprint, aiming for a better position as memories from the past refused to banish from his mind no matter how hard he tried. Basem laid prone in the sweltering heat of the desert, the clothes he donned and the print of his gun matching the sand and beige stone of his surroundings, the same clothes that the bloodied bodies around him wore. All of them children, some nearly adults, some of them even younger than him. Labored breath pained his dry throat and the heat baring down on him sapped the clarity of his vision with every passing minute, but still he kept his sights firmly trained on just one spot. He had missed before. If he missed again, he likely wouldn¡¯t get a third chance. Time dragged on but Basem stayed as he was, dispelling the doubts, the pain, the fear. He banished all thoughts from his mind as he kept his sights firmly trained. Finally a flash of movement caught his eye, then a man poke his head out to scan through the scope, and Basem pulled the trigger. Noise rang in his ears but the man¡¯s head snapped back with a spurt of blood silently within his scope, and Basem rolled over to his back against the wall breathing harder than ever in equal parts relief and frustration. But he rested only a moment before pushing himself to his feet and combing over the bodies of the others. His eyes lingered for a moment but quickly he started to gather their cantons, filling his own up with what they had left to spare, and started his trek back to the base. ¡°East route¡¯s clear. Might get some noise from the south but we¡¯re good to go. Just need their approval.¡± ¡°Aye. I¡¯ll let them whinge for a bit then smooth things over.¡± A middle aged man with a goatee spoke without much concern. ¡°Get us a static security job next, ay? Too much pest control lately.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what there is.¡± ¡°Boss.¡± Another armed man alerted Wallace to the presence of Basem, recently returned, worn in body and mind but his eyes still piercing sharp. ¡°Status?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± Basem answered bluntly and no more than he needed to. A grin spread on Wallace¡¯s face. ¡°Gear up! We leave in 15!¡± Wallace ordered the others and they got to work. A heavy hand landed on Basem¡¯s shoulder as Wallace walked past. ¡°Get some food and join ¡®em. I¡¯ll reward you properly later.¡± Basem stayed where he was, head tilted down to the floor as anger strained his expression further, the same that now painted his face in the city of vampires. He would not be hunted. He would not be at the mercy of others. The strider nocked an arrow and rushed out into the open, loosing an arrow that struck back with a force of unnatural recoil, propelling him out of the path of a shadowy arrow before he even realized it was fired. But his focus was on the source and he Sniped a powerful shot without hesitation. Stone shattered in its wake and the shadowhunter emerged as she shifted around it. Basem focused his skill and a mark appeared on her body, Greater Hunter¡¯s Mark, and through it he could tell where she was at all times. The huntress slipped through shadows and Basem pursued. Arrow after arrow bored through building and stone but none struck their target, the shadowhunter too swift and too adept at predicting his shots. Basem fired again, this time the raw potency diminished but its path twisted and turned unpredictably straight towards the shadowhunter¡¯s head, and she slipped it effortlessly. Basem clicked his teeth. Snipe was too straight forward and Greater Guided Arrow lacked the power and speed to land. He nocked three arrows and burst towards the huntress, ignoring every urge to remain at a distance. He blinked through her shadow arrow that sailed faster that he could move and fired. The shrapnel of three Greater Buckshots shredded the huntress apart along with the ground she stood on, and her form faded in the wind. Basem had barely the time to realize before he felt danger at his back, as Bernadette the shadowhunter rose from the dark behind, aiming a black arrow at his head. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. --- The land cracked and thundered from the titanic brawl between the two amazons. Karla slipped under a vicious maul and a flickering jab snapped back the head of towering man. Greater Concuss robbed him of his senses long enough for the kick that followed to crash clean on the side of his head. The skin of half his face burst and his skull beneath cracked deeply as he spun off balance, and a sudden back kick struck Karla¡¯s guard. The flesh of her arms obliterated to nothing and her bones fractured, but they reset and healed in an instant, just as the man¡¯s wounds had, and she burst back into range. The two traded crushing blows with abandon, showing neither fear nor hesitation. But the longer the brawl continued, the more apparent two facts became. One, Karla was the superior martial artist, in all aspects and measures. And two, mythic tier Tempered Bones was not the equal of Indestructible. The werewolf¡¯s Crush inflicted as much damage on her as her Savagery enhanced Crush did on him. Should this remain, Karla¡¯s mana and aura reserves would run dry before his and yet, ¡®unwavering¡¯ did not do justice to the icy blue haired amazon¡¯s eyes. She desired the peril, and saw nothing but the victory that laid behind. ¡°This fight will end like the last.¡± Gordon spoke as they traded mortal wounds. ¡°Outsider. None of this is your concern. You have no reason to fight. No purpose.¡± His fist shattered the front of her skull, and before it healed, she slammed her head into his. Karla parried away his trailing maul and caved in his chest with a stomp kick. Gordon crashed through the wall of a building and burst back through the rubble, his solemn expression starting to tense with rage. ¡°What can you do?! With nothing to drive you?!¡± A flurry of heavy blows forced Karla on the defensive. ¡°You fight for nothing!¡± Karla took a crushing blow to the face and a spinning hammer fist returned on Gordon¡¯s. He faced forward and the blur of a jumping elbow sent him crashing away as Karla pursued. More than unwavering resolve, more than unrelenting fortitude, her very being intensified with each bloody moment with the pure love of beautiful violence. A savage artist. Fur coated Gordon¡¯s body in an instant as he took the form of a werewolf with a devastating howl. And Karla¡¯s flying knee concussed him once more, his mental attack wasted on her. A clawed hand grasped her leg as Gordon slumped back, and hurled her away with a sudden spin, a dozen houses demolished in her wake. Gordon lunged like a rabid beast, a clawed maul slashing through her armorous bones. A crushing kick damaged his side as his sharp fangs ripped out a chunk of her neck. A second kick landed on his side without hesitation. A jab paused his thoughts and a third kick finally broke through, exposing his ribs and organs. Gordon swiped her away as his wounds healed and sprinted after her, lunging from building to building on all fours. He blitzed around Karla, faster and more versatile as her Body Flicker would allow, slashing and mauling away as he razed past without pause. Karla dodged and blocked and countered but the werewolf bloodied her more than she did him. And still her eager smile remained. Still the depth in her eyes swelled without need for words. Gordon slashed across her face, and her wounds did not heal. In an instant, Gordon¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he lunged. Karla swayed away from the thrusting palm, much slower than she had, but she read his attack as clear as day and connected a kick that crashed the beast away. But Gordon returned, and his controlled ferocity carved and ripped away at her bit by bit. And still Karla¡¯s eyes deepened. Her blood spilt. Her flesh tore. Her bones broke. And still she fought without hesitation as the sensation of victory felt closer than ever. Gordon rammed her away with immense speed and power more so that he had shown thus far. The stone streets beneath her shattered and cratered as she crashed away and parted in fragments as she dug her feet in to regain her stance. And Gordon was upon her. In the slow of of a heightened state, his maul moved for the killing blow, faster than she could avoid. And Karla let out a deep red breath, falling shards of light followed. Maul shattered the greater bastion protecting her face as she let the impact spin her away still in stance, both actions dampening the blow enough for her to survive. The werewolf lunged again and Karla leaned back, kicking him up in the air with the surge of dynamic. The amazoness followed, sprinting up the air in large steps to the flailing creature. Gordon grit his fangs and swiped at her with his raw power and quickly realized his mistake as his arm parried away and Karla drew closer. Gordon shielded his vitals with thick furred arms, biding his time to reach the ground again, and Karla unleashed a flurry of devastating blows, each with the power of savagery enhanced Crush as destructive as before. Gordon¡¯s arms were pulverized to tatters and his torso and face followed before he snapped out of shock, mauling Karla with both arms, sending her cratering back down. And Karla burst back up, part of her skull exposed and one arm missing from the forearm. Karla flickered around Gordon in the air, snapping at any openings he showed. Three Crushes landed in erratic exchanges and Karla let a claw severing through the edge of her side as she landed a Dynamic fist, sending the werewolf back up. Desperation found Gordon¡¯s movements as he lashed out more thoroughly against her, giving no opening until they hit the ground. Karla¡¯s feet hit the ground first and timed another crushing kick perfectly at the lunging werewolf. A block of stone broke against the amazoness¡¯ fist and more followed in rapid succession as the werewolf raced around her hurling all manner of debris. Each and every lethal projectile was smashed, parried, or weathered with Bastion as Karla used her skills endless, drawing as much aura through her breath as she needed. Gordon swung his fist and blast a house in parts towards her. And Karla stepped into the storm of rubble, blocking and swatting everything in her path away. And Gordon lunged through its cover. Karla slipped under his palm again but this time he predicted as much, his second hand clawing up straight at her path. And Karla stunted her movements, the werewolf¡¯s claws only slicing the surface of her face as her own fist landed clean on his jaw. A crushing kick stirred Gordon from his stupor only for another enhanced Concuss to stagger him once more. Gordon¡¯s body burst and healed in a rapid cycle of skills despite his fierce resistance until finally, his wounds stopped healing. The werewolf¡¯s power remained, but his speed slowed with the loss of Greater Swiftness, just as Karla¡¯s had, and the amazoness surged with even greater brutality. Her eyes shuddered and hazed over as the strain on her mind and being grew and grew but she ignored it just as she did the damage to her body. Blood poured and flesh and bone vanished from Gordon¡¯s body as Karla¡¯s strikes ate away at him. Gordon raged in between bouts of unconsciousness. He rallied and angered and resolved to no avail, and eventually he despaired. A fist finally broke through to his brain and for him the world went dark. The werewolf slumped to the ground, and Karla stood over, stomping again and again until his head was completely destroyed, and at last she had victory. In her daze, Karla spared the man not a single glance more as she started walking towards the castle, and fell flat on her face. Her mind muddied and blurred to the point she could barely form a thought. Her body was numb, and the familiar pain of her weakened soul on the verge of breaking ached. She willed herself up but not even a finger moved, and then the strain claimed her consciousness, leaving her bleeding out in the wreck of a city. chapter 119 Yen scorched through the air erratically, tension obvious on her face even through her body of flames. A blur razed straight through her and then a second and third time before she could fully react. She tightened her focus and when a fourth mauling swipe claimed more of her flames, she fired a Comet. The vampire prince turned just in time to see the intense sphere of heat smash into him with thunderous flame, sending him crashing down through buildings and stone streets. Yen paused only for an instant, and a chunk of her fiery head carved away as the prince lunged again, robbing yet more of her mana to recover her form. Frustration and nerves spread on her face further still. Greater Armament was useless before the vampire¡¯s claws, and her mystic protection broken from the start. She only remained alive by virtue of Greater Fire Mimicry but her mana was steadily draining with every passing moment. Her attacks had done little so far. Any of her legendary tier skills would not so much as singe the little monster¡¯s hair and even Comet had almost no effect. She had not the time to maximize it to catch the vampire in motion, but even still, it was a mythic tier spell boosted further by Fire Overwhelming. The prince wasn¡¯t indestructible but it was obvious he possessed Fire Immunity, and through surviving her attacks he would regenerate any wounds in an instant. She needed time, time to unleash an attack to her greatest ability but time was difficult to come by. The vampire¡¯s speed was far too great for her vision. Let alone a blur, he was practically invisible to her. Just the slightest wisp of movement was all she could catch from his rapid lunges and taunting dashes. Yen rocketed into the air with the hope of a plan in her mind, and the mana shield beneath her shattered. Greater Armament followed next but the two spells had slowed the vampire to a stop, and that was all she needed. An intense invisible force locked him in place as Yen soared away. Cinder dust coated his body and a vortex greedily sucked in the air around him as his struggled in vain, and Yen focused. With all her effort, she intensified the vortex as the might of a spell rose to its greatest heights, and a second blinding sun bloomed in the night city. The Explosion thundered the world as sphere of impact tore through the ground below, buildings and all. Plants turned to ash in the heat and the light so piercing it seemed to scorch a permanent white on the black sky. Yen waited as the storm of wind settled and the blazing fire subsided. And the vampire prince stepped out with an arrogant sneer. His moonlight white hair regrew and his charred flesh healed in but a moment. A sense of hopelessness not felt in what seemed the distant past reared its ugly head in Yen¡¯s mind. ¡°I have more than just Fire Immunity.¡± Ramsay offered willingly, throwing further salt on the wound for nothing more than his amusement. ¡°Your pitiful attacks won¡¯t work.¡± Weapons coated in alchemical silver emerged in the air around the mage as she sent them piercing towards the vampire with the power of Vector. Ramsay darted and hopped through the air casually as laughter overcame him at the pale imitation of the king. Yen persisted through the fruitless attacks and the mockery returned, drawing more and more weapons from her spatial bag. The last vestiges of Ramsay¡¯s laughter stuttered out as he turned a preying eye on the mage. He darted to the side in a crouching start, and a three silver spears pierced him back. Dozens of weapons impaled him in an instant from all sides, as if drawn to him, the power of Greater Magnetism at work. Ramsay pulled the silver weapons from his body one by one as if they were nothing more than mere inconveniences. Yen drew a sword shining a permanent holy gold and sent it flying through his chest, only for the vampire to pull it back out and toss it aside like trash all the same. Dread started to replaced Yen¡¯s hopelessness. Silver was her last resort, one she had not even planned on using, and even holy weapons did not work. Her strongest attack did little more than surface damage, and she couldn¡¯t even fall back on depriving the monster of oxygen. Her mind raced to find a win condition of any kind but no matter how much she thought, her build gave no answer. ¡°Do you see now, the difference between commoners and true royalty? This is the nature of the world, the absolute rule of law. Those who merely imitate cannot match those born special, no matter how much false hope this change has thrown around. Fakes like you think you can go against the natural order just because you managed to become a little special.¡± Ramsay sneered, calmly walking through the air with the arrogance of a tyrant, as his words fell heavily on Yen¡¯s ears. ¡°Don¡¯t fret. I will graciously lend you a hand. You see, vampire royalty such as myself, can bypass that Curse Immunity everyone seems to have found. You might have stalled our plans before but nothing has changed. Soon, all will be made thralls to serve us!¡± Ramsay turned a more insidious glint of glee in his eyes to the simmering mage. ¡°I think I will make you my personal servant.¡± A ring appeared in Yen¡¯s quiet finger, and a bolt of acid struck the vampire prince. Immediately, the prince yelled in pain as the viscous green liquid melted his flesh. Ramsay¡¯s body scattered to flowing mist and a stream of frost froze the vapor solid. A portion of it escaped and turned to flesh that regenerated whole in an instant as another bolt of acid just barely grazed his skin as he leaned away. The silver weapons rose once more and their graceful silvery form turned green from the Acidic Infusion granted by the bracelet now donning Yen¡¯s wrist. Ramsay blitzed all around as the weapons pursued his still magnetized body, condemnation soaring to rage in his expression. ¡°Acid and frost! Where is your pride?! Are you not fire?!¡± Ramsay roared but only Yen¡¯s grim expression of silent resolve answered. And his rage grew. ¡°You ingrate cur! You don¡¯t deserve to turn! You are don¡¯t deserve to be superior!¡± ¡°Do not be reckless. Use the items-¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Ramsay yelled back at Blair¡¯s voice in his head. He burst forward mindlessly with immense speed, and crashed once again upon layers of defense. Hold locked him in place once more, and a mass of acid enveloped him. Ramsay screamed in pain and rage as his flesh melted and regenerated over and over. ¡°Common wench!¡± The vampire prince shrieked. ¡°You dare¡­ harm me with tricks! I have the blood of kings!¡± Yen gave no words in response, only maximizing the Hold trapping him and the sphere of acid shearing him down. Curses and insults flung her way but she held, and soon the vampires¡¯ cries weakened as his regeneration ceased. ¡°I am the heir! The rightful king! That cur¡­ will fall by my hand! He and his loathsome church both! Ahhh! Damn you! You dare¡­ Prideless¡­ peasa-¡± The entirety of the prince dissolved away with his final words and nearly the last of her mana. Yen lingered in the air as her flames subsided to her normal form, victory in her hand but it tasted of bitter ash. The arrogant prince¡¯s words were foolish, she knew that. In a fight to the death with her back against the wall, how could she not use everything at her disposal to win. But she wanted to win with her own power. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°What do you know, you piece of shit?! This early in the game!¡± Yen gripped her hands as her anger boiled over at the words still lingering in her mind. ¡°...anyone can be special now.¡± She lingered only a moment more, before flying off in search of another member of the party to give whatever help she could. Her expression still grim in frustration and self hatred but a determination within rose back to the surface with gritted teeth. Even if she was made to face realty once more, that was nothing more than the realty of now. She banished the creeping doubts in her mind and grabbed hold of the dream that threatened to sneak away. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone said. Nothing had changed. She had laid out her path and she would walk it no matter what stood in her way, until she reached the peak. --- Dudley evaded the scythes of the chasing mantises but his focus was on the threatening fireflies trailing behind, just waiting for him to use his barrier. The hunchback read the intentions of a ranged attack within the puppetmaster¡¯s mind and shifted away from the volley of needles, only for his expression to jolt at the cannonball exploded on him. Two fireflies appeared at either side, forcing him to conjure another barrier to guard against their blasts and yet another as the same happened again. Dudley fled with a charred body and panicked curses in his mind as his vampire form healed his wounds, at a cost. The devious man had caused him to use three barriers in succession, and now his thoughts were filled with victory by attrition. In his frustration, Dudley caught sight of most of the puppets crossing paths in a straight line, and Jean in their path. A spatial slash severed through the puppets but slayed only a simple dummy in Jean¡¯s place. Most of the damaged puppets continued their assault unhindered but in that split second, Dudley saw their movements stagger, allowing him to create some distance. Panic spread further as the Mentalist read Jean¡¯s mind. Switching, always switching, back and forth between intentions. It terrified him. Even now, Dudley¡¯s victory was assured. The puppetmaster¡¯s mind wouldn¡¯t hold out much longer and yet he showed no fear, no concern. Always playing the game of thoughts as though nothing was amiss at all. An anteater puppet hiding among the buildings fired at him, leaving no choice but to cast a barrier and bear the damage from the ensuing firefly. Dudley cursed further. His victory was assured. It was certain, he knew, but the doubt would not leave his mind. Dudley saw the puppets coincidentally line up again but he would not take the bait. He need only stick to the plan Blair had assured him. Two anteater puppets appeared by Jean¡¯s side and a Hornet in the sky opened up, releasing dozens of fireflies. Tension rose on Dudley¡¯s face but then he remembered. The puppets would stagger. A spatial slash soared towards Jean, and the mantises impaled and severed his flesh. Dudley screamed in pain as the silver wracked his body, turning an panicked eye to the ground where he found the puppetmaster standing, part of his toros and the arm with it severed clean off. His expression still the same as blood drained from his body. Dudley tore himself away from the silver and several fireflies exploded on him, and the silver scythes impaled his regenerating body once more. He could not do this, Dudley thought. It was too much. Everything was too much. This fight, this world. Madness, all of it. The puppets fell lifeless and dropped out of the sky, Dudley with them. And even on the ground as the silver blades still within sapped his life away, his thoughts were fixated. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. None of this is right. How¡­ how can you all remain sane in this madness? How can you not change? Everything is madness. Every¡­¡± Dudley¡¯s thoughts drifted as an epiphany rose in his mind. ¡°...sanity in an insane world is an insanity as well¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jean spoke as the last of his mana sputtered out of a ring, just barely enough to stop the bleeding of his terrible wound. His apathetic eyes and expression unchanged as the hunchback¡¯s life finally ended. ¡°I¡¯m probably not sane.¡± -- Pierre sailed through the barrage of knives and vines with theatrical flair. Twirling around the chasing projectiles, weaving past grasping silver plants, he cleanly avoided all of their precise attempts to corner them. He sailed left and leaned back sharp as a knife almost grazed his face. A product of Foresight from the charlatan, Pierre knew, for he held the same trait. The game they found themselves locked in was in large part due to the duel between their predictions, which essentially leveled the playing field to normal, at least for those with the mental capabilities to maintain focus on two sets of time. Pierre continued his dance, preventing the knives from even so much as cut his clothes, but the vines grew and spread too, and soon he found himself in a cage of vines. Wooden spears struck out from the bars of the cage, and Pierre blinked away. He appeared behind Kamala, striking down with his cane. Magic shattered around her as he blocked the Pagan¡¯s own teleportation, but Dante blinked between them, corrosive aura enveloping his palm that chopped back at the magician. Just as Pierre wanted. Dante¡¯s palm passed harmlessly through Pierre¡¯s intangible body as his cane started to bore into the charlatan¡¯s skull as if eating away at the very space his body occupied, and then his eye¡¯s widened. Glowing runic markings emerged on Dante¡¯s body and the cane passed through his head, while his corrosive palm melting through the remaining half of Pierre¡¯s body. Pierre blinked away and his figure took a more vampiric form, but still the mythic tier acid lingered too strongly. He flourished his can and severed off that part of his body to regenerate clean from scratch. His form returned human and the game of knives and vines resumed. Pierre inspected the duo more closely. High intelligence and tricky skills, it was for this reason that he elected to take on both himself but they exceeded his expectations. That skill of the charlatan¡¯s was of particular note. If he were to hazard a guess, it reversed the nature of intangibility, allowing him to strike through Phantasm while he himself was also made intangible. A most troublesome ability, given his own skillset, and the potency of his acidic coating was a concern. And as such, Pierre decided to eliminate him first. Spearing vines shot out from a portal behind, and he snapped his fingers. Silver vines skewered through Dante¡¯s chest as Pierre swung his cane at Kamala from where the charlatan had just been. Her shield feathered wings stalled his spatial attack long enough for Dante to blink near, and Pierre smiled. A portal opened above the moment Dante moved, and a stone pillar shattered his skull against the ground. [Human Runic Charlatan (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 150 (270) Agility - 450 (810) Constitution - 150 (270) Vitality - 100 (180) Dexterity - 120 (216) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 30 (54) Spirit - 638 [957] (1722) Control - 300 [450] (810) Willpower - 200 [300] (540) Skills: Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 10, Trajectory lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Hallucination lvl. 10, Greater Trick Mine lvl. 10, Greater Flashbang lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Morph lvl. 10, Greater Silence lvl. 10, Greater Obscuration lvl. 10, Greater Shadowstep lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Shawl lvl. 10, Rogue¡¯s Arsenal lvl. 10, Greater Blink lvl. 10, Portal lvl. 10, Greater Phantom Platform lvl. 10, Greater Escape Art lvl. 10, Greater Weight Shift lvl. 10, Stigma lvl. 10, Mana Harnessing lvl. 10, Corrosive lvl. 10, Traits: Foresight, Hypercognition, Tireless, Truth and Lies, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Control, Great Spirit, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Willpower, Kamala¡¯s eyes widened just slightly before plants erupted beneath her, propelling her away into the sky. And by her side a divine warrioress appeared. The black wings of a raven spread at her back, silver full plate armor and golden cloth donned her body capped by a winged helm that covered all but the lower half of her face, black hair draping over her armor. In her hand she held a great spear and in her other a round shield with the knotted sigil of three ravens. [Valkyrie Shieldmaiden (mythic variant) - Greater Lord] Pierre twirled his cane as he peered over the summoned monster that looked to be more trouble. ¡°As fun as this has been, I shan¡¯t take up much more of your time. You are not the audience I seek, after all.¡± Trees and plants shattered the stone of streets and buildings as a forest bloomed around them. Kamala spared Dante¡¯s body a last glance, her initial shock however muted it was worn off as she loomed over the growing forest with stoic resolve. Chapter 120 Mujin flickered through the city and his spear flickered with him. Cloaked in the armor of Dragonplate. He hounded the pale blue haired vampiress like a trained beast but no matter how hard he tried, his blade found no purchase. It did not even draw close enough to change her ever present placid smile. Three rapid thrusts were dodged effortlessly but a fourth appeared before her face in the blink of an eye. She shifted away more suddenly and purposefully than before, and Mujin thrust his palm, sending a blast of lightning. With neither the time nor mana to spare on an item with Channelling, its force paled in comparison to the mage in his party, he knew, but lightning immunity was rare among players, and with any luck, she would be paralyzed long enough for him to land a finishing blow. The vampiress charged through the lightning unharmed before his eyes, and only through Sixth Sense and his reflexes did he barely have enough time to hold his spear before him. A metallic hand clawed through his plated scales, the staff of his spear managing to parry it away before it reached his face, and a kick from below followed. Mujin felt that coming too but as he drew upon lightning mimicry a dullness shot through his body and the kick landed. His insides ruptured in an instant and pain wracked his body as blood vomited from his mouth. Mujin forced his body to dart back through the agony. Breath evaded him as he did not have Body Supremacy like so many of the others and his healing slow with only an epic tier regeneration item to rely on, and yet the Seer did not act. Weakened and wounded, she¡¯d only need to press on to claim victory and she remained at a distance, with lazy eyes and an unconcerned smile. ¡°You¡¯d be better off running for help, no?¡± Blanche sweetly asked as she started to walk slowly towards him, her hair flowing muted pink again. Mujin didn¡¯t respond, and wouldn¡¯t even if he could, waiting with coiled tension for his body to heal well enough to fight again. ¡°Ah, but that wouldn¡¯t help much. Half of you should be dead by now.¡± Mujin¡¯s eyes sharpened at those words then banished them from his mind as the tauntings of an enemy. Something Blanche did not miss. ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me? I am a seer after all. The Charlatan. The Pagan. The Strider. The Knight. The Amazon. They had me divine before you arrived and those are the bodies I saw. I may have neglected to mention that some of us will die too, but you¡¯ll keep that a secret just between us, won¡¯t you?¡± Lightning sparked just briefly across Mujin¡¯s arm as his frown deepened. He knew he shouldn¡¯t listen to the words of an enemy. He knew that, but still worry and anger grew in the back of his mind and the chance her words were not just cheap lies. Blanche smiled, welcoming and unnerving. ¡°I could turn you. You¡¯ll live that way, at least.¡± Blanche drew closer with every slow step. ¡°I¡¯ll save everyone left if you do.¡± Mujin¡¯s spear spun violently in his palm like a drill as he thrash it on the ground, sending a hail of dust and stone at the seer. Blanche flourished her hand, swatting away the rubble in a blur and Mujin flickered behind. With every ounce of his strength, he thrust his spear. As she reached out a steeled palm to block, the frozen spear bent unnaturally, Willow curving it around her hand as the image of a dragon¡¯s fang enveloped the spear. And the tip stopped just short of her unconcerned face. Mujin struggled against the invisible force locking him in place but not an inch of him would budge. ¡°So close.¡± Her voice deepened slightly as her body took the form of a man bearing the same expression of playful malice. ¡°Just a little further.¡± The steeled claws subsided, replaced with a ball of flames intensifying in the palm of her hand, outstretched right at Mujin¡¯s face. And his eyes widened as a wave of flames surged forth. --- Basem crouched behind a broken wall, the cloth and leather of his shoulder soaked red. The bleeding had finally stopped and stealth hide the scent of blood but his situation was the still same. The shadowhunter stalked him relentlessly. Every shot of hers threatened to claim his life should his caution and focus slow even a shade below his best and none of his own came close to finding their mark. A truly hopeless situation, Basem cursed. It took every ounce of his resistance not to abandon the fight, abandon the others, but with each passing moment he felt more drawn to the thought. The barest hint of danger let him blink away just before a shadowy arrow destroy his meager cover, and sent him back on the move. ¡°Well done.¡± The smile he hated most mocked him in his mind as he darted from cover to cover. ¡°Good thing we have you.¡± Disingenuous praise of armed adults taunted him as he evaded another arrow. ¡°A sharpshooter such as yourself will fit right in with our band.¡± The words of a being he didn¡¯t understand no different than any other. ¡°You¡¯re the best card in my hand.¡± ¡°I am no tool!¡± Rage that had been boiling within finally exploded as he fired his bow half blind out from his cover. An arrow grazed deep into his cheek as the bursting shrapnel of his own low across the ground missed entirely, but they did their job. He locked another Hunter¡¯s Mark on the traces of the shadowhunter and fired arrow after arrow on the run. His speed was less than his vampirized foe, only skill and intuition allowing him to survive the exchanges with shallow wounds. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But he drew no closer to victory. ¡°Die!¡± Every passing moment brought him closer to death. ¡°Die!¡± His instincts and sense urging him to flee. ¡°Die!¡± The huntress too quick, reacting too well. The Sixth Sense trait Basem believed, just like what the stupid spear warrior and the doll user had. Another arrow slicing deep past his side but Basem ignored the pain as he took aim. Eyes of the most intense ire and desire to kill swelling past the breaking point. ¡°Die!¡± Light shattered off him as his arrow soared. The shadowhunter dodged but the arrow curved back in an instant, pursuing her once more. She dodged it again and darted into the shadows as a second pierced through the stone ground. She rose from another shadow in the distance and jolted her head back as a snipe bored a hole in the wall behind. Bernadette retreated back into the shadows and lingered. A consideration to leave the fight emerged in her mind but she dismissed it. She was told to kill the one brought to her. An urge to advance her rank bloomed after but she suppressed it. She was told to wait until she had reached the height of these classes. Bernadette wished for more time to think, more time to hunt carefully and cautiously, but she couldn¡¯t linger any longer. She sprung from the shadows, dodging the arrow she knew would come and aimed her own in turn. But the strider¡¯s arrow burst in a consuming flash of light, burning away the shadows around and robbing her of her sight. In the hazy sense of danger she blitzed around, dodging the three chasing clusters of harm, and Sixth Sense flared at the strider blinking behind her. She turned and fired at the same time he did, but as Basem¡¯s fingers left the string, the recoil knocked him back at an awkward angle, escaping certain death at the cost of half his neck. A second arrow was nocked in an instant and as the shadowhunter turned her focus to him, the first arrow coated in alchemical silver pierced a hole through her back. The wretch metal stunned her body and mana for an instant but that was far too much time. Basem loosed his arrow and silver shrapnel shredded her apart. Chunks of flesh squirmed and regenerated in an instant, but the shadowhunter¡¯s vampire form ran out. The sliver of a moment¡¯s thought felt like an eternity but she raised her bow in the end, just as she was, and Basem¡¯s arrow blew off her head. Her body swayed then crumbled back and laid still on the ground, her Greater Lord status available to the hunter. Basem stared at the body for only a moment before the pain of his neck snapped him back to his situation. He pulled an item from his bag that slowly regenerated his flesh but failed to finish the job completely as his mana ran dry. He clicked his teeth. Without the boost of Haste, he was as good as dead against these monsters. He spared the city a single glance in thought of the others and fled, thinking nothing more than his own survival. --- Mujin flickered through the sky, coated in the bloodied armor of Dragonplate as spells of all the elements soared past. Sixth Sense and Lightning Reflexes allowed him to avoid a lethal blow but only just barely under the endless onslaught of magic. A slower stream of fire gave him the opening to burst back towards the ground, and Blanche appeared in his sights in the form of a woman. He parried away her clawed hand and a blast of mana from a male male hand sent him crashing through a building. Mujin jolted away to his feet as a pool of acid melting through stone, and the vampiress blinked behind him, turning female once more with coiled blows. He parried the first but the second slashed through his armor once again and stunted his use of mana. The male form raised a hand but no spells came as Mujin leapt back. The seer held still for a moment with a careless smile before resuming her calculated and flawed attack. She was toying with him, Mujin knew, and he had no answer for it. He had avoided death within the hold by his lightning mimicry form, but her claws could rob him of that and he would have no way to escape her Hold. She could have ended things there, as she could have several times before, and it was not for lack of ability that she did not do so. Mujin would not claim to be an expert, but he suspected she had limitless mana. With no need for concern of magic, she was free to torment him, like cat before a cornered mouse. Mujin clenched his teeth as he soldiered on through the danger. He had acquired power beyond his imagination and yet still he fell short of the gifted. But he soldiered on, not the slightest hint of consideration for retreat in his mind. ¡°Would you like to know how this ends?¡± Blanche asked as she slipped around his spear, returning grazing claws. ¡°I did see each fight, this one as well. It¡¯s going exactly the same.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± She darted away from lunging flicker of his furious spear. ¡°So angry.¡± She taunted back. ¡°Ah, but there are some I can¡¯t see. Virgil¡¯s is closed to me. I asked him why and he wouldn¡¯t say. Isn¡¯t that inconsiderate?¡± Mujin thrust and flourished his spear as she spoke, without result. ¡°You¡¯re friend facing him is also strange. Always changing. Have you asked him why? Yours is quite normal, by the way.¡± Mujin blocked a kick from her, sending him sliding back on his feet and he dug in, honing his stance further. ¡°Every man¡¯s fate is his own!¡± Blanche paused across from him, her posture full of openings. ¡°Ah, did I touch a nerve? But you are right. Nothing¡¯s set in stone. For instance¡­¡± She blurred, far faster than she had before, and blood poured from where Mujin¡¯s left arm used to be, the same dragon scaled arm in Blanche¡¯s hands. ¡°In my vision, I took the right.¡± Mujin resisted every urge to pay mind to the agony of his wound as he turned to face her, spear held firm in his lone arm as he strained his senses and focus as far as they would go. ¡°So stubborn.¡± Blanche tossed his arm to the side. ¡°But that is why I asked for you. The moment when the hardened warrior breaks, and loses all his unwavering resolve is truly the greatest bliss.¡± Mujin burst towards her with everything he had, dragon fang forming around his spear, and froze in place. Without pause, his form turned to lightning and he ripped through, bearing his spear down on the seer, and she simply blinked away. A volley of fiery bolt bloomed in the air around her, and with a thought hailed down at Mujin. In the face of death, Mujin gripped his spear still and with all his strength, threw the spear to impale the shocked vampire as the firebolts bombarded him. Blanche recoiled with pained movements, a pain in her soul she thought she had long forgotten changed her expression from shock to rage. Her form switched erratically and incompletely between her two as his mana refused to obey fully, and in the corner of her eye she catch notice of a figure. The dragoon, bloodied and broken, took hold of his spear and wrenched it from her along with her wretched shriek, and took a honed stance. Whole minded with unbroken resolve, Mujin ignored everything around him as he focused on nothing but his form. The ruthless fang of a dragon enveloped his spear once more, and he flurried it faster than Blanche could flee. In the blink of an eye half a dozen blows bored her body apart, and she had only long enough for her anger and shock and confidence to fall to the glimmers of fear as her soul followed. Mujin dropped to his knees before the remains of his defeated opponent, coarse agony escaping his throat as the backlash of Dragonfang raged through his soul. He tried to rise to his feet and fell further down. On the cold stone ground, Mujin writhed, pain nearly stealing all his thoughts, as he weathered it with all his might, willing his soul to hold together, lest it too fall apart. Chapter 121 Blair wrought all manner of blades and spikes at the evasive vermin pursuing her, all pretense of control gone from her face now tensed in graceful frustration. Gordon had died, a shock she could not deny, but fortunately he had rendered his opponent unable to fight, unable to put her king in further danger. The losses of Bernadette and Dudley stung but they were replaceable. Blanche less so but at least she had incapacitated the Dragoon who posses the one type of skill that could threaten the king. She had served some purpose, which is more than she could say for that fool of a prince. Ramsay was the cornerstone of their plans, and his loss would be severely felt. But she forced herself not to lose her temper and focus further. He was unique before, but with the chance the possibility of recreating him was likely. They need only find a new one, or a player who could make the same. Virgil may not like the second option but they had little choice, and she would take his burden and ire if needed. The dangerous woman was still kept away by the vampires. Blair had wondered if she had overreacted and thought too highly of her threat but now she could see her gut feeling from right. The problem facing them was that nearly all of the invaders were still alive, even if some were just barely, and the paladin army was starting to gain the upper hand. The presence of specialized healers meant that they could survive longer in pitch combat than even the regenerating undead. They were supposed to have killed the party by now, the first victors reinforcing the others to overwhelm them, then slay the champion alongside their king. The paladin threat before them would be crushed with their addition. But now there was only Pierre and herself remaining. ¡°The others are dead. End your fight now and finish their duties.¡± She delivered an order with harsher tone than usual to the irresponsible magician and assumed her vampire form, darting away from the chasing knight with raw physicality to reduce the strain on her mana. But the accursed warrior pressed only hard enough to force her resources without leaving himself open. Mythic skills might be able to affect others through Immunity but not by much. Her curses were slow to spread and she no longer had the time to wait him out. She withdrew every drop of blood within the room aside from the solid cage lining the walls and dome, and attack more aggressively than ever before. The sheer relentlessness of the blood cascade forced Donny on the backfoot but he avoided and blocked it all the same. A cluster of black mist struck him cast from her hands, a weakening curse, but Greater Spellbreak dismissed the legendary tier magic with ease, and the Blood Witch did not try again. Still, her attacks drew closer and closer to drawing blood, and she only needed the slightest graze to rob the knight of his own once more. And before that certain death, Donny¡¯s focus sharpened, honed further and further as he feinted, thrashed, and defended with all his might. Ripples stirred within the flowing and hardened surges of blood, and shards of light shattered off him as blood turned to liquid, coating his body and armor and hardening like steel. Bloodbind had become Bloodgild, and the layer of protection it gave him was enough to hold firm against the faster and thinner attacks of the witch. Donny burst forward without hesitation. Wielding the witch¡¯s blood in this way did not subject him to her curses and allowed him to become more bold in his fight. But as he drew near, the armor of blood covering him melted from its hardened state, and impaled him once more. Donny flourished his axe on primal instinct, severing off a large chunk of his head that regenerated instantly once more, along with the gear bound to him, the three parts of his armor, helm, torso, and legs, and his axe and shield. He kicked off the air away from a scythe of blood and darted away, forced once again on the defensive. A smile spread from Blair¡¯s lips, disdainful and invigorated at the sight of victory. ¡°All blood is mine to wield as I please! Blame your hubris for daring to trespass the realm of the king!¡± And Donny smiled back, his of vicious zeal. Pouches of blood appeared in the air before him as he fled, drawn from his spatial bag, and his axe cleaved through in a flash. Tendrils of the fresh blood flowed straight into his body, restoring his aura and mana without consequence. Blair¡¯s expression turned to a frown once much as she gathered another current of blood, but then flicked away without warning, worry and tension seeping through. As she held the knight at bay as best she could, her focus turned to the battle raging at the gate. An organized push from the paladin¡¯s threatened to collapse her army. She gave orders and made sacrifices of what was needed quickly. In Nostravania¡¯s current state, she could not allow them to break through, no matter the cost. ¡°Don¡¯t look away from a fight.¡± Blair flickered away from the axe that came with Donny¡¯s taunt. More blood pouches took her place in the opening, giving him even more energy to use. ¡°Half of your party lies dead.¡± Blair sneered. ¡°If you still have your wits, you should aid what¡¯s left of them.¡± But Donny¡¯s widened grin in response sent a chill down her spine. Whether he knew she was lying or simply did not care, she didn¡¯t know, but distress and haste crept further into her mind. The wretched knight was iron willed and far too mad. His supply of blood had changed things. At this rate, he may yet be able to outlast her instead. Were she to focus entirely on him, that would change, but she had to spare what she could on the city¡¯s defense. ¡°You¡¯ll lose if you don¡¯t advance.¡± In a flight of rage she sent a boring spear of blood towards him that he evaded with ease as though he knew what she would do. Blair cursed at herself for falling for such a cheap taunt. She refused to advance. She could not. How would she be able to stand at the side of her king were she to fall even further behind. ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°You know nothing of fear!¡± Another flurry of attacks was pulled from her, but her success was lessening. Her focus was strained too many ways and her stress rising. Whatever skill the blood knight was using pulled just slightly on her desire to kill him, which compounded with his timely taunts. The fight had strayed too far out of her control and her mana running low. Blood congealed around her and raged out as she unleashed a storm of red that sundered stone floor and walls around them. A flurry of blades sliced through Donny¡¯s flesh and Blair smiled, but it was short lived. She found no blood in his body the moment contact was made, only just now realized the traces of blood on his armor and unhealed wounds at his neck. He had bled himself dry during their exchange to avoid his own blood turning against him. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Before she could react, Donny struck one of the broken stones lingering in the air with his shield, Knockback sending it soaring at a speed that forced her to dodge on reflex. And the knight burst before her. Blades of blood assaulting her from all sides but the remains of his blood hardened around him, just enough to bear the attacks as his axe cleaved off her head. As her head glided through the air in the serenity of slowed time, Blair began to realize the choice before her. Images of her most beloved she would serve her whole life scrolled through her mind and it was no choice at all. With the last of her mana, she sent the vampire army into a frenzy against the paladins, and with a few last words, her head fell to the ground and remained still. The blood that stabbed and impale Donny and the hardened blood surrounding the dome collapsed into a pool. Donny confirmed his victory through her status laid bare and ending his Focused Rage. But with the first step he took, his fell face first into the dark red pool. The curses within his body had accumulated too greatly, with the last risk he took, and he could not recover any more more lest the still cursed blood of this arena push him truly over the edge. Unfettered kept him alive, but he could not move, trapped in the dome as he forced himself to remain conscious, lest his Bloodthirst trait start again, and the curses truly consume him. --- ¡°End things now, hm?¡± Pierre weaved through a violent forest eccentric nonchalance. ¡°Easier said than done.¡± A root shot out at him from the giant tree at his side and passed straight through his intangible form. The branches, roots and grass around him mindlessly attacked as though the forest was alive and hated him. He glanced up at the Pagan hovering in the sky above, draped in shieldfeathered wings next to the valkyrie. She had kept a large distance between them ever since it became a duel of single combat, no doubt wary of his Shuffle skill. Her main skillset, as far as he could tell, was of two. One caused the forest to rampage with no more control than to simple designate a target, and the other were the faster and slyer attacks she cast herself. Still, it both were all within his realm of Foresight, and no amount of clever tricks could defeat his Phantasm and Greater Blink. That said, he was in somewhat of impasse himself. The mythic tier valkyrie at her side had an attack that could wound him through phantasm, a rather powerful one at that, and he doubted he had seen all of what it could do. Even if she exhausted her mana, the summon would remain, which was trouble he¡¯d rather deal with sooner. Pierre soared up out of the canopy and phased out of the forest, bounding towards the stoic druid. Flowers bloomed from the treetops as they had before, and spat an endless volley of seeds. They were slow, far too slow to be a problem, but she used them calculatingly, cornering him just enough to force a blink away from a ghastly blade of mana. The valkyrie slashed at him in careful measure, most forcing him to expend more mana as he drew nearer. Pierre readied his fingers to snap, and a stone pillar from a portal above slammed against the valkyrie''s shield that moved in the blink of an eye to protect Kamala. Piercing vines shot up from below and Pierre snapped his fingers truly this time. The vines slammed against Kamala¡¯s wings, failing to pierce through but that was not Pierre¡¯s goal. The valkyrie¡¯s spear thrust faster than he could move, but a portal opened before him, and the spear passed through the angel instant. However, it passed through without harm as the valkyrie took intangible form. Pierre swung his cane without pause and nearly bisected the angel fully, failed only as he was forced to blink away from its rapid flurry of thrusts. An golden light enveloped the valkyrie, healing its wounds as summon and summoner rejoined, and created distance again, flying closer to the forest now. Pierre sailed around the seedfire with a smile. A gate opened above and he caught the two living players that fell through by their necks. Mana flowed from their listless bodies into his hands until the life left their eyes as well. ¡°I¡¯m willing to play this game of attrition as long as you can.¡± A larger gate opened at his words, and dozens more fell down. But rather than catch them, Pierre held out his hand and snapped his fingers. The players teleported right besides Kamala and before she could react, they exploded with tremendous power, tightly contained around her. ¡°But I do prefer to put on a show. Oh?¡± Pierre¡¯s showman¡¯s smile turned to a look of pleasant interest at Kamala¡¯s unmarred form, and the valkyrie¡¯s mangled body fading away to golden dust. Kamala dove down into the cover of the forest, but Pierre was in no rush. The summon was a safety net of sorts and not one she could rely on again as he doubted she possessed the mana to summon another. He followed after him, backing into the forest which came alive again the moment he entered. Through the roots and vines he pursued the Pagan with ease. Silver vines trailed him from behind drawing ever closer but he would reach her first. Kamala wrapped herself in her shieldsaint wings as silver roots speared towards her from all sides and the same did for the space just in front of Pierre. Suddenly his expression turned to shock as he swung his cane at Dante appearing in front, morphing back from a fly. His expression bored and all knowing as his two arms chopped at Pierre, hands infused with Corrosive and the Stigma markings of spatial interference lined over his body. Pierre clicked his teeth in his mind. He was a bit too slow in his attack. The charlatan¡¯s palm would cleave through his arm before he could take his head. The silver roots were meant to trap him if he switched with either of the two, but he could not remain as he was. Dante and Kamala switched places as Pierre changes his target to the wing covered pagan, and a portal opened in the path of his cane, its exit right beside his own head. Tricked for a second time, he brooded. The charlatan had staggered his portal for exactly this situation. Pierre¡¯s mind was fast but so was the situation before him, one that was outside his complete control. He was far too out of the loop. How the charlatan survived, what other tricks they had up their sleeves. He needed to wipe the stage clear and start again. There was no issue. He could restore his mana and wear them down once more. With those thoughts taking place in a flash, he blinked away, and the explosion of half a dozen trick mines rumbled the air. Pierre screamed in pain as vines of silver finally found root in his body and spread through in an instant. His vampiric form was forced out so the roots would not kill him, but the silver obstructed his abilities more the higher tier they were and the vines themselves greedily sapped his mana. ¡°Life¡¯s all about staying three steps ahead.¡± Dante walked calmly to the magician writhing in agony on the ground, the bored look in his eyes still remaining. ¡°You don¡¯t have the heart of a strategist.¡± Dante raised a foot above Pierre¡¯s head and the magician thrust his draining hand out to grab it, only to recoil as the corrosive mana ate away at him in an instant. Before he could react in more than a sharp curse, Dante was already kneeling before him from a different direction, and with a heavy hand shattered his head over the stone. ¡°Like I said¡­¡± The words came out almost as a sigh, as if he were truly disappointed in his opponent. Pierre¡¯s flesh trembled as regeneration was stunted and soon his body fell still as the vines robbed the last of his mana, and with it his life. ¡°We do not have time for a break.¡± Kamala unfurled her wings with stoic poise despite the urgent intent of her words. ¡°Karla and Yen first, probably.¡± Dante mused as he rose to a stand ¡°Maybe Mujin. I¡¯ll use a flash if I find anyone that needs healing.¡± Without the need for further discussion the two took off in separate directions to reinforce the others. As Kamala flew, her thoughts lingered on Dante. After the momentary shock at his ¡®demise¡¯, she had understood his general intentions from the skills he left out in his status, only needing a short while more to deduce the rest and set the stage for him. But in return, he must have trusted that she¡¯d do so. With how they had managed to trap the sly magician so soundly at the mere improvisation of a plan, she wondered just how much of his occasional idiocy was real. But he was far from the only unusual one among them, so she put it to the back of her mind for now and focused on finding the others, who may not have been so fortunate in their fights, a certain amazon reckless beyond all sense foremost in her thoughts. Chapter 122 Shin shattered silver swords as he flickered closer through the air to the gliding dhampyr. He blitzed at the speed of light, faster than anyone could hope to track, and his sword becoming material once more broke through Virgil¡¯s barrier. But once again, it passed through mist as Virgil¡¯s body reformed at a distance. The speed of Light Blitz was absolute but he had to exit it in order to attack, and the split second between his blade destroying the mana barrier and reaching Virgil himself gave the dhampyr Psion enough time to react. Scattering was not as good at Phantasm in raw terms, but it served as a natural counter to Duality, as Shin¡¯s truestrike enveloped weapon would connect with nothing. A winged bull with the head of a woman appeared at his side and trapped Virgil within the mythic tier ward Sanctuary, but he blinked out with ease. White plasma formed within Mara¡¯s jaw and surged forth at the king. Shin blitzed the instant the barrier shattered but Virgil had already predicted the attack and scattered away as mist once more as Shin blitzed back out of the aurora¡¯s path. Silver swords thrust towards the Lamassu Gatekeeper and a barrier erected around her in turn, but just as quickly she blinked away as the swords ripped through her Guardian enhanced barrier like paper. Virgil shifted away as a large stone destroyed part of the wall behind. Kong kept his distance, hurling stone and rubble at the elusive dhampyr, but after the first attempt, Virgil let the skilless mundane stone shatter against his barrier. Swirling orbs of scalding plasma bloomed around Shin as he fused Aurora and Greater Spirit Gyro to create Plasma Spirals. Legendary tier only as Merge results in the lowest tier of what skills are used, but duality made up for it. The deadly wisps of shearing energy harried Virgil along with the attacks of the two spirits as Shin haunted him in turn, striking at the slightest of opens that arose. Telekinesis held Shin in place, and Shin banished the invisible force away with Anti before the silver swords could reach him. Greater Phase could not let him slip through the mythic tier skill and Blink would see him lose the merged truestrike and pulse coating his staff swords. Duration skills like greater mystic protection would remain but not the ones of constant upkeep. The fused skill drained his mana steadily regardless but to renew it would require the cost of Merge once again, leaving him little better choice than Anti, which drained him less than Light Blitz. But the biggest problem was that Virgil¡¯s mana seemed endless, much like the Arhat¡¯s aura who he faced in the tournament. Virgil was unfettered and too smart to let all of him be destroyed at once. Shin¡¯s win condition thus remained unchanged from their first fight. He had to destroy his soul. But landing the hits proved difficult. Virgil knew that just as well, which he why he fought defensively and elusively. The longer he dragged things out, the closer he drew to victory. ¡°What drives you so?¡± Virgil asked emotionlessly in the heat of battle. ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°Greed? You do not strike me as the sort. Vanity? That seems more fitting.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Shin¡¯s blade cut through mist as he asked in turn. ¡°Nothing¡­ Nothing at all.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin rejected his answer absolutely. ¡°You have to want something.¡± ¡°You are¡­ truly¡­ incomprehensible.¡± The silver swords circled behind Virgil. Three became six and six became twelve. And silver flashes filled the great hall. Kong clapped his hands together with a booming roar, sending a shockwave that knocked the swords away but they returned in an instant, and pierced and cut deep into his flesh. As the Yeren slumped back, Shin withdrew his soul before it perished into hibernation. Mara fared little better, Premonition and Blink keeping her free of harm but little else. Shin recalled her too, before her mana ran dry. Prismatic pulse honed his tempered blades as he stormed against the hail of silver. The swords were brittle, but they could eat through mana, his armor of pulse included if they struck before he could flare his armor out. His defensive skills and even greater phase were useless, and the threat of twelve started to chip away at his life. In the shards of silver, Shin blitzed before Virgil again. His blade shattered the barrier as Virgil¡¯s body started to turn to mist. And the shadows behind them sneered as darkness pierced them both and bloomed into wretched trees of stakes. The curses of his Malefic touch coursed through their souls, stunting them both as Vicious¡¯ cackles filled the room. ¡°You thought I would help you?! Fool!¡± Both patriarchs started to move, but Shin was the only of them unsurprised, and he moved first. Merge fused Darkness Lordship with Truestrike and through the impalement of spikes connecting them, iridescent cracks cut deep into the dhampyr psion. Mist let him escape but the prismatic cracks remained. Shin recalled the Dusk Garm¡¯s soul and pursued. Through the dance of silver honing even further through the danger, enduring the necrotic death seeping through his flesh while the damage to Virgil¡¯s soul spread. Virgil blinked out of the throne room and took to the moonlit sky as Shin broke through the ceiling in pursuit, the contact with his pulsing armor crumbling the throne room to ruins. The array of swords swirled around them as they raged in the air. Gray death consumed more of Shin¡¯s body with every slash while Virgil¡¯s prismatic cracks spread further with every failed light blitz attempt. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Telekinesis blasted distance between them as the swords swirled into a cage piercing down around Shin. And he gripped his sword, unstoppable eyes trained on Virgil¡¯s immovable apathy. The swords shattered to dust with the flare of his pulsing armor. And as Virgil lingered in the sky without care, the damage spread too deep, Shin severed his sword through him. The two halves of Virgil fell from the sky, as the cracks spread further still. Even as he hit the stone balcony of the castle, Virgil laid still, facing the sky as the spread did not cease. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Blair¡¯s voice drifted into his mind as he lay on the cold ground, traces of sorrow refined through many years and other feelings he knew to be there. ¡°Do not grieve me¡­¡± Virgil said only to himself, for the connection had gone. ¡°I have done nothing¡­ for any of you¡­¡± ¡°Get up.¡± Shin stood over him with hollow eyes and neutral expectations. ¡°...You do ask the cruelest things.¡± ¡°Get up.¡± A calm breeze blew over Virgil in the peace of the ruins as he took in the sky with dispassionate eyes. ¡°I tire¡­ of this endless struggle¡­¡± A silence held as the flesh of the listless dhampyr slowly starting to turn to dust. ¡°People are only alive when they struggle.¡± Virgil¡¯s eyes drifted over to Shin, crouching down before him now, a neutral solemness still about him but he found a change within his hollow eyes. The warmth of a dull ember, ever so subtle. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being alive.¡± Virgil lingered on the boy. The incomprehensible depth within his casual words pulling at something within him. And he turned his sight once more to the calm of the sky. ¡°I see¡­ You are quite broken as well¡­¡± Virgil closed his eyes within the still of the world, and let the calm take him. Soul faded first and the body followed as dust in the wind, leaving behind a hollow eyed boy, still crouching as he had been. Shin lingered for a few moments, and flickered away from the calm ruins, empty and still. --- Karla battered a horde of humanoid rats to death with nothing more than her bare limbs, the hardship of battle seen on the bloody scratches and green blotches of infection lining her skin. Wounds and disease that started to heal immediately. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so reckless.¡± A blonde woman spoke as she healed her. ¡°It¡¯s okay~¡± Karla smiled and the healer returned a less enthusiastic one. The party fought off an ambush of gnolls with desperation on their faces, all except for Karla immersing herself in the joy and purpose of combat, once again the most accomplished with the injuries to show for it. ¡°We should take things slower.¡± The healer suggested. ¡°It¡¯s okay~¡± The woman returned a more strained smile this time. Karla waged a brutal war against the orc boss of the stage, paying no heed to the several bodies on the ground or her own injuries mounting faster than they could be healed. But still not a single cell in her body did not yearn for the fight, and within it she found victory, broken and bloodied. But the healing did not come this time. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± The healer she had travelled with for the past month yelled, her expression a mix of fear and disdain. An expression matched by the others. Karla merely looked back with her expression as always but did not speak, and when the stage ended she found herself alone. Karla opened her eyes from the haze of overtaxed will to find Kamala standing over her, healing her wounds rapidly with stoic eyes that soon found hers. ¡°Try to be less reckless. I nearly didn¡¯t make it in time.¡± Kamala glanced back over at Karla¡¯s silent cheery smile. ¡°...what?¡± ¡°Nothing~¡± --- Mujin slowly dredged across the city, sweat dripping down his faltering and tense expression, but he pushed himself forward. The pain of his soul barely subsided but he would not afford to lie uselessly, not when others may be in even more dire straits. ¡°Look what we have here?¡± Mujin turned his head to two men in paladin armor. ¡°What do you think, heretic or heathen? ¡°Could be a vampire.¡± The other one answered. ¡°I suppose we have to make sure.¡± Two arrows shattered the heads of the paladins without warning, and Basem dropped down by Mujin before their bodies slumped to the ground. ¡°Fool. Why do you not hide?¡± Mujin looked at Basem. ¡°The others?¡± ¡°Probably fine.¡± Yen flew down next to them. ¡°Who did you get by the way? ¡°...the seer¡­¡± ¡°Wow, and you won? Good job.¡± Basem noticed Jean first but only just before the others as the puppetmaster made no effort to conceal himself, his reaction alerting the Yen to his presence. ¡°You look rough. Ah, what¡¯s the goal of the party?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Jean walked to a stop next to them, as he added a response for the mage. ¡°Some of them can read minds.¡± ¡°...doesn¡¯t hurt to check¡­¡± Yen stood by her idea of questioning others to make sure no enemy in disguise could sneak in. Dante landed by them next, carrying Donny¡¯s conscious but unmoving body, followed by Kamala and Karla arriving on their own, the priestess immediately healing the injured among them. Shin flickered by them and Ashley followed last just a few moments after. ¡°Okay, so everyone beat and loot their opponent?¡± Yen asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Taken care of.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t loot.¡± Shin admitted. ¡°What? That¡¯s the patriarch! This is not the time to stop being a loot goblin.¡± ¡°I took his stuff~¡± Ashley chimed in. ¡°Guess this is settled then.¡± Donny spoke up now that he finally could. ¡°Still the paladins.¡± Jean reminded. ¡°Fight~?¡± Karla asked. ¡°No.¡± Basem bluntly refused. ¡°Baz is right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Basem!¡± ¡°Should probably recover before we fight to the death again.¡± Donny ignored him. ¡°They¡¯re probably not important anyway.¡± ¡°We need to take out the Pope though. The vampire prince was yelling about the true enemy being there.¡± Yen informed them of what she learned. ¡°Not making this up just to keep the story right?¡± ¡°Fuck you, I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°We need to go back.¡± Shin spoke. ¡°Settled then.¡± Donny looked more closely at Mujin having fared no better with his body healed. ¡°We need a soul healer or something first.¡± Shin flickered away without warning but no one in the party made a fuss, simply waiting confidently where they stood. --- ¡°Wretched heathens!¡± Odwin roared, his temper flaring beyond control at his prize being stolen. The vampire army still remained but they would end in no time at all, his army even having the leeway to start sending scouts into the heretical city. The problem he faced was the knowledge of the King of the Night¡¯s demise. Even the greatest heathen¡¯s head was no replacement for the glory of slaying their most despised enemy. But he would have to settle for satiating his vengeance upon them. ¡°Find them-¡± The moment Odwin shouted those words, his Clairvoyant burst into chunks of flesh, and he saw naught but the flicked of a hollow eyed boy grabbing hold of the Soulsmith and dragging him into the depths of the shadows below. The veins on Odwin¡¯s temple bulged almost to bursting as his rage fell like thunder. Chapter 123 Chariot entered the ruins of the capital, silent and lifeless. Bodies laid strewn about the streets among the rubble, dust of the undead and even ashes with the vile traces of infernal origins joining them. With no incident at all they moved through at Shin¡¯s lead, into the guardless halls of the cathedral to the highest floor and until they reached the grand corridor to its most important room, a red haired man in red and white armor standing in wait. ¡°Champion¡­¡± Reinolt drew his sword with heavy eyes of no return. The metal of his sword burned glowing hot and the rest of his form burned with it as he took the fiercest most tempered stance of his life, rage straining on his scalding expression. ¡°You will pay-!¡± A prismatic sword of black and white severed him in two as the vestiges of light dissolved in the air behind Shin. The cracks in his soul rippled furthered until the life left the commander¡¯s eyes, and Shin continued on, not a single thought paid more to the Flame Knight. He pushed through the doors to the Pope¡¯s chamber to find a company of powerful undead and Johan standing over the body of a large man in the finest robes, who turned to Shin with solemn resolve. ¡°So you managed to kill the vampire¡­¡± ¡°Are you giving up?¡± Shin asked bluntly, a smile still absent from his face. Johan held his silence for a moment, his demeanor bearing a depth to him that was lacking before. ¡°Loss is inevitable¡­ It is the duty of those who remain to delay such from others. For as long as we are able.¡± ¡°Why are you leaving them?¡± ¡°You think I do not care?! You think I do not miss them everyday¡­¡± Johan yelled, tempered pain in his expression and voice. ¡°But they are gone¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re not.¡± ¡°They are! Face the truth! Some things¡­ some things cannot be undone, not matter how we long for it.¡± Pain gave way to resolve deeper still. ¡°I will do what good I can with what is left of me.¡± Depth rose within Shin as well, more prominent that usual and of a different kind. A rejection. Shin opened his mouth, but a small green being shot from the pope¡¯s body into Johan¡¯s neck, burrowing inside in an instant. Veins and sinew spread over his body as he yelled in pain and shock, but soon his body strained still, and the undead lunged. Chariot burst with them but when the fighting cleared, Johan was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Wait.¡± Shin stopped at the entrance of a secret passage at Jean¡¯s word, who took the vanguard and led them down, sensing for any traps that may exist along the way. Down the path they travelled in no time at all, stopping at a stone carved doorway and a portal swirling within. [The Library (legendary dungeon) - Greater Monarch] ¡°This can¡¯t be right¡­¡± Yen looked suspiciously at it. ¡°Just a dungeon, not a raid. And legendary? There¡¯s mythic chimeras, how could the final boss room be legendary?¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Shin walked through before any further discussion could be made. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± Donny went next and the rest of chariot followed. The party entered to a grand if bleak library. There was no light source but the dungeon seemed wrapped in a dim glow all the same, enough for all of them with their high Perception to see clearly enough. Rows of towering bookcases of aged wood stretched to the ceiling, each filled to the brim with tomes, parchments and scrolls. They walked carefully through the library, which seemed more of a room in a great manor than a dungeon, not least of all due to the absence of any traps or monsters. Further they walked, still with no incident, and down a wooden staircase to a large empty room to a large humanoid, like a giant chimeric human with a mockery of a sun for a head. [Chimera (legendary boss) - Greater Monarch] A mouth form on the creature¡¯s neck as it began to rise, with sneering glee. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come here.¡± Shin moved first but the Chimera blinked away from the lightspeed invoker as if it knew what was coming. A bare kicked crashed down at it when he appeared and Gregor grinned, a portion of its sinewy green body shooting out as a red hot spike, one that passed through a portal into its own head as Karla¡¯s kick crushed a small part of its body to oblivion. A force held Gregor in place but he broke the magic at once and breathed a barrage of fire against the Kamala¡¯s mystic barrier that covered the whole of the party. Dante threw a knife at open space as Shin blitzed again, and once more right at the location the chimera appeared. He thrust his palm through the creatures flesh, and violent ripples thundered throughout, the prismatic chasms destroyed it all. Out of a chunk of its bursting flesh shot a green mass with the dark holes of a face straight towards Yen¡¯s neck. And Dante caught it in his hand, melting it whole, and ten chests appeared in the center of the room. Some stopped to take the useful items, but Shin moved on without delay so they quickly followed, passing around what was needed to who needed it as they went. At the end of the additional path beyond the boss room was what seemed a grim medieval lab, and at the end of that stood Johan in different attire and a strange demeanor of muted gloom. [Human Soulweaver (legendary) - Greater Lord] ¡°Johan?¡± Yen asked. The soulweaver turned with a look of disinterested confusion. ¡°Ah¡­ my other half. I took him back.¡± ¡°Wha-?¡± ¡°I need two laws, you see.¡± Stein continued as though rambling to himself more than conversing with them. ¡°Resurrection and Immortality. But you can only have one, so I made two of me. That one was meant to gain the pursuit of resurrection but he was a failure. Ah, but that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll just make another.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± Stein shot Shin a look of mild annoyance. ¡°I already told you I took him back. He was nothing more than a part of my soul, a useless one. I¡¯ll need a new path, a better path this time.¡± A serating storm of shadows crashed towards Stein and was dissipated harmlessly away. ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Bring them back.¡± Shin had not made a move from his spot, despite the attack. ¡°Them?¡± Stein dully recollected something. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need. They¡¯re right here.¡± Two vampires walked out at his word, a woman with black hair and a young girl. Shin¡¯s neutral face deepened, bordering on perceivable hostility now. ¡°They¡¯re not the right ones.¡± ¡°I do not need defectives. Soon I will have a perfect immortal family.¡± Stein bluntly stated, though his disinterest gradually gain more zeal as he spoke with a smile that had nothing behind. ¡°It thought it would take centuries more. So much time. Trial and error. But with this system, this tower... I¡¯ll hardly need any at all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± The absence of depth in Shin¡¯s words pulled Stein¡¯s attention for a moment, but only a moment. ¡°Is that so¡­ You are hindrances. I¡¯ll have you disappear.¡± 39 chimerified humanoids of all manner of appearance summoned forth at Stein¡¯s call, greater monarch players with legendary tier classes, and charged the party of ten. Chapter 124 Shin drove his Pulse into the dense horde and blasted them around the boss room Chariot was pushed back into. Separated now and less impossible to deal with but the situation remained dire as the chimerans charged with disorganized zeal. A horned chimera threw a surging fist at Yen that passed through a portal to crush its own head. The Comet maximized before Yen shot out and exploded on another, but the modified player regenerated in an instant. The horned chimeran¡¯s head recovered in tangent, but Donny¡¯s Shield Charge sent it flying before it could attack again. An eagle headed player burst down next to Donny and let out a terrible screech. The knight¡¯s body trembled and blood spurt from all over. In the haze of his brain regenerating from mush, the eagle head gathered wind in his arms and Karla¡¯s leg slammed into it, Crush obliterating half its head as it crashed into the wall. Donny¡¯s mind snapped back into focus as a third tackled Karla away. The amazon broke out of its hold and three more attacked, their assault leaving her teetering on the edge of death against several, the brutal damage piling and healing on her body as she fought with gory zeal against poor odds. Donny tensed forward to burst to her aid, but suddenly shifted the other way, just in time to block the club of a deformed ogrish foe. The club shattered his greater bastion but Anchor held his feet in place so the strike wouldn¡¯t reach the mage behind him. Blood spurt from his ruptured internals once more but it gathered in tendrils, gilding his axe as he cleaved a light wound into the ogre head. Yen realized without words and took Fire Mimicry form, creating some distance. With nothing incumbering him, Donny landed a concussive knockback of his shield interrupting the chimeran¡¯s simple roar as he rent through the wound before it healed, drawing a pool of blood to coat himself further. Donny raised his axe and the ogre chimeran roared harder, its body whipping into speed as it unleashed a barrage of strikes, sending a bloody chunk of the knick cratering into the wall. A second Comet slammed the orge away but that drew the attention of others. A barrage of smaller fire blasts slowed them down enough for her eyes to track and she grasped them in Hold. Explosion detonated in the center but something dispelled it away with ease as the holds shattered. Three chimerans charged her with anti magical claws, and curving arrows pierced their skulls. Basem blinked away from the retaliation of another and sank into hiding once more, as Yen soared through the air erratically as the danger towards herself increased by the moment. Mujin struggled mightily against one, his recently gained spear replaced the frozen one that broke against the vampire seer. The claws of the gnoll shredded through his dragonplate, only his sixth sense and lightning reflexes allowing him to evade death, and little else. Dragonfang thrust at the gnoll chimeran and a shockwave beneath its feet knocked the spear away and the gnoll lunged with open maw, just for a black scythe to reap its head. Mujin paused only a split second before impaling the gnoll with the sharp fangs of a dragon to destroy its soul. Ashley danced with the chaos and madness, taking limb and flesh where she could but the creature¡¯s abilities were too stacked and they recovered immediately. She darted down to take the leg of a chimeran just upon Jean but left him as quickly as she came to help. Wooden puppets shattered in his wake as Jean was forced to Substitute from their incessant attack, nothing within his arsenal able to damage the indestructible. Plants bloomed all around within the bloody hall, twisting and grasping vines endeavoring to stall and hinder the augmented creatures as much as possible. A barrier at her side from Mara blocked a cataclysmic bolt of lightning and a portal returned a spear from the other. The guardian trio forced to defend each other just as much as they were the others. Shin crashed through the air before them, his ragged form pursued by half a dozen. Flesh regenerated in an instant as he resumed his attack. Light Blitz brought him to the side of the furthest right and prismatic shadow spike formed around his hand. Duality flared and he punctured it clean through the creature¡¯s flesh. The hag shrieked which strained his mind but his shadows impaled it from within and prismatic fractures ended its cries. A closed fist slammed him down into the hard floor but the headless invoker blitzed again and bloomed a tree in the nearest chimeran, spreading iridescent cracks through its soul. ¡°...mama¡­¡± Tears drained down its eyes as the chimeran groaned with the last of its life, and Shin froze. Acid breathe from a dragon headed chimeran melted the top half of his body and a giant belted him away to splatter against the wall. Shin¡¯s body reformed as the chimerans charged upon him once more, but his expression had changed. Colder. Deeper. The will of a displeased tyrant fell on the battlefield and prismatic shadows skewered every last chimeran still remaining and a dire tree bloomed in all. As the chimerans fell dying, Shin¡¯s eyes were solely upon the still uncaring Stein. Vicious wrenched from his soul in a mad frenzy of pure malice, no longer restrained by his bondholder. Wretched shadows lunged like a sea of knives, the dark wave crashing into a wall of nothing as though the air itself ate away of it. The Dusk Garm rose from the shadows beneath, malevolent fangs opening towards the madman¡¯s neck. And Stein took the darkness himself in one hand and light in the other, and they merged to wipe away all trace of the wolf. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Shin felt something return to the root in his soul and slowly start to heal, and Stein appeared before him with the speed of light with a bleak look in his eyes. Swirling gray magic severed through his barrier and Shin¡¯s body in an instant. ¡°Why must you always interfere?¡± A hold around the Soulweaver shattered as soon as it came and the curving knives and arrows struck only blunt force, but it gave Jean enough time, to pull Shin away through Puppetry strings. Karla¡¯s kick slammed into Stein¡¯s unmoving arm as his other hand morphed into a blade and struck up towards her head, passing through a portal into his own. Stein pulled his own bladed hand from his skull as Karla¡¯s knee snapped his head back, but his thoughts were elsewhere and unconcerned. Stein shifted in an instant towards Dante. A portal appeared before his morphed hand, and the blade curved below into a spike that pierced straight through the charlatan. But Dante moved out of it as though he were a ghost, his glowing tattooed body showing no damage at all. His own morphed hand infused with Corrosive energy slashed on Stein, and cut not even a scratch of his body. Dante blinked away as a scorching Comet dispelled before it struck the madman. Greater Mindfray and Greater Bewilder assaulted the soulweaver¡¯s mind but neither skill did anything at all. Mujin flickered all the same and impaled the man through the heart with a dragon fanged spear, but Dante blinked him away at once. Stein stood still, pulling the spear from his body that healed in moments, flesh and soul. Not even his expression had changed, as if he was merely reviewing the results of a routine experiment. ¡°This is insane¡­. He has everything.¡± Yen stressed, still within her fire form. ¡°Blind and ignorant¡­¡± Stein turned to her. ¡°I have nothing yet.¡± Dante¡¯s expression tense as a large portal opened before Yen. But that portal shattered and her body of flames smothered away in the dark, leaving only a single ember dropping to ash on the ground. A prismatic fist flaring with black and white struck Stein¡¯s back, shock came before it struck but his Foresight was too compromised with a rival to react. The damage to his soul spread a little deeper and unlike all his other wounds, it remained. Twilight struck him again, but his duality enhanced barrier held this time. Vines, arrows, and knives bombarded the soulweaver all at once. Stein slipped through and destroyed them at his ease, and appeared next Mujin with lethal intentions. A succession of portals and traps thwarted his attempts, but he moved on to Kamala as his new target without issue. But the same happened again. A black figure flickering past him, as the smiling reaper¡¯s scythe sliced through his shoulder. He spared a moment¡¯s focus to the anomaly but the wound healed and he resumed his focus to the others, but Shin appeared behind again. Stein was ready this time and light shifted away from the invoker¡¯s transcendent attack, and Dante was waited right there. Blue markings lined his body as he thrust his corrosive palm into the prismatic cracks, the enigmatic runic power deepening the cracks in one hard pulse. A clawed strike passed through Dante¡¯s intangible form as the medley of distractions harassed him once more. The invoker and the charlatan, Stein marked those as the true threats, the charlatan in particular who interfered with his Foresight so. The pine green haired reaper was of note, but once he dealt with the charlatan, the others would fall. Stein blitzed around the hall, threatening Chariot with death one after the other, forcing Dante to expend mana to deal with it. A dire end looming closer as the soulweaver they faced seemed to have limitless mana, and Dante¡¯s was rapidly draining. Shin and Ashley struck wherever they could but none of their attacks were landing any more. Stein drew closer and closer to the inevitable end, but the persistence of the flaws before him brought out some of his annoyance as well. That such defective beings had stalled his goals for even a moment of his infinite time irked him. His untrained attacks fell incessantly as the mortals before him strained more and more and finally, a portal fizzled out and his arm pierced through the charlatan¡¯s chest. Twilight coated his arm with the others approaching too slow to react, and Stein¡¯s eyes widened slightly. His movements stalled and his focus turned to the blazing inferno of the firestarters resurrection. A soaring Comet dispelled before him just as he had always done, but the success this time was met with a trace of confusion. Confusion that lasted only an instant, as something paralyzed his body for a moment and Shin struck in the opening. Prismatic mana crashed more violently than before, spreading the damage across the whole of his back. Dante morphed away as Stein¡¯s light speed failed. He lunged away on the power of his vampirized body but a black scythe and silver spear tore away at him further. And Shin appeared behind him once more. In his frustration, a wave of glowing gray twilight burst around him, only to be contained by the prison of duality enhanced sanctuary. Stein foresaw the invoker¡¯s approach but the cracks spread further, preventing his skills and Shin struck a fourth time. The fractures spread deep through his body such that it seemed like the soulweaver would fall apart. And the vampire family lunged. Shin flickered to meet the woman, her own twilight palms failing to pass through his pulsing armor of black and white. And with his other hand, golden flame flared the same and burned the vampire queen to ash. The child perished at the same time to Yen¡¯s flames, but Stein was gone. Fled through the dungeon. Without a word Shin burst after him, and the others followed. Through the winding old library, out of the study, down the hallways, Shin ran with prismatic eyes and came to a stop in the chapel. Before a giant statue of a man with the sun for a head, Stein ambled, his body starting to chip and turn to dust. He took a step and his foot crumbled away, bringing him to his knees before the sculpture. ¡°You have everything¡­¡± Stein spoke to no one as his body turned to dust with his shattered soul. ¡°Why can¡¯t I take such a small part¡­?¡± Yen glanced at Shin, staring at the pile of dust without a sign he would do anything further. ¡°...you fine with him getting that peaceful death?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s worse than dying.¡± Words of certainty given in such casual tone Yen couldn¡¯t find the right words to reply so she said nothing further. Donny stored his weapons as his posture relaxed. ¡°That should do it, yeah?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Can¡¯t really have much more impact than this¡­¡± Yen agreed. ¡°There¡¯s still a day left. We should not lower our guard.¡± Kamala reminded. ¡°I mean, are they really gonna fight us with nothing to gain?¡± Yen noticed Shin¡¯s lack of anything. ¡°You good?¡± Shin didn¡¯t look back over, his expression still neutral. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 125 ¡°Fight! The heathens are before us! Fight!¡± Odwin bellowed as his mace crushed the head of a wretched otherworlder, though his own thoughts were far less inspiring. Not only had his great prize been stolen from him, but the capital had fallen completely, and yet the heathens before him were more sound and allied than ever. The heretical rebel army had attacked them within sight of the vampire city in numbers as great as he knew them to be, but the quality of heathens had surpassed his expectations. Not least of all the pale blue skinned abominations that dealt only in cowardly assassination. That such beings as elves and dwarves and goliaths were deemed the same as humanity grated on his mind nearly as much as the bloody battle he was locked in. A flicker caught his eye just in time to see a orichalcum dagger cleave off his head. Odwin swung his mace back as his head regenerated but his holy weapon caught only shadows. A thunderstomp gave distance between them and his focus was snatched upwards as a pillar of light crashed down upon him. Odwin raised his shield with Anti and weathered the brunt of the mighty skill he had only seen in Hans besides here. But the Smite started to strain against what should have been his certain defense and soon the light fall on him truly. Flesh burned and his mind scalded, but Odwin gritted his teeth and barreled out of range, his flayed skin regenerating in an instant but danger laid before him still. In his eyes, two heathens assailed him and him alone. One a man in golden armor with a marking on his forehead, channeling a white light in his palm. The heathen leader of the rebel king, he knew from the reports received. The other the shadowdancer elf, sinking into the dark beneath them. A patriarch the abomination, he remembered from the tournament of false gods, and the heathen leader seemed just as dangerous. Odwin gritted his teeth as the veins of his temples bulged. Through danger and dark, he would never falter. Golden light enveloped him and surged as great power filled his mortal body. If the capital had fallen, he would rebuild it. If the faith dwindled he would restore it. If the heathens and heretics brandished blade and spell, he would put them all to the flame and claim his rightful place among the devout. ¡°Come! Heathens!¡± A black arrow punctured through the back of his helm and head. A simple wound it should¡¯ve been, but his limbs would not obey his fleeting thoughts. The arrow dissipated away and Odwin¡¯s body started to fall, his thoughts still militant, still filled with righteous anger. And then his thoughts were no more. Miguel smiled from the cover of trees in the far distance, storing away his bow as he retreated at once with the rest of his bandits. Chandra glanced over to Vestra, gaining her silent answer, and lifted Odwin¡¯s body by his armor. ¡°Their commander is fallen! Wipe them out to the last!¡± The rebel army fought with increasing zeal at his words as the paladins started to waver and rout. The few rankers they had remaining fell one after the other to the allied guilds¡¯ own and soon the last of the paladins hit the ground and lay still. Thunderous roars of victory filled the battlefield, though none of the elves raised a voice as they regrouped as one and Vestra approached the Justiciar. ¡°You have your impact. We must have ours.¡± Chandra smiled back, already knowing what she wanted. ¡°Then it¡¯s yours.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. --- Katherine sped down the dirt path by carriage, her graceful posture betrayed by the stress in her experience. Her situation had truly become dire. The church was no more but the army of the self proclaimed boy king was far too powerful in its wake, more so now that it was bolstered with the same assassins that had prevented the Igarashi from making much progress into the capital. The group that had slain the vampire king was on neither side, a small blessing but that was all it was. And despite having learned that the Champion was a direct relative to the clan she sided with, she was told there was no certainty he would side with them. If she could only rely on their alliance she could make it work but to throw everything away on a hope at this stage would be folly. There were still options, she assured herself. She could still manage. ¡°People will return to their worlds soon enough¡­ What remains favors me more.¡± Katherine spoke out loud, more to herself than Mai sitting beside her. ¡°The Sunlight Fellowship has the upper hand. If it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ll need to form a marriage alliance with the soon to be crowned king. I have the status and might behind me to justify that much, and it benefits them as well. The vampire city may have fallen but the scourge remains and monsters beset us at all times¡­ He couldn¡¯t have built up much of a truly loyal following in this short time. Once the emotions of war settle, the people will look for stability and safety. It¡¯s still manageable. The church is ruined and no one will see its return. I can guide this world to progress, even if I must wait a few more years to do so.¡± Mai glanced at the rambling duchess, her composed expression betraying none of her displeasure. ¡°...Shin will let everyone else do as they wish at this point, as long as they don¡¯t move against him. We just need to be the first to reach the capital.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes, you¡¯re right. We must focus one step at a time. How goes the¡­¡± Mai was nowhere to be found when Katherine turned to her. But the duchess had not an instant more to think as a sharp pain found her chest. She turned to traces of cold eyes of her blue skinned assassin that sank back into the shadows of the carriage as quickly as she appeared. The pain wetted Katherine¡¯s eyes but her body was already numb and her mind started to follow. Fears and distress faded too in the cold embrace but she would not accept it. She had more to accomplish, so much more to change for the good of this world. But her numb fears and dreams started to muddle, her thoughts drifting off unwillingly as she fell into the eternal slumber. --- The Sunlight Fellowship marched into the capital in the plain daylight. An air of relief and weariness held the army more than celebration, especially at the sight of the capital¡¯s state, but still the looming atmosphere of victory could not be denied. The boy Clovis rode at the front on horseback with banners carried behind him and Chandra at his side. A resolve had found his face, nervous still, but a resolve nonetheless. Chandra motioned them to carry on as he walked alone to Chariot loitering without care by the rubble of the building. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if we take things over from here?¡± He requested. ¡°Feel free.¡± Kamala answered for the party. They had done more than enough already, and all agreed to let the remainder of the event ride out. Chandra smiled and continued on. ¡°We¡¯re holding a celebration, part of Clovis¡¯ coronation. You all can join if you want.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll have to take you up on that.¡± Donny answered. Chandra took his leave, rejoining the march to settle the city once more. Among them, Vestra took a long glance at Shin as she walked by, his distant neutral expression earning a trace of cold dismissal in her eyes. Though hers and her underling¡¯s coldness was less concerning than the overt disdain and bitterness from many of the other invading guilds. ¡°Should we really hang around here?¡± Yen asked, not shying away from the sharp glances at all. ¡°We don¡¯t have any friends here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think we have any friends anywhere.¡± Donny commented. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you lot, but I could use a break from the hermit life.¡± ¡°We should be hiding¡­¡± Basem muttered. None of the party had any especially strong feelings, even if they had their preferences. Yen glanced at Shin who had been far more silent and uneventful than normal since their last battle. She glanced back to the marching procession, and figured a chance of pace might be good for them after all. Chapter 126 Aristocratic carriages and processions rolled into the city one after the other, the surviving nobility quick to pledge their allegiance to the new king. All regardless of prior sides were accepted by the boy king Clovis at Chandra¡¯s advice. Along with that a royal guard of sorts and standing armies of much of the locals in the Sunlight Fellowship was established to cement his power and safety, even after his otherworlder supports inevitably leave. Festivity was held in the city streets by the common people while a more reserved but somewhat lively gathering held in the great hall of the cathedral. Food, drink, and entertainment was provided to the best of what was available on short notice, though most of Chariot didn¡¯t even partake in the mingling. ¡°Guess brains run in the family.¡± Donny said to Kamala as he glanced at the line of notables kneeling in turn before the king. ¡°He is from the branch of Hypercognition.¡± ¡°Yeah, seems like it.¡± Jean glanced at Basem whose vigilance was nearly palpable. ¡°No one is going to risk attacking us now¡­ There¡¯s no reward for it.¡± ¡°People kill for no reason.¡± Basem didn¡¯t change his attitude in the slightest, rather becoming even more alert in response to who was sauntering over. ¡°You¡¯re so fortunate Chandra is soft.¡± Priya held a chalice of wine, a holy object by the look of things but she held it as though it were a common mere glass, glancing at Basem through his Unnoticeable trait with a smile that took pleasure in his discomfort. ¡°He knows better¡­¡± ¡°Of course. But you won¡¯t be able to hide behind the champion forever.¡± Priya took a sip as she strolled on to her original destination. ¡°Enjoy your freedom as much as you can.¡± ¡°Fight~?¡± Karla asked after looking at the priestess¡¯ face. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Eventually.¡± Donny assured their battle maniac as their group of six continued to loiter patiently among the others. ¡°It¡¯s good that we¡¯re allied now.¡± Vestra glanced over to the approaching Chandra with a cold gaze quite similar to the rest of her party, all waiting in a corner of the hall. ¡°Better for you. And we are not allies.¡± She responded curtly. ¡°We¡¯re all still in the tower. I hope we can be true allies the next time we meet.¡± Chandra took his leave with a smile. ¡°Be well.¡± Vestra¡¯s eyes lingered on his departing back more than she needed, something one of the other elven women noticed. ¡°It is not permitted.¡± ¡°Do not presume my thoughts.¡± A cold feeling of absence emanated from the shadowdancer. The other elf showed no fear in her equally unfeeling gaze but looked away in deference and kept silent, along with all the others. Vestra too kept to herself, though the words the champion had spoken in the tournament rose within her memories, words she quickly buried as was meant from her. --- On the hill in the distance of the capital stood a group of less than thirty. Trained assassins all and their demeanor showed it, save for Renzo staring silently at the city celebrating its victory, his thoughts of a different path. ¡°Grandfather and Yuna conquered their worlds, definitely.¡± Mai spoke from the side, her attitude less than pleased though not entirely bothered. ¡°I bet even father did better than this.¡± ¡°What is your point?¡± Renzo asked, a trace of frustration in his tone. ¡°You chose poorly.¡± Mai looked at him directly, her blunt words drenched in cold criticism. ¡°There¡¯s no heir anymore. Stop acting like one.¡± Renzo didn¡¯t respond, his eyes steeling as he looked back to the city one last time before leading the others at his leave, his mindset unchanged. --- Shin sat on the roof of the cathedral by himself, having no interest in anything that was happening below. His expression still blank as he stared out to the rare orange dawn of this world. Blank, but the callous hostility had been replaced with an almost forlorn contemplation in the calm breeze. ¡°View¡¯s not that good.¡± Yen commented as she flew over to a footing near him. ¡°You know, normally the hermit wanderer thing is fine but everyone would feel better if you kept close until this is over.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with forever?¡± The question caught Yen a bit off guard. It wasn¡¯t a real question, not fully. Shin seemed to already have the answer and wasn¡¯t looking for anything else, but still, he seemed longing for something. Something a bit more than just being understood. Yen opened her mouth slightly, then closed it, walking over to sit next to him on the ledge of the roof, her expression a bit more serious and genuine than usual. ¡°Anyone that says immortality is a curse or whatever is coping. Just like saying they¡¯re happy in a bad situation. They¡¯re just lying to themselves because they can¡¯t change things¡­¡± Yen¡¯s own thoughts drifted to something that made her somber, but quickly she banished that away with deliberate effort, as she raised her tone with a proud smile. ¡°But this is a new world. We can be gods here.¡± Shin stared at the baseless confident and ambition of the radiant mage, and a slight smile returned to his face. ¡°Yeah.¡± The world froze around them with familiar sensation and Shin¡¯s attention was drawn to the notices before him. [Acquired Title: Vanquisher] ¡®You have dominated a world of the lesser realm. 30% bonus to all stats.¡¯ But more importantly, his second reward for the event was a choice of mythic tier abilities. Less valuable than his tournament reward as it was restricted to only abilities related to his class, but it was mythic tier all the same. There were many abilities Shin wanted to choose, but one took precedent over them all. [Acquired mythic tier trait Inner Sanctuary.] ¡®Hold a small plane within one¡¯s soul.¡¯ It let him create a small pocket world, a piece of land really, within him. There was very little combat value to speak off. It did hide his bonds from detection, but more importantly it allowed his spirits to live in something more than just the darkness of himself. Something Vicious regularly complained about, as did Inari. Kong and Mara didn¡¯t but he knew they would feel better too. ¡°Is this all?¡± Vicious asked, his soul recently reformed and with news of Stein¡¯s death, his mood had settled a bit, but his attitude remained hostile all the same. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Be grateful for what the king has given you.¡± Mara snapped back with regal animosity. ¡°Let me roam.¡± Venom tipped the dusk garm¡¯s words. ¡°I can do that soon.¡± Shin smiled inwardly. ¡°I guess you made your choice if you¡¯re talking with the spirits.¡± Yen spoke up, seeming to have finished as well. ¡°Just checking, but you got Vanquisher, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. What did you pick?¡± Yen beamed as her pride turned to hubris. ¡°Essence of the Sun. Bypasses Fire Immunity. Not completely, but no one is going to walk off my spells anymore. You¡¯re lucky you met me. I¡¯m pretty special, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yen¡¯s face flushed with slight embarrassment at his blunt genuinity towards her bragging, but the world shifted around them and Chariot found themselves back in the serene forest, whole and stronger than ever. Shin looked at the party with a slight smile. He was lucky. And once they have forever, everyone will be lucky too. --- Genjiro waited patiently among the carnage for his turn to act. The Igarashi guild and their temporary pawns slaughtered the forces of the Under King in this cavernous world. The plan of his granddaughter beside him had succeeded without issue, almost boringly so, though he did not fault her for their enemies being lacking. Yugo crashed down nearby, ripping his axes out of his slain foe before lunging off to the next. He had a viking appearance about him, one that matched his class and behavior. Influence he wished he could have blamed on his patron god, but Genjiro knew this was simply the boy¡¯s own nature. But that too was no fault. They were no longer a clan of solely assassins and spies after all. Kurenai used her magic to rip open a door in the dimensional barrier and Genjiro stepped through before anyone noticed. Calmly and rapidly he strolled, the near invisible slash of his weapon reaping the lives of the creatures that lunged at him in the dark. A bore if he were to be honest, the novelty of effortless slaughter having long lost its thrill. A mass of malevolent energy surged over in a giant stream, but he had already flicked to its source. A warrior¡¯s glee found his face as he swung a glaive with the baleful aura of Bane at his terrified foe. The Under King blinked away, and Genjiro appeared in stance behind him. Again and again they flickered throughout the dark cavern until finally the Warlord¡¯s blade severed the gray skinned gnome in half, through all his magic and defenses. Genjiro rests his glaive on his shoulder before the slain foe. Patriarch he may be, but the old head of the Igarashi supposed he could only expected so much from one that lost in the first round. Still, he would not have to bare his boredom for long. Soon, very soon, he would have the war he always dreamed of. --- Elsewhere, Atilla held an iron masked goliath by the neck, the towering berserker¡¯s body broken and defeated. But the red haired hercules of the Atreus showed nothing but unsurprised contempt. ¡°I yield¡­¡± A sickening crack came from the patriarch¡¯s neck as Atilla broke it with the clench of his fist, letting the man¡¯s body fall without respect to join the many surrounding them. Victory had brought Atilla no joy. Victory was expected. Rather, his mood had worsened at the sight of the iron masked berserker as it reminded him of the others this detestable system had deemed superior to him. With the ruin of his invaded world, Attila Atreus thought only of destroying the three who dared to stand above him. --- Sereth sat on a gilded throne, her posture graceful and bearing not the slightest trace of concern. The world she arrived in had long been conquered. Surrounding her were the mindless minions and chosen thralls, chief among them a patriarch who had made it to the fourth round, the greatest spoils she had collected. But this was not enough. She needed more power, more might under her control. Shin would finish playing at friends soon, she knew, and their true opponents would be gods. Sereth was under no illusion that it would be simple, not for anyway but him at least. And she would be at his side when he was ready, her and no other. --- ¡°Traitor¡­¡± A dying man cursed. Bando grinned back in amusement, his red skinned form with six arms sitting atop a hill of bloodied corpses. ¡°You were stupid enough to trust me. Blame yourself if¡­ hm.¡± The status of the man laid bare and Bando lost interest. This world had been fun but there was no more fun to had. Not here at least. Though when he thought back to his own home world in comparison to this, his excitement returned. He looked up to wherever the realm of the gods resided. There would be no shortage of fun in the tower. --- ¡°Why should I?¡± Jurandir Barbosa asked. Bjorn¡¯s scarred face soured. The War Surgeon possessed a powerful physique that should belong to a man far younger, though his snow white hair betrayed his age. It sickened Bjorn knowing what the man had been doing, but he needed power. He was still weak, far too weak to even hope of gaining revenge. ¡°...what do you want?¡± ¡°Making a deal with the devil is never wise.¡± Barbosa mockingly advised. ¡°But there is something you can do.¡± Bjorn¡¯s expression collapsed into pure anger at the surgeon¡¯s request, and before he knew it, he had swung his sword, the emanating force shattering the boulder the old man sat on and take a chunk of the forest with it. Barbosa had easily escaped, leaving Bjorn to seethe in rage without nothing gained at all, but he could not, would never do such a request. Bjorn cursed this tower and this system that allowed such evil to thrive. He would see them slain. If not this way, then another. --- ¡°War is only a means to an end. You must not desire it, only the result it brings.¡± Richard Pendragon marched through the finished battlefield, two young men following behind. ¡°And war is not finished when the last enemy falls or surrenders.¡± Roland glanced back at Darius. Older by nearly ten years, but the wastrel scum was beneath him in the line of succession, his tanned skin and golden eyes betraying his bastard birth. Darius caught notice and smiled back, the taunting attitude as if he knew everything only serving to worsen Roland¡¯s mood. Henry had died in the festival auction, to some nameless common filth at that. And they did not know how William met his end, but he never returned from that wretched island. That left him as the sole heir. The sole legitimate heir, Roland would never acknowledge his two bastard half brothers. But he could not help but be wary. Henry and William were already his betters in combat, and Darius surpassed them still. Should their father fall, the carefree rogue might become more than just a thorn in his side. Though he hoped the worse would not come to pass. His father was capable and strong, and the Pendragons needed his leadership more than ever. With decorum and law broken down, might was most of what remained. ¡°There is a war coming.¡± Richard stopped before them, his presence as serious and solemn as ever. ¡°A true war. Not these games. You must be ready for it.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± Roland answered with resolve. As the crown prince and symbol of stability, he needed to rise to the occasion, and he would. He vowed it. He would die before he let the Pendragons perish or fall into the wrong hands. --- Lu Kang stood in perfect stance as his bloody wounds healed. The strain of overusing his Will ached every part of his body, soul, and mind and for it he had not even come close to winning. But there was no discouragement in his roused expression. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you when things start to happen. Don¡¯t run.¡± The world froze, taking away perception of the Battlemaster from Leon¡¯s unconcerned face. The rewards of Vanquisher and a mythic tier skill took his attention for only a moment, as he knew what he wanted already. ¡°You should have finished them off.¡± The Incanter Nagi told him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Leon looked towards his party of ten with a casual calmly smile. Nothing really mattered. --- Within the frozen world he had made a living hell, Micah find his consciousness brought before his patron goddess. Her piercing yellow eyes and sickeningly beautiful features still shot fear into the core of his being, no matter how many times he was called. ¡°This atones for your failure in the trials, at least. Are you satisfied? Whatever you gain, those above you gain even more.¡± Her cruel words pulled on Micah¡¯s envy and insecurity. ¡°I will tolerate no betrayal, not of your loyalty nor my expectations.¡± Malevolence swelled within the Cursemancer. ¡°I will cause them the greatest misery.¡± --- Shin sat calmly in the forest, his pleasant focus trained on inscription. The others had agreed that there was little to do at the moment but train and further events would likely soon follow, so their priority now, was to prepare for it. Shin didn¡¯t think they needed to worry as much as they did, but he was never against training or any of them doing what they wanted. ¡°You certainly chose well.¡± Mask asked without warning, leaning against a nearby tree. ¡°All with great wills or strange fates. All willing to march behind like good subjects on your twisted path.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Shin asked ¡°No one.¡± Mask answered. His position had changed to sitting atop a branch on the other side. ¡°There¡¯s no need to wonder about my intentions. It¡¯s nothing important. I¡¯ve merely come to greet a Prince of Chaos.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a prince.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Mask spoke plainly, as if correcting a child. ¡°No matter. Whether you accept it or not changes nothing. But I will leave you with a bit of help. There is a traitor among you.¡± All trace of the strange jester disappeared from Shin¡¯s senses before he knew it, and he returned his focus pleasantly back to his talismans. The words of Mask¡¯s warning had left Shin¡¯s mind the moment they entered his ears, as if he would not even humor their existence. He had chosen them, and he would never be against any of them doing what they wanted. Character Sheets 2 Shin [Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 200 (420) Agility - 600 (1260) Constitution - 50 (105) Vitality - 152 [228] (479) Dexterity - 33 (69) Perception - 300 (630) Force - 24 (50) Spirit - 793 [1190] (2499) Control - 150 [225] (472) Willpower - 100 [150] (315) Skills: Greater Restore lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Skyward Kitsune Throneguard lvl. 10, Ultimate Martial Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Greater Invigoration lvl. 10, Greater Harvest Soul lvl. 5, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Pulse lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Greater Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Truestrike lvl. 10, Sense Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Eclipse lvl. 10, Greater Mana Absorption lvl. 10, Merge lvl. 10, Mana Harnessing lvl. 10, Traits: Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, Vestiger, (42/43) Yenny [Human Firestarter (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 11 (20) Agility - 16 (29) Constitution - 30 (54) Vitality - 30 (54) Dexterity - 75 (135) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 840 [1260] (2268) Spirit - 540 [810] (1458) Control - 250 (450) Willpower - 200 (360) Skills: Comet lvl. 10, Greater Mana Shield lvl. 10, Greater Armament lvl. 10, Explosion lvl. 10, Fire Barrage lvl. 10, Greater Fly lvl. 10, Greater Fire Mimicry lvl. 10, Maximize lvl. 10, Hold lvl. 10, Greater Firestream lvl. 10, Greater Vector lvl. 10, Greater Flame Nova lvl. 10, Greater Disruption lvl. 10, Greater Vortex lvl. 10, Cinder lvl. 10, Greater Magnetic lvl. 10, Mana Projection lvl. 10, Traits: Fire Immunity, Phoenix Soul, Loved by Magic, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Force, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Fire Overwhelming, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Spirit, (30/33) Donny [Human Blood Knight (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 500 [750] (1350) Agility - 400 [600] (1080) Constitution - 100 [150] (270) Vitality - 400 [600] (1080) Dexterity - 200 (360) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 9 (16) Spirit - 150 (270) Control - 140 (252) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Cleave lvl. 10, Supreme Axe Combat lvl. 10, Supreme Shield Combat lvl. 10, Greater Shield Charge lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Shift lvl. 10, Greater Swagger lvl. 10, Greater Bastion lvl. 10, Greater Spellbreak lvl. 10, Rend lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Parry lvl. 10, Greater Anchor lvl. 10, Greater Thunderstomp lvl. 10, Greater Feint lvl. 10, Greater Knockback lvl. 10, Perfect Rage lvl. 10, Bloodbind lvl. 10, Traits: Bloodthirst, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Truesight, Third Eye, Greater Constitution, Great Vitality, Greater Strength, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Unfettered, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Agility, (34/35) Kamala [Human Pagan (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 9 (16) Agility - 17 (30) Constitution - 15 (27) Vitality - 22 (39) Dexterity - 14 (25) Perception - 200 (360) Force - 400 [600] (1080) Spirit - 900 [1350] (2430) Control - 300 [450] (810) Willpower - 200 (360) Skills: Wild Growth lvl. 10, Heal lvl. 10, Mystic Barrier lvl. 10, Greater Remedy lvl. 10, Greater Detox lvl. 10, Greater Ensnare lvl. 10, Greater Ironbark lvl. 10, Regrowth lvl. 10, Greater Protection lvl. 10, Greater Exorcize lvl. 10, Greater Garden lvl. 10, Shieldsaint Wings lvl. 10, Greensap lvl. 10, Germinate lvl. 10, Summon Valkyrie lvl. 10, Disruption lvl. 10, Greater Nature¡¯s Ally lvl. 10, Thornbloom lvl. 10, Wood Spear lvl. 10, Nature¡¯s Wrath lvl. 10, A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Traits: Heroic Inheritance, Fire Immunity, Green Hand, Savior, Guardian, Hypercognition, Tireless, Summon Master, Greater Spirit, Great Force, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Control, (36/38) Karla [Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 500 [750] (1350) Agility - 500 [750] (1350) Constitution - 100 [150] (270) Vitality - 361 [541] (974) Dexterity - 125 [187] (336) Perception - 200 [300] (540) Force - 14 (25) Spirit - 100 (180) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Dynamic lvl. 10, Ultimate Unarmed Combat lvl. 10, Greater Bastion lvl. 10, Greater Parry lvl. 10, Body Flicker lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Shift lvl. 10, Greater Aura Meditation lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Ravage lvl. 10, Greater Fracture lvl. 10, Greater Spellbreak lvl. 10, Greater Momentum lvl. 10, Greater Concuss lvl. 10, Limber lvl. 10, Crush lvl. 10, Savagery lvl. 10, Traits: Martial Intuition, Tempered Bone (epic), Instant Regeneration, Greater Charming Resistance, Weakness Immunity, Martial Eye, Body Supremacy, Mana Devourer, Lightning Reflexes, Third Eye, Great Strength, Great Agility, Great Constitution, Great Vitality, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Perception, (41/42) Dante [Human Runic Charlatan (legendary) - Greater Lord Strength - 150 (270) Agility - 450 (810) Constitution - 150 (270) Vitality - 100 (180) Dexterity - 120 (216) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 30 (54) Spirit - 638 [957] (1722) Control - 300 [450] (810) Willpower - 200 [300] (540) Skills: Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 10, Trajectory lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Hallucination lvl. 10, Greater Trick Mine lvl. 10, Greater Flashbang lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Morph lvl. 10, Greater Silence lvl. 10, Greater Obscuration lvl. 10, Clandestine lvl. 10, Greater Shadowstep lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Shawl lvl. 10, Rogue¡¯s Arsenal lvl. 10, Greater Blink lvl. 10, Portal lvl. 10, Greater Phantom Platform lvl. 10, Greater Escape Art lvl. 10, Greater Weight Shift lvl. 10, Stigma lvl. 10, Mana Harnessing lvl. 10, Corrosive lvl. 10, Traits: Mysterious, Demon Soul, Foresight, Hypercognition, Tireless, Truth and Lies, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Control, Great Spirit, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Willpower, (40/41) Jean [Human Puppetmaster (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 100 (180) Agility - 300 (540) Constitution - 50 (90) Vitality - 100 (180) Dexterity - 100 (180) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 15 (27) Spirit - 500 [750] (1350) Control - 584 [876] (1577) Willpower - 400 (720) Skills: Superior Dagger Combat lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Greater Sense Presence lvl. 10, Greater Sense Trap lvl. 10, Puppet Clone lvl. 10, Greater Smokescreen lvl. 10, Greater Vigilance lvl. 10, Greater Burst lvl. 10, Puppetry lvl. 10, Greater Invisibility lvl. 10, Greater Obscuration lvl. 10, Greater Conceal lvl. 10, Substitution lvl. 10, Greater Disable Trap lvl. 10, Greater Sense Magic lvl. 10, Puppet Collection lvl. 10, Greater Puppet Swap lvl. 10, Greater Noise lvl. 10, Ensign lvl. 10, Greater Dispel lvl. 10, Traits: Sixth Sense, Hypercognition, Great Control, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Truesight, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Spirit, (31/31) Mujin [Human Dragoon (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 (540) Agility - 600 [900] (1620) Constitution - 100 (180) Vitality - 432 [648] (1166) Dexterity - 200 [300] (540) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 100 (180) Spirit - 150 (270) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Dragonfang lvl. 10, Grand Unarmed Combat lvl. 10, Greater Lightning Palm Blast lvl. 10, Ultimate Spear Combat lvl. 10, Body Flicker lvl. 10, Greater Parry lvl. 10, Greater Feint lvl. 10, Greater Shift lvl. 10, Greater Willow lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Aura Meditation lvl. 10, Greater Electric lvl. 10, Greater Spellbreak lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Drill lvl. 10, Dragonplate lvl. 10, Greater Lightning Mimicry lvl. 10, Traits: Lightning Immunity, Martial Eye, Sixth Sense, Lightning Reflexes, Windstrider, Lightning Overwhelming, Great Agility, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Curse Immunity, Disease Immunity, Dragon Heart, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Vitality, (34/35) Ashley [Human Reaper (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 350 (630) Agility - 700 [1050] (1890) Constitution - 50 (90) Vitality - 200 (360) Dexterity - 200 [300] (540) Perception - 300 (540) Force - 20 (36) Spirit - 300 [450] (810) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 150 (270) Skills: Reap lvl. 10, Grand Dagger Combat lvl. 10, Greater Stealth lvl. 10, Vigilance lvl. 10, Greater Premeditation lvl. 10, Greater Mesmerize lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Shadowmeld lvl. 10, Greater Invisibility lvl. 10, Darkness lvl. 10, Haste lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Limber lvl. 10, Obscuration lvl. 10, Greater Shadow Mimicry lvl. 10, Phantom lvl. 10, Phantasm lvl. 10, Harrow lvl. 10, Supreme Scythe Combat lvl. 10, Ghoulification lvl. 10, Traits: True Vampirism, Daywalker, Heretical, Darkvision, Martial Eye, Mystic Eyes, Great Agility, Great Dexterity, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Golden Body, Strong Mind, Strong Soul, Great Spirit, (35/39) Basem [Human Strider (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 300 (540) Agility - 600 [900] (1620) Constitution - 100 (180) Vitality - 230 (414) Dexterity - 300 (540) Perception - 500 [750] (1350) Force - 15 (27) Spirit - 200 (360) Control - 100 (180) Willpower - 100 (180) Skills: Snipe lvl. 10, Ultimate Bow Combat lvl. 10, Stalk lvl. 10, Greater Steady Aim lvl. 10, Farsight lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Burst lvl. 10, Greater Chameleon lvl. 10, Triple Nock lvl. 10, Backfire lvl. 10, Buckshot lvl. 10, Haste lvl. 10, Greater Guided Arrow lvl. 10, Hunter¡¯s Mark lvl. 10, Hidden Arrow lvl. 10, Greater Blink lvl. 10, Vantage Point lvl. 10, Spellbreak lvl. 10, Traits: Martial Eye, Truesight, Third Eye, Great Perception, Poison Immunity, Disease Immunity, Curse Immunity, Unnoticeable, Golden Body, Golden Mind, Golden Soul, Great Agility, (30/31) Inari [Skyward Kitsune Throneguard (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1800 Agility - 2402 Constitution - 1024 Vitality - 1448 Dexterity - 1905 Perception - 1572 Force - 2377 Spirit - 1992 Control - 1539 Willpower - 1941 Skills: Duality lvl. 10, Sacred Fire lvl. 10, Greater Foxfire lvl. 10, Greater Slash lvl. 10, Greater Glare lvl. 10, Supreme Sword Combat lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Traits: Unity (mythic), Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Occult (legendary), Greater Soul Weapon (legendary), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Greater Foxtail (epic), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Mara [Lamassu Gatekeeper (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 733 Agility - 952 Constitution - 1015 Vitality - 829 Dexterity - 791 Perception - 1984 Force - 4201 Spirit - 3187 Control - 2048 Willpower - 2160 Skills: Sanctuary lvl. 10, Mana Barrier lvl. 10, Aurora lvl. 10, Greater Vector lvl. 5, Greater Mindfray lvl. 7, Greater Bewilder lvl. 4, Greater Fly lvl. 8, Greater Channelling lvl. 6, Greater Blink lvl. 2, Greater Disruption lvl. 3, Traits: Guardian (mythic), Greater Psychic Mind (legendary), Premonition (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Mind (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Kong [Yeren Magecrusher (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 3500 Agility - 1890 Constitution - 2397 Vitality - 2548 Dexterity - 1555 Perception - 2101 Force - 526 Spirit - 1041 Control - 1189 Willpower - 1253 Skills: Crush lvl. 10, Anti lvl. 10, Greater Haymaker lvl. 10, Greater Rebound lvl. 6, Greater Thunderclap lvl. 4, Greater Momentum lvl. 1, Greater Shift lvl. 10, Greater Swiftness lvl. 10, Greater Overpower lvl. 10, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Barbarism lvl. 3, Traits: Mana Devourer (mythic), Unfettered (mythic), Rapid Regeneration (legendary), Greater Hawkeye (legendary), Greater Leather Hide (legendary), Greater Weakness Resistance (legendary), Greater Nightvision (legendary), Diamond Body (legendary), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Curse Resistance (legendary), Vicious [Dusk Garm (legendary) - Greater Lord] Strength - 1635 Agility - 3102 Constitution - 1001 Vitality - 1248 Dexterity - 1927 Perception - 1950 Force - 1899 Spirit - 2015 Control - 1500 Willpower - 1723 Skills: Darkness Lordship lvl. 7, Shadowmeld lv. 5, Light Blitz lvl. 10, Haste lvl. 10, Fear lvl. 3, Greater Sneak lvl. 8, Greater Invisibility lvl. 5, Greater Premeditation lvl. 6, Greater Agile lvl. 10, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Greater Ghost Claw lvl. 4, Greater Phase lvl. 3, Traits: Malevolent (mythic), Malefic (mythic), Darkness Overwhelming (mythic), Loved by Darkness (mythic), Darkvision (mythic), Martial Eye (mythic), Curse Immunity (mythic), Greater Poison Resistance (legendary), Greater Disease Resistance (legendary), Greater Necrotic Resistance (legendary), Temporary Hiatus and Important Announcement First off, I''m not dropping the series. I did way too much worldbuilding and I''m too excited about the later arcs to even consider that. But running into roadblocks with the plot and general life stuff is forcing me to switch up my focus. Slay Hero will be a passion project I write in my spare time while I focus on a new project as my first priority. I''ll announcement that project on here when it''s ready. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Right now my plan is to write whole books at a time a release the chapters all at once. No timeline on when book 3 will come out atm but it won''t be soon unfortunately. I also want to do some major edits of the first two books at some point. That''s pretty much it. I wanna thank everyone who read and supported this series. All the comments, the feedback, the interactions seriously mean a lot. I can''t promise it''ll release fast but I will continue Slay Hero. New Series - Savage Soul Took a lot longer than I hoped, had a few setbacks along the way, but the new series I promised is finally here! Pretty happy with how it turned out. Got to use the cultivation system I spent hours and hours designing and revive a character idea that I thought I''d have to shelve forever, so that''s cool.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Slay Hero''s status is still the same, just progressing very slowly. If I could do more I would but health problems limit how much I''m able to do. In the meantime, give this new series a try. I think you guys will like it, so check it out!